One Concern for Each Top Wizards Prospects to Alleviate

Each of the potential favorites to win the Washington Wizards' approval with the first overall pick still have a long way to go before proving themselves as a completed package.

Mar 3, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Darryn Peterson (22) against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Washington Wizards haven't had a luxury like this in years. Instead of having to sit and watch as organizational peers tee off the summer's NBA Draft, a position they've grown used to over the course of this active rebuild, they can finally treat hungry fans to the first pick at the litter.

A team getting to dictate their path to improvement makes for an enviable position no matter the context, but for as hard as it will be to narrow their preferences down to a singular franchise-changer, the individual weaknesses presented by each draft class frontrunner must similarly be accounted for. Prospects aren't created in test tubes, meaning that even this upcoming talent batch isn't immune from a unique arsenal of strengths and drawbacks that have to be equally scouted.

We're at the point in the news cycle where the secretive Wizards' options at No. 1 have been more or less narrowed down to AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer, a trio of college phenoms each armed with a few lingering concerns attached to their wildly differing styles. For this exercise, though, I'll be focusing on one particularly-glaring weakness likely to surface, or at least get honed in on, amidst their transition from top dogs at the NCAA level to NBA rookies.

AJ Dybantsa: How Will the Two-Way Workload Come Around?

I'm already sort of breaking my own rules just one player into the roundup. For all of the BYU forward's glowing athleticism and dazzling transition play, I'm still suspicious as to how he'll manage balancing his well-rounded skillset at a higher level of competition, specifically pertaining to his playmaking workload and how that'll influence his defensive impact.

Mar 7, 2026; Provo, Utah, USA; BYU Cougars forward AJ Dybantsa (3) and forward Keba Keita (13) reacts during the second half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Marriott Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Baker-Imagn Images | Aaron Baker-Imagn Images

Dybantsa's ability to pass out of help-happy defenses and create open looks for his more dependent teammates on the go stood out as some of the most exciting indicators regarding his future as an offensive hub, but half-court settings at the NBA level remain a different beast. He'll need to straighten out his streaky jump shot in order to capitalize on whatever spacing he's granted, and any live ball reads he's looking to fire can't afford to be slow or telegraphed against every team's arsenal of lengthy pass-deflectors.

Additionally, his defense left some to be desired as a Cougar, especially considering the physical tools he's working with. The near-6'10" wing produced fewer stops than less gifted prospects around the college game, but more limited offensive responsibilities may enable a shift in Dybantsa's priorities.

A team like the Wizards certainly won't need him to be a full-time initiator, at least not yet, with creators like Trae Young, Anthony Davis, Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George already occupying central roles will need him more for his supplementary contributions in preparing Dybantsa for the load that comes with taking over as a franchise player. He'll have to prove to his newest organization, as well as the rest of the league, that he can do things like score from the perimeter when he's open, keep the ball swinging and make stops at an exemplary level before eventually earning the keys to the offense and leading the squad in minutes.

Darryn Peterson: Is there Any Legitimacy to his Point Guard Claims?

Peterson, much like Dybantsa, was deadly as an individual scorer during his one-and-done Kansas stint, but anyone doubting the legitimacy of Dybantsa acting as a part-time table-setter has to be honest with themselves about Peterson's playmaking track record. 1.6 assists per game and 2.2 per 40 minutes just won't be good enough if he's to be depended upon as an offensive force in the bigs.

That's not to say he's incapable of contributing to opportunities worth taking advantage of. The guard will be able to knock down a variety of 3-pointers and midrange jumpers immediately, making it look too easy against lesser competition.

Darryn Peterson…

One of the most efficient off ball shooters in NCAA history. 6’10 wingspan. Hyper-smooth athlete. Low turnover. Soft touch. Strong defensive metrics. Perfect 2-guard. pic.twitter.com/K8msl99axl

— Basketball University (@UofBasketball) May 11, 2026

He doesn't see his ceiling as a 2-guard, though, emphatically stating that he's capable of sliding in as a professional point guard wherever he lands in the draft. Peterson doesn't have to be Chris Paul, but he will have to be more aggressive in instinctive than what he's showcased in looking out for others and spearheading a well-rounded scoring attack.

He's far from a lost cause on this front, finding screeners on the roll and capitalizing on disproportionate attention drawn semi-regularly as a Jayhawk. Should he get selected by the Wizards, the possessions without Young on the floor will be huge in checking how Peterson measures up as the man making the reads.

The archetype of the pass-first point guard is simply less popular among star guards than it was 30 years ago -- just look at these active NBA Finals, two back courts captained by All-Star bucketeers in Jalen Brunson and De'Aaron Fox. Granted, they're better at attacking the rim than the admittedly-hobbled Peterson was as a freshman, but he'll need to first prove himself as more than an off-ball assassin to his next coaching staff before he makes the move to full-time on-ball decision-maker.

Cameron Boozer: Should Fans Expect Dominant Scoring Creativity?

The major knock against the most decorated contributor of the bunch is that he reminds everyone less like the end-of-game closer who blossom in the playoffs and more like a supercharged role player, a back-to-the-basket rebounder with solid-enough defense to peak as the third- or fourth-best player on a championship team.

A lot of Boozer's lopsided reputation focuses on the last few possessions of Duke's March Madness results and not nearly enough on the 35 minutes that precede the final five. He can, in fact, attack the rim on his own and shoot at a comfortably-efficient rate from outside, but his tendency to rely on "easy buckets," or rather, buckets that he just makes look easy, have limited his consensus ceiling.

Mar 21, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) reacts with guard Cayden Boozer (2) in the second half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

He won the NCAA's National Player of the Year with a higher usage rate than some may expect, notching a near-30% figure that he'll be unlikely to consistently match over the coming months and years. The power forward-center hybrid may similarly experience some growing pains in transitioning his late-game at-the-basket play against bigger defenders and within larger lineups, especially regarding his rebounding and creativity rolling into space.

He, as well as Dybantsa and Peterson, each present many more areas of excitement than doubt to your average draft evaluator, especially to a team like Washington that's dying for a boost to their young corps. But just as everyone else who's had to undergo this lengthy pre-draft process had to endure, expect the detractors to remain vocal until proven otherwise.

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