Wizards Still Unclear on Who to Draft

Washington Wizards general manager Will Dawkins is still unsure on who he wants to draft, or who is first on his big board.

Jan 9, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards general manager Will Dawkins introduces newly acquired Wizards guard Trae Young (not pictured) at a press conference prior to the Wizards' game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The 2026 NBA draft class is considered to be one of the deepest draft classes in recent memory. It is like reaching into Mary Poppins' bag; endless treasure awaits. This means that just getting one first-round draft pick can do wonders for a team. Landing in the lottery, though, is the big goal, and then there are the teams aiming for first overall.

The Washington Wizards fall into that tier of reaching for first overall in the draft. It is evident with their current record, as they sit just half a game behind the Indiana Pacers for the worst record in the NBA. One more Pacers victory would mean the Wizards take the worst record in the league, giving them the best odds at first overall, and the lowest they can fall is fifth overall. Even with this situation unfolding, general manager Will Dawkins is still unsure who to take if the team does draft first overall.

2026 Draft Pick Still Not Solidified

Dawkins made an appearance on The Junkies show, part of 106.7 The Fan, and talked about the upcoming draft. The members of the show asked him if he knew who to draft first this year.

Dawkins responded, "No, this draft is pretty deep — there’s a lot of guys who deserve to go really high…a big part of it is spending time with them as players and interviewing them.”

.@JunksRadio asked Wizards general manager Will Dawkins if he knew who the choice would if the team picked first.

“No, this draft is pretty deep — there’s a lot of guys who deserve to go really high…a big part of it is spending time with them as players and interviewing them.”

— Ben Strober (@strobersports) March 24, 2026

This draft class is absolutely stacked, as there are a few options for first overall. You have the athletic scoring freak in AJ Dybantsa, who has created some separation in the past few weeks. Then there is Darryn Peterson, a guard who some people say is the best guard prospect since Kyrie Irving, yet has dealt with injuries the entire season. Finally, there is Cameron Boozer, son of NBA player Carlos Boozer, who has shown signs of being a Kevin Love-type player.

Feb 21, 2026; Provo, Utah, USA; BYU Cougars forward AJ Dybantsa (3) reacts during the second half against the Iowa State Cyclones at Marriott Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Baker-Imagn Images | Aaron Baker-Imagn Images

Any one of these three players does wonders for the rebuild, so getting the top three is a godsend. As we know, though, and as Dawkins reiterated on 106.7, he drafts people over players. This is something he learned under Sam Presti with the Oklahoma City Thunder, and it is safe to say that mentality has worked out for the Thunder.

Because of this, we may never know who the Wizards have number one on their big board. They may not know either until a few days before the draft. They will need to conduct their workouts and pre-draft interviews to determine who fits the culture and mold of this new Wizards team. In the meantime, fans can continue watching the NCAA Tournament and learn more about potential players the Wizards could draft if they fall out of the top three on lottery night.

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