06/23/26 07:49:00
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06/23 19:47 CDT The Washington Wizards select AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1 pick
in the NBA draft
The Washington Wizards select AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft
By BRIAN MAHONEY
AP Basketball Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --- The Washington Wizards selected forward AJ Dybantsa, who led
the nation in scoring in his one season at BYU, with the No. 1 pick in the NBA
draft on Tuesday night.
Dybantsa averaged 25.5 points, highlighted by a 43-point effort that broke
BYU's freshman scoring record.
At 6-foot-9 and 217 pounds, Dybantsa has drawn comparisons to Kevin Durant, who
happens to be his favorite player. Durant grew up in the Washington area, and
Wizards fans can only hope Dybantsa can live up to the comparisons.
They certainly hope he will be better than center Kwame Brown, the pick
Washington made in 2001, the first time it had the No. 1 selection after the
NBA changed draft formats to eliminate territorial picks in 1966. The Wizards
took John Wall in 2010 the other time, and he did turn into an All-Star.
He appeared to say a quick prayer after his name was announced, then went on
stage to greet Commissioner Adam Silver and slipped on a black Wizards hat that
matched nicely with his black suit.
Dybantsa beat out fellow freshman Darryn Peterson of Kansas, who was taken at
the No. 2 pick by Utah. While some thought Peterson had the most talent in the
class, the guard missed 11 games during the season because of injuries and
illness, potentially creating some questions that Dybantsa didn't have.
Cameron Boozer, the college player of the year in his one season at Duke, was
taken at No. 3 by Memphis. Caleb Wilson, another freshman forward from rival
North Carolina, went to Chicago with the next pick.
Those players were the expected top four throughout the pre-draft process,
though there was certainly a case for Peterson to go first with his promise. Or
for Boozer, with his body of work after he put up 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds
and 4.1 assists per game for Duke, where his father, Carlos, also played before
becoming a two-time NBA All-Star.
The uncertainty was expected to begin at No. 5. The Los Angeles Clippers
acquired the rights to it after a trade with the Indiana Pacers and used it on
Illinois guard Keaton Wagler. The host Brooklyn Nets then went with Louisville
guard Mikel Brown Jr.
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