Rookie forward A.J. Dybantsa, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, won’t be suiting up for the Washington Wizards’ regular-season opener, coach Brian Keefe announced Tuesday. Talk about a punch to the gut right before the season even tips off! This is a massive blow for the Wizards, who were surely hyped to unleash their top talent from day one.
An Ankle Roll Derails The Debut
Dybantsa’s debut delay comes after he rolled an ankle during the Wizards’ preseason finale. That game, a tight 107-106 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, went down on Friday in New Orleans. It’s just brutal luck to get nicked up in the final tune-up game and have it cost you the start of your rookie year. In that preseason loss, Dybantsa still managed to put up 12 points, grab two rebounds, and swat away a block. You gotta feel for the guy, being so close to his first official NBA game.
Solid Preseason Showed Promise
Before the injury, Dybantsa was looking good in his limited preseason action. Over four appearances, he averaged a solid 12.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. Those are promising numbers for a No. 1 pick, showing he was getting comfortable and flashing that two-way potential everyone was buzzing about. Wizards fans were absolutely ready to see that translate to the real games, but now they’ll have to wait.
The Wizards are set to kick off their regular season by hosting the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday at 7 p.m. EDT at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. After that, they’ll stay home to take on the Toronto Raptors on Friday. It’s a tough start without their top pick, and it means the rest of the squad will need to step up big time to get this season rolling on the right foot.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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