The Washington Wizards have made AJ Dybantsa’s next step official.
Washington announced its NBA Summer League roster on X, and Dybantsa’s name sits at the top of the list as the No. 4 entry. For a franchise that just used the No. 1 overall pick on the former BYU standout, the announcement is more than a routine July roster drop. It is the first real marker for when Wizards fans can begin watching Dybantsa in a Washington uniform.
The timing matters because Dybantsa’s Summer League debut is not buried in a quiet afternoon slot. The Wizards are scheduled to open Las Vegas Summer League play against the Utah Jazz on July 9 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN, a matchup expected to feature Dybantsa against No. 2 overall pick Darryn Peterson.
That gives Washington’s new franchise centerpiece an immediate stage.
AJ Dybantsa Headlines Wizards’ Summer League Roster
The Wizards’ Summer League roster includes Dybantsa, Jamir Watkins, Tre Johnson, JuJu Reese, Kadary Richmond, Norris Agbakoko, John Camden, Chris Livingston, Reece Beekman, Will Riley, Damari Monsanto, RJ Nembhard Jr., Felix Okpara, Seth Trimble and Tre Carroll.
Dybantsa is the obvious headliner, but he is not the only player with something to gain in Las Vegas. Watkins, Beekman, Livingston and Okpara all give Washington additional evaluation points as the organization sorts through young depth pieces around its more important long-term players.
Still, every Wizards Summer League possession will be viewed through a Dybantsa lens.
That is what comes with being the No. 1 pick. It is also what comes with joining a team whose fan base has been waiting for a true foundational star to emerge. Dybantsa became Washington’s first No. 1 overall pick since John Wall in 2010, a reminder of the expectations now attached to his arrival.
Dybantsa has already leaned into the bigger picture. At his introductory event, he said he wanted to be “a piece of the puzzle” in Washington’s rebuild and acknowledged that Wizards fans have “been waiting for a long time,” according to the Associated Press story.
Summer League will not determine whether Dybantsa becomes that kind of player. But it can offer a first glimpse at how quickly his tools translate against NBA-caliber athletes.
Wizards Get an Immediate No. 1 vs. No. 2 Pick Showcase
The opener against Utah gives Dybantsa a natural measuring stick.
Peterson, the No. 2 pick, already made an early Summer League impression in Salt Lake City. Peterson scored 28 points in 27 minutes in his Summer League debut, shooting 11-of-21 from the field and 4-of-7 from three-point range, though he also committed eight turnovers.
That matters for Dybantsa because the first week of Summer League often becomes comparison season. Fans, scouts and national media will track every possession between the top rookies, even if teams are more concerned with process than box-score dominance.
For Washington, the more important questions are practical.
Can Dybantsa create quality shots without forcing the game? How does he handle physical defense? Does he look comfortable initiating offense, or does he settle into more of a wing-scoring role? How much does Washington ask him to do defensively in his first live NBA setting?
Those are more useful takeaways than whether he outscores Peterson in one July game.
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