Projected No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa already has lofty expectations for his NBA future and believes he can help the Washington Wizards reach the postseason immediately.
As the 2026 NBA Draft approaches on June 23 and June 24 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, Dybantsa made a bold promise regarding Washington, which owns the No. 1 overall pick.
In a recent clip shared by X user @MrCongee, Dybantsa discussed the possibility of joining the Wizards with Jeremiah Fears, who currently plays for the New Orleans Pelicans.
“If I go to DC, I’ll make the playoffs… I’m gonna make sure I make it,” Dybantsa said.
Fears expressed doubt about the Wizards making such a rapid turnaround, prompting a playful response from Dybantsa.
“You’re telling me how to run in the league when you had the second worst record,” Dybantsa said while laughing.
Fears fired back with a defense of New Orleans’ situation.
“Bro, that’s because we had no big,” Fears said.
“If I go to DC, I’ll make the playoffs… Imma make sure I make it.”
– AJ Dybantsa
pic.twitter.com/U4Caf5qISb
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 12, 2026
AJ Dybantsa sees playoff path with revamped Wizards roster
The confidence from Dybantsa comes at a pivotal moment for Washington. After finishing the 2025-26 season with a 17-65 record, the Wizards won the NBA Draft Lottery and secured the No. 1 overall selection in a draft widely viewed as one of the deepest at the top in recent years.
Washington’s outlook has also changed significantly over the past year. The franchise acquired Trae Young from the Atlanta Hawks in January before adding Anthony Davis from the Dallas Mavericks at the trade deadline. Combined with young talent such as Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly, and Kyshawn George, the Wizards are expected to enter next season with far greater expectations than they have carried in recent years.
If Washington uses the top pick on Dybantsa as many around the league expect, the highly regarded prospect would join a roster featuring established stars and promising young talent. Based on his comments, he believes that combination would be enough to end the franchise’s playoff drought as early as the 2026-27 season.
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