AJ Dybantsa Just Put Up 27 in His Summer League Debut. Here’s How That Compares to Other No. 1 Picks.

The Washington Wizards might have finally found their guy. AJ Dybantsa, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, walked onto the Thomas & Mack Center floor in Las Vegas on Thursday and didn’t just show up. He took over. The result was a 92-88 win over the Utah Jazz, but the score almost felt secondary. What mattered was the statement.

Dybantsa dropped 19 points in the first half alone. By the time the final buzzer hit, he had 27 points on 7-of-18 shooting, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block. He played 26 minutes. He also did it while standing across from Darryn Peterson, the No. 2 pick, who had a solid night of his own with 24 points. The rookie-on-rookie matchup was the kind of thing NBA fans dream about in July.

Let’s put that 27-point debut in context. Among the last six No. 1 picks, nobody has scored more in their first Summer League game. Cooper Flagg had 10 points in 2025. Zaccharie Risacher had 18 in 2024. Victor Wembanyama had nine in 2023. Paolo Banchero had 17 in 2022. Cade Cunningham had 12 in 2021. That puts Dybantsa in a class of his own for one night anyway.

What the Wizards Got Around Him

Dybantsa didn’t do it alone. Tre Johnson poured in 26 points and Will Riley added 18. The Wizards built a double-digit lead by halftime. The Jazz clawed back and made it tight in the second half, but Washington held on. Peterson finished with three rebounds, three assists and a block for Utah, but the Wizards had the better supporting cast on this night.

ROY Drought in D.C.

The Wizards haven’t had a Rookie of the Year since Wes Unseld took the honor way back in 1969. That same season Unseld also won MVP, which tells you how long ago it was. Dybantsa has the kind of debut that makes you wonder if that drought could finally end. Of the last six No. 1 picks, four of them — Flagg, Wembanyama, Banchero and Cunningham — won Rookie of the Year. The bar is high, but Dybantsa just cleared the first hurdle with some room to spare.

All eyes will be on him Saturday when the Wizards face the New York Knicks. If Thursday was any indication, those tickets are about to get a lot harder to find.