The Washington Wizards finally have the No. 1 pick. After years of losing and two seasons of Michael Winger and Will Dawkins quietly restructuring everything, they get to pick the face of the franchise. But here’s the thing. This isn’t a Victor Wembanyama draft. It’s not a Cooper Flagg draft either. There is no obvious generational talent sitting at the top. The Wizards have to decide between two very different players with very different risks attached.
According to ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel, the choice has come down to BYU forward AJ Dybantsa and Kansas guard Darryn Peterson. Duke’s Cameron Boozer, who put up 22.5 points and 10.2 rebounds as a freshman and won National Player of the Year, reportedly isn’t in the conversation at No. 1. The Wizards want a perimeter scorer with star upside, not a traditional big. Boozer’s skill set is real but his athletic ceiling doesn’t match the other two.
Dybantsa is the kind of scorer who makes you stop and stare. He led the nation with 25.5 points per game as a freshman. He shot nearly 57% from inside the arc. The kid can get to his spots in the midrange and finish through contact at the rim. His final college game summed up his whole season: 35 points and 10 rebounds against Texas in the NCAA Tournament, dragging a thin BYU roster to overtime basically by himself. But it also exposed him. He shot 1-of-7 from three that night. His deep ball for the season was 33%, and his assist-to-turnover ratio was nearly even. Those aren’t fatal flaws but they’re real concerns for a guy who will need to play off the ball next to Trae Young.
The thing about Dybantsa though is that he might not need to do everything right away. Washington has Trae Young, Anthony Davis, and Alex Sarr. Young led the league in assists two seasons ago. Davis draws double teams. Sarr occupies space inside. Dybantsa could slide in as a third option who gets clean looks and doesn’t have to carry the offense. That context matters for his development. It also makes him the safer bet. His defense is still a work in progress — his steal and block rates were below average for his position — but he has the frame and athleticism to improve once he isn’t carrying the scoring load every night.
Peterson is the trickier evaluation. On talent alone he might be the best player in the draft. He shot 38% from three on nearly seven attempts a game as a freshman. He knocked down 43% of his catch-and-shoot threes and 41% of his threes off screens. He also blocked shots at a high rate and generated steals. The defensive numbers are real. He wants to play point guard in the NBA but doesn’t see Trae Young as an obstacle, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Woo. That versatility is valuable.
But Peterson only played 24 games last season. Severe cramping, hamstring issues, quad problems, ankle stuff. The whole year was a fog. Nobody outside the Kansas program really knew what was going on until ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne published an interview where Peterson said high doses of creatine caused the cramps. That explanation might be true. It might also be incomplete. The uncertainty is real. And when you’re picking first overall, uncertainty becomes a huge factor.
This is a classic floor versus upside argument with an added medical variable. Dybantsa is the pick if you want to sleep at night. He’ll score, he’ll grow into his role, and he won’t have chronic health questions following him from day one. Peterson might end up being the better player. He might also end up missing games at the worst possible moments. The Wizards have been bad for a long time. They can’t afford to swing and miss.
Dybantsa makes more sense. It’s that simple. Not because he’s clearly better but because the risk profile is easier to manage. The Wizards can build around him as the eventual No. 1 option once Young’s contract runs its course. Peterson could be great. But great players who don’t play don’t help you win.
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