​Even unofficial or not, AJ Dybantsa’s first appearance in a Washington Wizards uniform lived up to the hype as he helped pace a 2026 Summer League victory over the Utah Jazz on Thursday night to open the five-game slate. The top pick in the NBA draft delivered a 27-point night, matching the best output by a top overall pick in a Summer League debut by tying Blake Griffin, who went on to be the first overall selection in 2009. Dybantsa accomplished this while shooting 7-for-18 from the field, adding seven rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block over 26 minutes. After the game, the young Wizard called the performance “solid.”
The accomplishment of tying Griffin, a former top pick who reshaped expectations during his own Summer League run, left Dybantsa feeling a mix of exhilaration and anticipation. He told Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network that his goal was to show what he could do all around the floor: “Overall, I just wanted to showcase everything, grab a few rebounds, I wanted to get a few steals, couple [of] assists. I was just happy to get back out on the court though.”
Dybantsa, who started Washington’s scoring in the Summer League and finished the first quarter with 11 points, helped the Wizards, alongside Tre Johnson, establish a near-20-point lead through the opening half. The athletic guard also delivered a highlight moment with a thunderous dunk after breezing by four collapsing Jazz defenders. The play sparked a question about whether it might be his first NBA poster, though Dybantsa opted to hold off on counting such things until the regular season begins: “I guess my first NBA poster? I’m not counting anything until the actual regular season comes.”
Head coach T.J. Sorrentine stressed the importance of defensive effort, a message echoed by Tre Johnson in the lead-up to departure. Dybantsa contributed on both ends, recording one of Washington’s four blocks and a pair of steals, aiding his team’s cause across the stat sheet. If there was any concern to extract from the night, it centered on his outside shooting: he went 2-for-13 from beyond the arc, including 0-for-5 from three, which mirrored some of the shot-creation challenges he faced in college. Still, his overall scoring ability and his talent for creating for himself remained clear, and he repeatedly showed the knack for getting to the free-throw line, finishing with a game-high eight attempts and converting all but one.
Dybantsa highlighted his ability to attack the rim aggressively, describing his approach as a deliberate choice to either finish at the rim or draw contact. “I’m attacking the rim relentlessly so it’s either I’m going to dunk it or get fouled,” he said, underscoring the hunger that defines his early NBA development.
The night also provided a chance for Dybantsa to connect with a number of his new teammates, including Trae Young, Anthony Davis, and Tristan Vukcevic, and he noted postgame reunions with Alex Sarr and a planned meeting with Bilal Coulibaly on Friday. While Thursday’s win marked Dybantsa’s personal first win against Peterson in four attempts, it also set the stage for the Wizards to carry momentum into game two, scheduled for Sunday, July 12. The opponent shifts to the Sacramento Kings, who will take the court in place of the Brooklyn Nets, and tip-off will be announced for better SEO and visibility of the Summer League slate. This strong start has Wizards fans hopeful that Dybantsa’s blend of scoring, playmaking, and defense will translate as he continues to acclimate to the professional level.