Recently, the Washington Wizards were paid a visit by Lady Luck when they won the 2026 NBA Draft lottery, meaning they will pick number one at the festivities in June. The Wizards are expected by most to go with BYU standout freshman AJ Dybantsa to help plug their vacancy at the small forward position heading into next year.
Now, former Wizards All-Star point guard John Wall, who was the team's representative at the NBA lottery in Chicago, has hit Dybantsa with a lofty comparison ahead of his potential selection by Washington, noting that the forward …” Reminds me of a young Tracy McGrady,” per JP Finlay of NBC4 Sports on X, formerly Twitter.
In a vacuum, it's easy to see where Wall might get the comparison, as Dybantsa certainly fits the profile of a tall, talented, and athletic wing scorer, as McGrady proved to be throughout his impressive NBA career. NBA scouts project that Dybantsa's length, athleticism, and versatility will make him a perfect fit for the league's continued shift into the positionless basketball era, which increasingly prioritizes defensive switchability.
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If they do indeed select Dybantsa, the Wizards figure to have one of the more intriguing teams in the Eastern Conference heading into next season. This past season, Washington traded for both Anthony Davis of the Dallas Mavericks and Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks, getting both for relatively small return packages and then sitting them out for virtually the entirety of the stretch of the season in an attempt to tank, which clearly ended up paying off.
If Dybantsa looks as good as many scouts project they will, the Wizards could have a lineup filled with shot creation, defensive versatility, and athleticism, and finally break their ugly playoff drought.
Recently, the Washington Wizards were paid a visit by Lady Luck when they won the 2026 NBA Draft lottery, meaning they will pick number one at the festivities in June. The Wizards are expected by most to go with BYU standout freshman AJ Dybantsa to help plug their vacancy at the small forward position heading into next year.