WASHINGTON — The Anthem, the local D.C. concert hall that will host Madison Beer on The Locket Tour in a couple of weeks, was all about The Dybantsa Sessions Tuesday.There have been big nights in the recent history of the Washington Wizards. Not a lot, but a few. Tuesday, though, looked different, felt different, sounded different. The Wizards, who’ve been off key for generations, were finally in sync, harmonious in their intent to take the biggest swing possible with the No. 1 pick in the draft. They thought about it long and hard over the last six weeks, but in the end, they opted for the guy they’ve been eyeing for years: BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa.And the franchise will be … different now.The deconstruction phase is over. The construction phase is ongoing. The Wizards have drafted well the last three years, but obviously are still far away from putting a contending team on the court. Tuesday, though, was a big step forward.How excited is AJ Dybantsa about being the number 1 pick?Josh Robbins and Jeshua KiddTrae Young and Anthony Davis will start next season at point guard and power forward, respectively. But Michael Winger and Will Dawkins now have two, and maybe three, positions nailed down for the foreseeable future by young, promising talents. Dybantsa will play small forward — or, perhaps, be a jumbo two-guard. Alex Sarr will be in the middle. Kyshawn George is too versatile and promising not to get significant minutes somewhere. Tre Johnson will play, but will he start? Too early to tell.But in Dybantsa, the Wizards’ front office, three-plus years into its tenure here, finally was able to draft a player with true superstar, All-NBA level potential. That would have been the case as well had Washington taken Kansas freshman guard Darryn Peterson. But the 6-foot-9 Dybantsa was the franchise’s clear choice for its next franchise player.The crowd at The Anthem, a few thousand strong, approved. Dybantsa was the clear favorite of the fan base. Patterson also got some applause from a few fans when his face was shown on ESPN’s broadcast. but when Adam Silver announced that Anicet Dybantsa, Jr., was Washington’s pick, the building went wild.How Wizards fans reacted as AJ Dybantsa went No. 1Jayne Orenstein, Madison Eades and moreSo, too, did the Wizards’ war room.“I think, for us, it was about making sure we picked the right player that would fit with our group and have an opportunity to push us forward. And at the end of the day, it became pretty clear that he was that guy, just because of his versatility,” Dawkins said late Tuesday. “We’re looking for guys who can continue to make decisions, with the ball, without the ball, but also be dual impact players at both ends. He’s a superior athlete. By our measures, he’s the best athlete we’ve tested since Michael and I have been here.”The Wizards have kept things buttoned up pretty well since winning the lottery. But those of us who’ve, you know, actually been around and covered this team the last few years have repeatedly said Dybantsa was the prospect they talked about, quietly, the guy they believed could become the best of everyone available over the last three years. (Thank God I won’t have to eat any of my hats.)
Wizards get their man in AJ Dybantsa, hopeful he can lead them out of the dark
With AJ Dybantsa, the Wizards' front office finally was able to draft a player with true superstar potential.













