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The team with the worst record in the NBA had never won the draft lottery since the league reformed the odds ahead of the 2019 draft. The Washington Wizards changed that on Sunday, capitalizing on a truly awful 17-win season that featured blatant tanking to earn the type of lottery luck this franchise desperately needed.
The Wizards haven’t won 50 games in a season since 1978-79. That might be the single most pathetic stat in the NBA, but winning the lottery suddenly gives D.C. some hope. Washington already made a pair of bold trades for veterans during the season, first landing Trae Young from the Atlanta Hawks, then pulling off a shocking deal for Anthony Davis. There’s already some decent young players on this roster, headlined by 2024’s No. 2 overall pick Alex Sarr, last year’s No. 6 overall pick Tre Johnson, and jumbo creator Kyshawn George.
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If the Wizards nail the first overall pick, they could turn this thing around pretty quickly in the East. What does “nailing it” actually look like, though? Washington will have several good options in front of them. Let’s go through them, and pick the best one.
Take AJ Dybantsa at No. 1
Our instant mock draft had the Wizards selecting BYU forward A.J. Dybantsa with the first overall pick. This feels like the clubhouse favorite for what the Wizards will do at No. 1, and it would be a sensible and defensible position.
The Wizards can theoretically throw out a lineup with Anthony Davis at center, Alex Sarr at power forward, Tre Johnson at shooting guard, and Trae Young at point guard. Dybantsa slides in nicely at small forward, and his shot creation could make the whole lineup work. Dybantsa is the best in the class when it comes to manufacturing a good look for himself by leveraging a wicked first step, fantastic driving ability, the power to play through contact, and the length and touch to rise and fire over contests. Johnson’s movement shooting would be a natural fit as a floor spacer, Sarr and Davis could eat inside, and Young could put more focus into his off-ball game, which has admittedly never been a strength.
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The Wizards…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/wizards-control-nba-draft-no-120000385.html
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Publish date : 2026-05-13 12:00:00
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