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The AJ Dybantsa Rookie of the Year train will not leave the station on time Wednesday.
Dybantsa will miss the Wizards’ opener against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday with a tweaked ankle, coach Brian Keefe told reporters. He added that Dybantsa is day-to-day going forward. The Wizards have a back-to-back over the weekend, hosting Toronto on Friday then traveling to Chicago on Saturday.
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The Wizards selected Dybantsa with the No. 1 overall pick, and hopes are high that he can be a catalyst to help turn a long-struggling franchise around. After an impressive Summer League, Dybantsa was still finding his footing in the preseason, averaging 12.8 points per game on 43.9% shooting, and just 18.2% from 3-point range.
Dybantsa is paired with All-Stars Trae Young and Anthony Davis to start his rookie season, and there is debate around the league about whether or not this is good for his development. Scouts were divided about the idea, as they detailed to Josh Robbins in a fantastic story at The Athletic. Some scouts said it would be a “massive positive” not to have Dybantsa carry so much of the load and that he can figure out the game without having to create a ton of offense. Another scout felt this way:
“Ideally, you put the ball in his hands, and you let him figure it out,” one scout said. “He’s talented enough that, as you grow your team, he’ll get better… It can certainly kind of hinder some aspects of his development, him being better as a creator. If he doesn’t have those opportunities, if he’s kind of boxed into spacing the floor and not being like a knockdown shooter, he would benefit from having the ball, posting up smaller guys, driving, getting into the teeth of the defense.”
For the Wizards, it’s about starting to win more now, not waiting for Dybantsa and the Wizards’ other key young players — Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George and Tre Johnson — to figure it out. Young and Davis help this team win games now.
Dybantsa won’t be figuring anything out on opening night, he’ll be in street clothes.
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/no-1-pick-aj-dybantsa-202142251.html
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Publish date : 2026-10-20 20:21:00
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