AJ Dybantsa, the No. 1 pick of the 2026 NBA Draft, suffered an injury that could derail his NBA regular season debut with the Washington Wizards.
Dybantsa sustained a left ankle sprain during the second quarter of Friday’s preseason finale against the New Orleans Pelicans.
The 19-year-old rolled his ankle after landing awkwardly following a mid-range jumper and was helped to the locker room by his teammates.
He was ruled out for the remainder of the game for precautionary reasons after contributing 12 points, three rebounds, and one block in 15 minutes of play.
Washington opens its regular season Wednesday at home against the Bucks.
AJ Dybantsa Says He Is Good After Suffering An Injury
Social media footage captured the rookie walking down the tunnel under his own power and mouthing “I’m good.”
His availability will be monitored as Washington prepares for its regular-season opener against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday.
Over a four-game stretch in the preseason, Dybantsa averaged 12.75 points, 4.25 rebounds, 1.75 assists, and 1.5 steals in 21.5 minutes per game.
It would be a major blow for the Wizards if he sustains a major injury to start his rookie year, considering the expectations surrounding Washington as Trae Young and Anthony Davis are expected to lead the team in the upcoming season.
AJ Dybantsa Feels Little Pressure Because Of Wizards’ Star-Studded Roster
AJ Dybantsa is not too pressured to perform for his upcoming rookie season because of the Wizards’ star-studded roster.
Dybantsa said this during media day, citing the likes of Young, Davis, Khris Middleton, and Deandre Ayton, on top of the Wizards’ young core of Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly, Kyshawn George, Bub Carrington, and Tre Johnson.
“I feel like there’s not a lot of pressure on me because I have such a great team around me,” Dybantsa said during Monday’s Wizards media day. “A lot of No. 1 picks come into a situation where, you know, they are the guy, everything’s kind of centered around them.”
“But I have All-Stars and Hall of Famers on my team that I can really get some knowledge from, (such as) Khris Middleton, Trae Young, (Anthony Davis), DeAndre Ayton, so I don’t have to come in and carry this huge load,” he said. “I think I can just kind of bond with these guys, learn it slowly and learn how to play the right way instead of just getting put into a situation where I have a lot on my back.”
Dybantsa revealed how the veterans on the team have been helping him prepare for his rookie season.
“I’m just super blessed to be in this situation. I can just learn how to play the right way right away,” Dybantsa said. “Just having these guys that have been in the league, that have won championships, that have made All-Star teams, that are first-ballot Hall of Famers, for me to be able to have conversations with them in the locker room, talk to them on the phone, it’s just going to be super beneficial for me and my career.”
The Wizards open the 2026-2027 NBA regular season at home against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday, Oct. 21.
Wizards Rookie AJ Dybantsa NBA Regular Season Debut in Doubt After Preseason Injury