The Washington Wizards will enter the 2026-27 season with a dramatically different offensive structure. Washington added Trae Young and Anthony Davis in February, then selected AJ Dybantsa with the first overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Those moves should ease the pressure on the Wizards’ younger players, but Kenny Smith believes they could do something even more valuable for Dybantsa.
“He’s probably gonna have the easiest 20 points a game in his life,” Smith said during ESPN’s broadcast of Washington’s Summer League game against the Los Angeles Clippers. “He is probably the best one-on-one player in the draft, without question. He’ll get to play one on one. He’ll never get doubled. Think about this, the whole season, the number one pick will possibly never get double teamed. You can’t leave Trae and you can’t leave AD.”
Smith’s prediction sounds lofty for any rookie. However, his reasoning reflects the unusual situation awaiting Dybantsa. Most top picks immediately become the primary focus of opposing defenses. Dybantsa will instead share the floor with a four-time All-Star in Young and an established star in Davis.
Doubling the 6-foot-9 wing could leave one of those veterans unattended. Smith expects that dilemma to provide Dybantsa with a steady supply of one-on-one opportunities, an ideal scenario for a player whose greatest pre-draft strength centered on creating and converting his own shots.
AJ Dybantsa’s Summer League Run Supports Claims
Dybantsa offered an early demonstration of his scoring range during his brief Las Vegas Summer League appearance. He scored 27 points against the Utah Jazz in Washington’s opener before adding 23 against the Sacramento Kings, per SB Nation.
His 25.0-point average represented the highest mark ever produced by a No. 1 pick at the Las Vegas event. Dybantsa finished his two appearances with 50 points and 14 rebounds while scoring around the basket, attacking from the middle of the floor and repeatedly earning free throws.
That production closely followed what Dybantsa accomplished in college, where he averaged 25.5 points. The Wizards placed the ball in his hands frequently during Summer League, contributing to a 40% usage rate.
Dybantsa also continued displaying exceptional efficiency near the basket. After converting 72.3% of his rim attempts in the Big 12, he made eight of his nine shots from that area in Las Vegas. His only miss came when Sacramento’s Dylan Cardwell blocked his attempted dunk.
Summer League success does not guarantee Dybantsa will immediately average 20 points in NBA games. Still, his performances showed why Smith considers that target realistic, especially when defenses must account for Young and Davis at the same time.
Trae Young Sees More Room for Dybantsa to Grow
Young also set high expectations for both Dybantsa and the Wizards, per Bleacher Report. He told ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk that Washington “can be super special” if the team remains healthy.
“He’s nice. He’s going to be great,” Young said of Dybantsa. “He’s already good now. But people don’t understand, I see certain things that he can even be better at. And [that’s with him being] already the No. 1 pick. He made [scoring 27] look easy.”
Young’s assessment adds another layer to Smith’s prediction. Dybantsa already possesses the scoring tools that made him the top selection, but he will not need to generate every opening by himself. Young can command defensive attention, while Davis gives opponents another dangerous option to monitor.
Washington ranked 29th in adjusted offensive rating and 26th in free-throw attempts per game last season. Dybantsa’s aggressive style directly addresses both shortcomings.
Smith does not expect Dybantsa to inherit the burden that normally comes with becoming a franchise’s first overall pick. He expects Young and Davis to create an environment where the rookie can attack favorable matchups all season. If Dybantsa converts those opportunities as efficiently as he did in Las Vegas, Smith’s lofty 20-point prediction may quickly begin to look reasonable.
Kenny Smith Makes Lofty AJ Dybantsa Prediction Ahead of Rookie Season