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The No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft has suffered an ankle injury, putting his regular season debut on Wednesday in doubt.
Dybantsa sprained his left ankle in the second quarter of Washington’s preseason finale against the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday. He landed awkwardly after a mid-range jumper, and his teammates helped him to the locker room.
The rookie sat out the rest of the game as a precaution. He finished with 12 points, three rebounds, and one block in 15 minutes.
Social media footage showed the rookie walking down the tunnel on his own and mouthing, “I’m good”.
“We’ll look at it more when we get more information,” Wizards coach Brian Keefe told reporters.
Across four preseason appearances, Dybantsa is averaging 12 points, four rebounds, and one assist while shooting 43 percent from the field.
The injury delivers a blow to fans eager to see Washington’s first No. 1 pick since 2010—and sets back a Wizards team that, players have acknowledged, actively tanked last season to land the BYU forward.
— SleeperWizards (@SleeperWizards) October 17, 2026AJ Dybantsa just rolled his ankle and went back to the Wizards locker room.
He walked off under his own power and seemed to say “I’m good” but still a very scary moment for Wizards fans. pic.twitter.com/nZZldhf8Iv
Observers expect the 19-year-old to play a key role as the Wizards look to return to competitive basketball. After extending Trae Young to a four-year, $212 million deal this offseason, Washington enters the season with an intriguing mix of veterans and young talent.
Anthony Davis, Khris Middleton, Deandre Ayton, Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly, Kyshawn George, Bub Carrington, and Tre Johnson round out the roster.
Dybantsa is confident in the support around him. At media day, he said his situation differs from that of other No. 1 picks because he can learn from established stars and Hall of Famers.
“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, AD (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.”
Washington will monitor Dybantsa’s availability as it prepares to open the regular season against the Bucks on Wednesday.