The Washington Wizards secured the top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery and selected AJ Dybantsa from BYU as the first overall pick on June 23 at Barclays Center, Brooklyn [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. The draft’s first round took place June 23, followed by the second round on June 24, with 30 picks per round [1, 2, 6, 5].
AJ Dybantsa was widely regarded as a top prospect alongside Darryn Peterson of Kansas, Cameron Boozer from Duke, and Caleb Wilson of North Carolina, among others [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. The Utah Jazz selected Darryn Peterson with the No. 2 pick, while the Memphis Grizzlies took Cameron Boozer at No. 3 [1, 2, 4, 5]. Chicago Bulls picked Caleb Wilson fourth, and the Los Angeles Clippers took Keaton Wagler fifth [1, 2, 3, 5].
The draft also saw at least seven trades involving NBA teams, including the Phoenix Suns acquiring Koa Peat at the 30th pick [4].
Ahead of the draft, the Wizards indicated plans to sign Trae Young to a four-year deal worth approximately $212 million [6].
Analysts provided extensive coverage during the event broadcast on ABC and ESPN. Jeremy Woo commented on the selection, saying, "Peterson was my No. 1 player in the draft, and he was available one pick later than that slot. To me, that's simple logic. I could certainly be proved wrong by history -- AJ Dybantsa is very good -- but I think much of the perceived risk around Peterson simply won't matter in the long run" [4].
The second round of the draft concluded June 24 at Barclays Center, wrapping up the two-day event [1, 2, 6, 5].
