The Washington Wizards finally did it.
This past Mother's Day, they secured the rights to the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. It took a season-long tank and a little bit of luck — it's the first time since 2018 that the worst team won the lottery.
However, the work doesn't end here. The Wizards are now on the clock, and all eyes are on them.
Unlike many drafts of the past, there's no clear top choice this year. That leaves Washington with a wide range of options, a great problem to have, nonetheless. The Wizards will also have another chance to add talent the following day, as they own the first and final picks in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Round 1 — No. 1
Round 2 — No. 51
Round 2 — No. 60
Washington has been looking for its franchise cornerstone ever since it shipped off John Wall . The Wiz received Russell Westbrook in return, but he was 32 when he touched down in the capital. Washington has the chance to finally grab the face of the team and its future.
The Wizards' depth chart reveals one hard-to-miss theme: wings on top of wings. The perimeter rotation is already crowded with Kyshawn George , Bilal Coulibaly , and Tre Johnson , to name a few. Two notable aspects from the bench are the absence of a trusted center and inconsistent shooting.
The age-old draft debate has been best player available versus best fit. But at number one, teams are expected to swing big rather than worry about positional redundancies. At the other end of the draft, the goal turns toward capitalizing on the overlooked prospects.
Dybantsa has been under the microscope his entire freshman year. For months, the question was who would be lucky enough to snag him. Now, the Wizards can do so and resolve one of their many glaring issues: offense.
That's exactly what Dybantsa supplies. He led the nation in scoring by attacking the basket, utilizing impressive footwork, and speed. With his 6-foot-9 frame, he also hones potential on defense. That part of his game remains a hypothetical, though, as it was a clear weak point throughout his freshman campaign.
Regardless, his selling point is still putting the ball in the basket. Adding a prospect with Tracy McGrady comparisons and generational projections could do wonders in improving Washington's second-to-last offensive rating.
Coming away with Miller at No. 51 would be a great bang-for-buck choice. The lanky, 6-foot-11 big man has combined energy and interior scoring through four years of college ball. Averaging 13 points and 10.3 rebounds per game in 2025-26, Miller exhibited effort all over the floor.
But what's most intriguing is his pairing of wing-like speed and natural center defensive abilities. His 225-pound figure allows him to glide coast-to-coast and attack the basket, and his towering height helped him accumulate 36 blocks in 31 games last season.
While most of his scoring damage came from the restricted area, he's shown flashes of shooting in years past. Still, developing a shot is crucial at the next level. Fortunately, Washington has already helped young players like George and Bub Carrington grow into shooters.
At No. 60, Atwell screams NBA-ready. Shooting the three-ball at high volume (8.4 attempts per game) and at an extremely high clip (45.8%) last season, he's the sniper prototype. Adding to his upside, he's got 128 collegiate games under his belt. Some general managers prefer to stray away from older players, but it reflects undeniable experience.
Sharpshooters aren't known for being menacing defenders. While Atwell isn't one either, his career-best 1.2 steals per game last year isn't something to ignore.
Ideally, Atwell would polish the shooting of a Wizards bench mob that could use some inspiration.
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