AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson or Cameron Boozer? What Wizards winning NBA Draft Lottery means for potential No. 1 pick

The Washington Wizards got some franchise-altering luck at the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery. But now, they have around six weeks to make a massive decision.

After being awarded the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft for the first time since 2010, the Wizards have the luxury of choosing any of the many elite prospects in the class — a group that is headlined by three players in particular. The expectation has remained that either AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson or Cameron Boozer would be the first player off the board as the consensus top-three prospects.

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But as the Wizards navigate a fascinating future that includes two veteran stars in Anthony Davis and Trae Young plus with young talent like Alex Sarr and Tre Johnson, they now have three potential stars to pick from, each of whom bring particularly different skill sets to the NBA.

Here's a look at how each of Dybantsa, Peterson and Boozer would fit with the Wizards after they landed the No. 1 overall pick.

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Who will Wizards draft with No. 1 pick?

Unlike the 2025 NBA Draft, when Cooper Flagg was a virtual shoe-in to go No. 1 no matter who landed the pick, there's a consensus group of three stars at the top of this year's class.

While Dybantsa has long been the considered the slight favorite, the Wizards could go plenty of directions based on how they think one of the three stars will fit in the long-term.

AJ Dybantsa fit with Wizards

For now, the longtime favorite to go No. 1 appears to be a rock-solid fit in D.C.

Dybantsa's elite scoring and length would fit well alongside the two former All-Stars Washington landed last season, Davis and Young. Considering Dybantsa is an NBA-ready talent who can immediately contribute to winning, taking the former BYU star at No. 1 would potentially allow the Wizards to make some playoff noise in 2026-27.

Drafting Dybantsa would simultaneously give the Wizards a potential long-term All-Star to pair with Sarr, Johnson and Bilal Coulibaly, while also taking an immediate wing contributor next to Young and Davis. He's an easy fit with the franchise from both a short- and long-term perspective.

Should the Wizards hold onto Davis for next year despite some trade rumblings, here's how a starting five with Dybantsa could look:

• PG: Trae Young
• SG: Kyshawn George
• SF: AJ Dybantsa
• PF: Anthony Davis
• C: Alex Sarr

Not only would that be the most talented Wizards lineup since the days of Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook, but the combined length of Dybantsa, Davis and Sarr could make for an elite back-end to Washington's defense — also helping mask Young's defensive incapabilities.

Offensively, Dybantsa pick-and-rolls with Young or Davis could be tough for defenses to stop, considering the BYU star's perimeter scoring skills and athleticism. Young also wouldn't carry the burden of carrying the Wizards' offense — Dybantsa led the nation in scoring last season. He has immediate potential to provide 20 points per game in the NBA.

Washington will have time to mull over its decision at No. 1, but star-level two-way wings only come around every so often. Dybantsa would give the Wizards everything they need to compete next season — when the new tanking rules are likely implemented — and for years to come.

Darryn Peterson fit with Wizards

Peterson has long been a threat to Dybantsa to go No. 1, but with the Wizards taking a swing at Trae Young last season through the trade market, there doesn't appear to be a strong fit in the short-term.

The former Kansas star is an elite scorer and is capable of running an NBA offense while shooting from all three levels — but so can Young, and with better playmaking skills. If Washington did pick Peterson at No. 1, he'd slot in as a shooting guard. While his offensive skills would potentially make the Wizards an elite scoring team, they would have some major defensive questions in the backcourt.

Here's a look at how Washington's starting lineup could look like with Peterson:

• PG: Trae Young
• SG: Darryn Peterson
• SF: Bilal Coulibaly
• PF: Anthony Davis
• C: Alex Sarr

In the backcourt, the Wizards would have a pair of terrific scorers and offensive engines — and the Davis-Sarr frontcourt could help mask the defensive issues. But in the long-term, there's also the question of the Wizards having Young, Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson and Bub Carrington in their guard rotation already. Washington has repeatedly used its first-rounder on guards in recent years, and Peterson would continue the logjam.

Peterson could easily become a star in Washington. But when the Wizards traded for Davis and Young, their most glaring need moved to the wing. Selecting Peterson might make for a dynamic Wizards offense, but it would make for some questionable long-term fits.

Cam Boozer fit with Wizards

If the Wizards took Boozer at No. 1 overall, Davis trade talks may pick up — it's difficult to imagine a scenario where Washington heads into 2026-27 with a Boozer-Davis-Sarr frontcourt. Because the former Duke star is considered a high-floor big man and immediate contributor, there's little chance he'd come off the bench, and two proven bigs would stand in his way in D.C.

If the Wizards traded Davis, things could change, but Boozer is viewed as a power forward with elite size or a small-ball center. Some of his strengths — finishing, rebounding, playmaking from the frontcourt — overlap with Davis', and the longtime All-Star has long preferred playing at the four.

Should Washington keep Davis and take Boozer at No. 1, either Boozer or Sarr might get slid to the bench.

Here's a look at a hypothetical Boozer-Davis frontcourt pairing in the Wizards' lineup:

• PG: Trae Young
• SG: Kyshawn George
• SF: Bilal Coulibaly
• PF: Cameron Boozer
• C: Anthony Davis

That's a lineup that could provide a ton of playmaking and offensive punch, along with strong rebounding from the Boozer-Davis duo. But it would move Sarr, who averaged 16.3 points and 2.0 blocks last season, to the bench.

More realistically, if the Wizards are enamored with Boozer, they would explore the Davis trade market, allowing Young to engineer an offense alongside the Boozer-Sarr frontcourt. Fit-wise, that makes far more sense — and Boozer could have more freedom to utilize his full skill set.

MORE: The Sporting News' 2026 NBA Draft big board

2026 NBA Draft order 

Here's a look at the 2026 NBA Draft first-round order following Sunday's lottery results.

The bottom of the order is subject to change, depending on playoff results over the coming weeks.