.jpg)
23 hours ago
7
When the Washington Wizards selected AJ Dybantsa with the team's No. 1 overall pick, there was a lot of excitement around the selection. It wasn't a surprise that they went with Dybantsa, but it also wasn't a given. Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer were waiting in the wings, and they both had the ability to go at No. 1, too.
So, nerves were likely high for Dybantsa heading into his Wizards debut. He took the court on Thursday to take on Peterson and the Utah Jazz.
If he was nervous, though, you couldn't tell it. Dybantsa absolutely nailed his first game and made it clear that the Wizards did the right thing by picking him on top.
AJ Dybantsa shines in NBA debut
In his first game in the NBA Summer League, Dybantsa clocked 27 points and seven rebounds total, according to ESPN research, and the Wizards won, 92-88, in Las Vegas. Tre Johnson closed out the game with 26 points for the Wizards, and Will Riley had 18.
Dybantsa looked confident on the court and handled the ball like a seasoned NBA player. Well, not a veteran, but he certainly appeared more seasoned than his age and experience would imply. He also nailed a huge dunk in the game, which always gets the crowd revved up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8bRMivZNn0
"It was great to get out there and play in my first NBA game," Dybantsa told reporters after the game, according to the NBA's official website. "During summer practices, I was making a lot of plays at the rim, so it felt good to get out there and do more of the same."
Dybantsa also talked about that dunk, explaining, "I turned the corner and saw a lane and the only way I was getting that bucket was dunking because I had been fouled, like, two times so the only way to finish was punching it."
So, Dybantsa is already silencing the critics. His next game with the Wizards is Sunday, July 12, taking on the Kings. The NBA Summer League runs through July 19.
English (US)