For the third time in the franchise's history, the Washington Wizards won the Draft Lottery. After finishing the season with the NBA's worst record, the Wizards now have a chance to press the reset button. But Stephen A. Smith still doesn’t believe in the franchise and sympathises with the potential No. 1 pick. 

The Wizards have barely been a competitive team in half a decade. They finished outside the top 10 seeds in the East each year since the 2021-22 season. The NBA analyst said that he “felt sorry for” AJ Dybantsa, the BYU prospect, who is largely expected to be the first pick. 

“The Washington Wizards have lost 64 games, at least, over the last three years. They are a basketball abomination,” Smith said, blasting the organization.

“The only reason we don't take time to insult them more is because of the stench emanating out of the nation's capital for stuff other than basketball. That's the only reason. If it were not for that, we'd be focused on them. They are horrible.”

In the last three seasons, the Wizards have lost an average of 65 games. Their downfall has been simply unbelievable.

Last year, they had the sixth pick, drafting SG Tre Johnson; in 2024, they had the second pick and drafted Frenchman Alex Sarr. Despite this, Washington has shown little improvement, leading Smith to question the organization's credibility.

“When I look at him [Dybantsa], I know that he can play. But do you really believe in the words culture, growth, and development when it comes to what's going on in the nation's capital?” Smith added.

Smith expressed his frustrations with the Wizards, saying that he has no belief in the team "organizationally", even though they have some good players. He directly questions the management and strategy employed by the team, which won its only championship back in 1978.

Dybantsa, along with Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, are two of the top projected draft picks in June. Caleb Wilson and Cameron Boozer are also expected to be top picks in the draft.

AJ Dybantsa reacts to the Wizards winning the 2026 Draft Lottery

While Stephen A. Smith might feel bad for Dybantsa, the BYU forward seemed excited about his new journey.

Dybantsa is already thinking about making the Wizards a better team, at least in the next few years. 

“Obviously, I’ve been bettering myself for a little while to be a No. 1 pick, so initially (I’m) just thinking how I would fit into the team,” Dybantsa said, according to The Athletic.

“I think I’m pretty versatile, adaptable, so I think I can play anywhere.”

Dybantsa is a dynamic yet explosive scorer. While he still needs improvement, he is a three-level scorer at 6 ft 9 in. He averaged 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 51% from the field, including 33% from the 3-point line. 

He is arguably the best transition player in the draft this year and has the ability to attack defenses with his explosive game. If he can perfect his midrange game, the sky is the limit for Dybantsa.

Do you think that the Wizards will capitalize on Dybantsa’s potential? Let us know in the comments.

Written by

Nandjee Ranjan

Edited by

Surjo Ray