Wizards forward AJ Dybantsa, the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, has been cleared to make his regular season NBA debut on Wednesday in Cleveland, according to the team (Twitter link).
Having missed Washington’s first four games of the season due to a left ankle sprain, Dybantsa was originally listed as questionable for Wednesday’s matchup with the Cavs before being upgraded to available.
Dybantsa, 19, was selected first overall in a loaded draft class after averaging 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game in 35 outings for BYU as a freshman last season. The 6’9″ forward continued to show off his scoring acumen at the Las Vegas Summer League, where he scored 50 points in 51 total minutes of action, and in the preseason, as he averaged 12.8 PPG in 21.7 MPG.
Dybantsa will add more firepower to a Wizards offense that ranks 16th in the NBA with a 111.2 rating through the first four games, which included a pair of wins.
The expectation is that Dybantsa will displace former lottery pick Bilal Coulibaly in the Wizards’ lineup after Coulibaly started alongside Trae Young, Anthony Davis, Alex Sarr, and Kyshawn George in the club’s first four games. However, it’s unclear whether the rookie will be immediately inserted into the starting five for his first game, given that he’s expected to be on a minutes restriction, per Josh Robbins of The Athletic.
Whether it’s Dybantsa or Coulibaly coming off the bench, the added forward depth will be a boon for the Wizards, who lost Justin Champagnie to a right foot injury on Monday. While Washington has yet to provide a formal update on Champagnie, he has been ruled out for Wednesday’s game and Robbins suggests the team is bracing for the possibility that he’ll face an extended absence.