Washington rookie ruled out of opening game
AJ Dybantsa will miss the Washington Wizards' season opener against Milwaukee because of an ankle injury, coach Brian Keefe said in an update carried by NBA.com. The No. 1 selection in the 2026 draft was injured during Friday's final preseason game.
Keefe described the situation as day-to-day and indicated that he did not expect a lengthy absence. That assessment does not set a return date or identify the next game Dybantsa will play. Washington's opening matchup with the Bucks is scheduled for Wednesday at 7 p.m. Eastern time.
Preseason performances and expectations
Dybantsa averaged 12.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.5 steals over four preseason games. Against Detroit, he produced 14 points and seven rebounds in a performance the report highlighted for his contributions at both ends of the floor.
NBA's separate league-wide preview described the substantial expectations surrounding Washington's top selection, pointing to his athleticism, skills and ambition. It recalled John Wall, selected first by the Wizards in 2010, as context for the franchise's hopes of developing a central star.
Those expectations remain analysis of what the rookie might become. His preseason averages record a limited set of completed exhibition appearances, rather than a full regular-season campaign. The immediate change is his absence against Milwaukee. The duration of that absence remains subject to further updates, and the coach's optimism should not be treated as a confirmed medical clearance or an established comeback schedule.