That was fast. AJ Dybantsa is already done in Las Vegas.
Washington Wizards associate head coach T.J. Sorrentine spilled the beans to The Athletic on Tuesday, confirming the team is shutting down their shiny new toy after a mere two games of Summer League action. He won’t be alone on the bench, either. Sophomores Will Riley and Tre Johnson are also getting mothballed for the rest of the summer, according to the report.
It is the classic NBA bubble-wrap treatment. Dybantsa, who went first overall in the 2026 draft after a single season at BYU, did exactly what he was supposed to do. He dominated. The rookie forward dropped 27 points in his Vegas debut and backed it up with a cool 23-point showing in game two.
His final stat line? A casual 25 points, seven boards, and two assists per game.
It was a brief tease, but it was easily the most exciting thing to happen in the desert so far. Washington fans saw enough to start dreaming. Management saw enough to get terrified of an unnecessary injury.
This is just how the league works now. You do not risk the franchise savior in July exhibition games. Last year, the Mavericks yanked Cooper Flagg after two games. The year before that, the Spurs did the exact same thing with Victor Wembanyama. Dybantsa is just the latest prodigy to get sent to the sidelines early.
