Stephen A. Smith Reacts to AJ Dybantsa Going to ‘Horrible' Wizards

For months now, NBA mock drafts have suggested that BYU Cougars freshman phenom, AJ Dybantsa, would become the No. 1 pick at June’s NBA Draft.

That’s been true leading up to, during, and after Sunday’s NBA Draft Lottery, where the Washington Wizards landed the first-overall pick thanks to the way their larger number of ping-pong balls worked in their favor.

The Wizards landed at the No. 1 spot in the draft order, ahead of the Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies, and Chicago Bulls.

Dybansa attended the draft in person, and some suggested that his initial reaction to Washington, D.C., as his potential new home made it appear he wasn’t happy about it.

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith shared his reaction on “First Take,” calling the franchise “horrible” after the news about Dybantsa’s NBA fate and saying he “felt sorry for him.”

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

"When I look at him … I know he can play, but do you really believe in the words ‘culture' and ‘growth’ and ‘development’ … in the nation’s capital?” he asked, adding, “I just don’t believe in them as an organization. That’s my issue.”

Over the past 10 seasons, Washington has had a winning record only twice, way back in 2016-17 and the season that followed. Since then, they seem stuck in a losing pattern, with the past three seasons their worst of the past 10 years.

They went 15-67 in 2023-24, followed by a slightly better 18-64 in 2024-25. They didn’t fare any better last season, finishing 17-65, but attempted some roster upgrades through trades for former All-Stars.

The Wizards first added multi-time All-Star guard Trae Young in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks, followed by taking another swing to trade for former Lakers champion and multi-time All-Star Anthony Davis.

Some may have become excited about those moves and the future of the Wizards, but based on Smith’s take, the organization doesn’t have the culture other teams have when it comes to growing and developing a roster.

Players could become disgruntled about not winning, as both Young and Davis experienced with their previous teams, and that could rub off on their newest star, Dybantsa.

While playing for the Cougars, he averaged 25.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game, leading them to a 23-12 overall record and an NCAA Tournament appearance.

It’s unclear which NBA team he might have wanted to join, as the options were limited. However, Utah nearly secured the top spot, which would’ve kept him in the same region where he experienced popularity during his limited time playing for BYU.

Either way, if Davis and Young are healthy and remain committed to making the Wizards a competitive and contending team in the upcoming season, Dybantsa might buy in and help lead them to success.

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This story was originally published May 11, 2026 at 2:56 PM.