Washington Wizards rookie AJ Dybantsa made an immediate impact in his NBA debut, scoring 19 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers (3-1) after missing the first four games of the season with a sprained ankle that he suffered in preseason.
The No. 1 overall pick earned a spot in the starting lineup alongside Trae Young, Anthony Davis, Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George as Washington (2-3) shifted fourth-year wing Bilal Coulibaly to come off the bench for the first time this season.
Playing on a minutes restriction
due to his injury, Dybantsa wasted little time making his presence felt. After Washington won the opening tip, it took Dybantsa just 16 seconds to attack the rim and draw a shooting foul on Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen to send the rookie to the charity stripe.
The BYU product knocked down both free throws for the first two points of his NBA career.
In his first six-minute stint as a pro, Dybantsa scored nine points on 3-for-3 shooting in the first quarter. He caught a half-court lob from Young, connected on his first career 3-pointer and recorded an assist to Sarr for a corner three in an impressive opening stretch.
He exited the first quarter helping Washington take a 22-16 lead, and turned heads with a dazzling step through floater finish, past James Harden and over the seven-footer — Allen.
Despite the minutes restriction, Dybantsa played the final 8 minutes and 18 seconds of the fourth quarter, with Washington trailing 102-99. He connected on a mid-range jumper and a dunk as Washington — which led by 16 at one point — tried to re-take its lead in the final quarter.
The rookie finished with 19 points on 8-for-12 shooting from the field, adding two rebounds and two assists in 27 minutes.
But, despite Dybantsa’s strong debut, Cleveland took control late in the game to secure the 121-111 victory over Washington — handing the Wizards their second consecutive loss of the season.
Dybantsa’s 19-point performance marked the highest-scoring debut by a Wizards rookie since Tom Gugliotta scored 20 points against the Charlotte Hornets on Nov. 2, 1992.
Although Washington couldn’t come away with a win, Dybantsa’s efficient scoring and early contributions offered an encouraging glimpse of what the franchise’s top pick could bring as he begins his NBA career. He will be back in action for his home crowd debut at Capital One Arena against the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night at 7 p.m. ET.
Charlotte beat Washington 110-103 on Monday night in North Carolina – while Dybantsa was sidelined.
