NEW YORK — Several superlatives surrounded AJ Dybantsa’s name on draft night.
“Elite scorer.” “Dominant driving ability.” “Insane athlete.”
“Impressive defender” wasn’t one of them. In fact, many believed Dybantsa’s defense could cause Washington to pass on such a polished offensive prospect.
Well, the Wizards didn’t pass on Dybantsa. And in Washington’s 111-109 win over the New York Knicks on Thursday, the No. 1 overall pick showed why his 6-foot-9 frame, 7-foot wingspan and elite athleticism present a matchup nightmare on both ends.
“[My defense] was definitely solid. I think I caused a decent amount of turnovers, a couple steals, a block and some deflections,” Dybantsa said. “[I’m] trying to impact on the defensive side. It’s definitely something I’ve been working on.”
