Despite slightly limited minutes, AJ Dybantsa flashed for the Wizards in his NBA debut - Deseret News
AJ Dybantsa made his NBA debut for the Washington Wizards, scoring 19 points in a loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Despite the team's defeat, Dybantsa's performance was highlighted by strong offensive efficiency and defensive effort against James Harden.
Why it matters
Dybantsa is a high-profile rookie whose performance is critical to the long-term rebuilding strategy of the Washington Wizards franchise.
It’s a new era in Washington.
After missing the first week of the NBA’s regular season with an ankle injury, AJ Dybantsa finally made his debut for the Wizards Wednesday night and more than looked the part as a No. 1 overall draft selection.
While his injury recovery limited him to 27 minutes of action against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Dybantsa scored a team-high 19 points on 8 of 12 shooting along with a pair of assists and two rebounds.
The BYU product netted nine points in the game’s first seven minutes — including catching a halfcourt lob for a slam dunk — to mark the highest-scoring first quarter for a Wizards rookie since 1997.
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