The Washington Wizards 2026 NBA Summer League tips off tonight at 9 p.m. Eastern with the epic grudge match with the Utah Jazz the world has been anticipating for almost two weeks.
That’s when Washington picked BYU forward AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1 overall selection, spurning Kansas guard Darryn Peterson. We all know what can happen in summer league when things get this personal.
Seriously, this one could be a fun watch with the top two picks in the 2026 draft on the court.
Darryn Peterson and AJ Dybantsa — the first two picks of the 2026 NBA Draft. | NBAE via Getty Images
What does summer league mean? The real answer, at least according to one group of academic researchers found a relationship between performance in summer league and effectiveness in the regular season. The summer to regular season relationship is strong enough to stimulate some rooting interest and weak enough that fans can dismiss bad performances, if they want.
So, if Dybantsa plays great, it’s a sign of future greatness. If he stinks, we can all say summer league probably doesn’t matter and hope he’ll be better when the real games begin.
My guess is that summer league performance is becoming less and less meaningful as teams do things like play top picks for only a game or two before parking them on the sidelines to avoid injury.
Keys to the Wizards Summer League
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Don’t take it too seriously. Summer league is similar to NBA basketball, but it’s not NBA basketball.
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With Dybantsa and Will Riley, look for activity and aggression. Are they trying to make things happen, or waiting for the game to come to them? Root for them to attempt to make plays.
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For older guys expected to be role players, watch for signs they understand their role and can execute it. The differences in level of competition are meaningful, but for a three-and-D type, is he willing to pull the trigger when he has an opening or is he turning down shots? Is he giving a strong defensive effort even though the scheme isn’t as sophisticated as it will be when the real games start?
Who to Watch
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Dybantsa — No. 1 overall pick who the Wizards hope will develop into a dominating scorer and leader of a championship-level offense.
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Tre Johnson — Last year’s No. 6 overall pick, Johnson is a sweet-shooting guard who probably will be coming off the bench next season. Look for him to score in bunches. Will he have added muscle since the end of the regular season?
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Will Riley — Washington’s other first round pick last season. He’s long, has skills, and generated some buzz around the league with some gaudy performances later in the season. Has he gotten stronger? Will his decision-making be better?
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Felix Okpara — Second round big man with potential as a rim protector, rebounder and rim-runner.
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Seth Trimble — Undrafted free agent guard out of North Carolina who has the size, athleticism, and collegiate performance to indicate the potential to become a high-quality NBA defender. The challenge: can he shoot well enough at the NBA level?
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Jamir Watkins — Older prospect the Wizards got in the second round in 2025. Last season, he flashed defensive skills. Offense is a work in progress.
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Juju Reese — Had some nice rebounding games when the Wizards were tanking their hardest. Can he translate the production in extended garbage time to real competitive games?
From Utah, I’m interested in seeing:
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Peterson — The other guy most seriously considered to be in play for Washington at No. 1. He’s a talented guard with good size who played like the No. 1 pick in most drafts and still had a “bad” year at Kansas.
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Ace Bailey — Long and skilled wing who was reasonably productive as a rookie. How much progress has he made since the regular season ended?
Need to Know
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Start time: 9 p.m. Eastern
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Where to watch: ESPN or Monumental Sports Network
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