Wizards draft Dybantsa; Ament selected amid Antetokounmpo trade
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Brooklyn — The NBA held its 2026 draft Tuesday at Barclays Center, where the Washington Wizards selected BYU forward AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1 overall pick and the Utah Jazz took Kansas guard Darryn Peterson at No. 2. Miami formally presented Tennessee freshman Nate Ament as the No. 13 selection, a slot tied to a pending transaction involving Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Antetokounmpo acquisition cannot be completed until the July 6 start of the 2026-27 salary-cap calendar, so the No. 13 selection is expected to transfer to the Milwaukee Bucks and Ament is scheduled to appear in Milwaukee’s Las Vegas Summer League this summer. Tennessee coach Rick Barnes and team officials cited Ament’s 2025-26 statistics as context for his draft position, and league processing in July will finalize contracts and roster designations.
More context
Timeline
- 1. Prior to draft: teams agreed to trade terms involving Giannis Antetokounmpo.
- 2. Tuesday, Draft night: Wizards pick AJ Dybantsa No. 1; Jazz pick Darryn Peterson No. 2.
- 3. Tuesday, Draft night: Miami formally introduced Nate Ament at No. 13.
- 4. July 6, 2026: Start of 2026-27 salary-cap calendar required to complete Antetokounmpo acquisition.
- 5. Summer 2026: Ament expected to report to Milwaukee for Las Vegas Summer League; contracts processed post-cap clearance.
Why it matters
The NBA draft reshuffles teams and impacts game dynamics. If you're a Wizards, Jazz, or Bucks fan, your team's future just got interesting. For fantasy league players, keep an eye on Dybantsa, Peterson, and Ament's performance.
Sources
JQJO Editorial Desk · Human reviewed · AI assisted. Report a correction.
