It’s a new era in Washington.
After missing the first week of the NBA regular season with an ankle injury, AJ Dybantsa finally made his Wizards debut on Wednesday night and more than played the part as the No. 1 overall draft pick.
While his 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 two assists and two rebounds.
The BYU product scored nine points in the first seven minutes of the game – including a half-court lob for a slam dunk – to mark the highest-scoring first quarter for a Wizards rookie since 1997.
Dybantsa made 7 of 9 2-point shots, making a number of difficult mid-range attempts throughout the contest in addition to his production around the rim.
On the defensive end, making James Harden his primary assignment, Dybantsa helped hold the 11-time All-Star to a 5-of-18 shooting night.
Even with six total Wizards scoring in double figures, Washington was outscored 47-27 and shot just 25% from 3-point range, ultimately falling 121-111 to the Cavaliers.
That said, the new-look Wizards have already shown plenty of encouraging signs in the young season, and if Dybantsa continues to perform the same way he did in his debut, Washington could find itself in the playoff mix.
Here are some reactions on social media from Dybantsa’s exciting evening.
Gn sports
