NBA Draft 2026: Dybantsa or Peterson for the Wizards? Arenas’ advice
The 2026 NBA Draft represents a historic opportunity for the Washington Wizards, who are searching for a generational talent to build their future around. Gilbert Arenas already knows who he would take
The 2026 NBA Draft is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing classes of the last decade – and certainly not because of a lack of top-end talent. According to most major mock drafts, there are currently three prospects viewed as potential No. 1 overall picks, all coming out of the NCAA: AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer.
Each brings a different blend of physical tools, basketball maturity and long-term upside, fueling hopes that they could become franchise-changing stars capable of completely reshaping the future of the organizations that select them.
That’s always been the beauty of the NBA Draft: its unpredictability. Injuries – whether sudden or long-term – along with difficult developmental situations can dramatically alter a prospect’s trajectory and, by extension, the fate of an entire franchise.
The Washington Wizards, winners of the lottery, are hoping for a better outcome than the project launched back in 2010, when they used the No. 1 overall pick to draft John Wall.
Since then, Washington has never truly escaped a cycle of mediocrity that now feels chronic: the franchise has not advanced past the second round of the playoffs since 1979.
Gilbert Arenas, one of the defining faces of the franchise since the 2000s, decided to publicly share his advice for the Wizards front office: the right choice is Darryn Peterson.
The endorsement came through an Instagram story in which Arenas reposted a recent interview featuring the Kansas Jayhawks product. In 24 appearances this season, Peterson averaged 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.4 steals while shooting 38.2% from three-point range.
The biggest questions facing the Wizards this offseason
The Wizards’ front office concerns extend well beyond the “coin flip” surrounding the top pick in next June’s draft. Anthony Davis’ demands could potentially reshape the franchise’s plans before Washington even returns to the floor, forcing general manager Will Dawkins to explore a complicated trade scenario.
But first, the organization must figure out how to maximize an opportunity that rarely comes around. And no opinion – no matter how respected – can truly reveal ahead of time what the correct choice will be.