AJ Dybantsa scored 27 points and pulled down seven rebounds in 26 minutes to lead the Washington Wizards to a 92-88 summer league victory over the Utah Jazz on Thursday night in Las Vegas, winning the first professional meeting between the top two picks of the 2026 NBA draft in a game that drew a notable courtside audience of established NBA stars who had come specifically to watch.
Darryn Peterson finished with 24 points for Utah in a competitive duel that featured both players missing shots at a higher rate than either is accustomed to, combining for just two made three-pointers in 12 attempts from beyond the arc. The individual production and moments of obvious potential still made the showcase worth the attention it generated, delivering on the anticipation even when the shooting percentages did not.
A rivalry that predates the professional level
The matchup between Dybantsa and Peterson arrived with history behind it. They had faced each other multiple times in high school and once in college, with Peterson having come out ahead in three of those previous meetings. The draft order had reversed that outcome in the formal ranking of their respective talent, and both players arrived in Las Vegas aware that their professional relationship was beginning with a competitive score to settle.
Dybantsa acknowledged the motivational context directly, noting that Peterson’s prior edge over him in their amateur-level meetings had given him something specific to play for beyond simply performing well in his debut. Peterson, for his part, had spoken since the draft about the fact that his selection at second overall would remain a source of competitive motivation throughout his career, a mindset Dybantsa was aware of and used to sharpen his own preparation.
What each player showed
Dybantsa’s performance featured the kind of physical tools that made him the consensus top pick. He scored his first two baskets with both hands, showing comfort finishing in traffic with either hand, and delivered the moment of the evening when he drove past two defenders and threw down a two-handed dunk despite momentarily losing control of the ball in the sequence. He flexed and screamed on the follow-through, a moment that was audible throughout the arena.
He shot 7-for-18 from the field with all five of his three-point attempts failing to connect, an area he identified as something he could have done better alongside his rebounding and playmaking. He did not finish the game due to leg soreness but said afterward that he is fine and expects to play in Washington’s next summer league game.
Peterson showed his shot-creation ability on multiple occasions, generating open looks through his footwork and movement off the dribble, but converted only 6 of 18 shot attempts overall while committing eight turnovers. His first basket was a step-back three from well beyond the arc that established his range early, but the shooting touch that has defined his game at every previous level did not consistently translate on Thursday. He had played earlier in Utah’s summer league schedule with productive performances, making the Las Vegas showdown the most high-profile test of his early professional trajectory.
The audience the matchup attracted
The Thomas and Mack Center buzzed before tipoff as several established NBA players found courtside seats to observe the top two picks make their debuts against each other. The presence of stars from multiple organizations reflected the genuine curiosity in the broader league about how Dybantsa and Peterson would translate their college production to the professional game and how their competitive dynamic would play out at the next level.
That dynamic now has a professional entry in the ledger. Dybantsa one, Peterson three. The next chapter will come whenever the Wizards and Jazz share a court in regular-season competition.
