John Wall believes Darryn Peterson should be the Wizards' pick after Trae Young extension
· Yahoo Sports
John Wall believes Darryn Peterson should be the Wizards' pick after Trae Young extension originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Visit betsport.cv for more information.
The Washington Wizards will be the team with the tough decision to make with the first overall pick of the 2026 NBA Draft. The choice is between BYU's AJ Dybantsa and Kansas' Darryn Peterson.
If Wizards legend John Wall were to make the decision, he believes that Peterson is the right pick. Considering the Wizards just extended Trae Young, he believes that Peterson is the optimal player to play alongside him.
John Wall thinks Darryn Peterson is the right choice at #1 overall
With Young signing a huge four-year contract worth $212 million, the Wizards have a playmaker for the long-term future. At the same time, this could open the door for any top prospect to be a star alongside him and Anthony Davis.
The Wizards are already a promising team, but having the first overall pick improves that further. However, they have to choose between Dybantsa and Peterson to determine which player is the best fit.
MORE: Darryn Peterson's latest draft decision has left the NBA world wondering
Dybantsa is the favorite to get the nod, but it seems some people like Peterson's fit with the Wizards. He is a natural shooting guard at 6'6", but it seems he wants to be a ball-handler at the next level.
If that is the case, he might not be the best fit alongside Young. However, if he accepts a more secondary ball-handler role like Bradley Beal did alongside Wall, he could be a fantastic selection.
"Trae Young needs the ball in his hands to be Trae Young. AJ Dybantsa needs the ball to be who he needs to be; he’s not a guy who runs off pin downs, catch-and-shoot, spot-up guy," Wall said on the Road Trippin Show about the Wizards' first overall selection.
"So, for me, if you're going to keep Trae Young for me, I like Darryn Peterson because he has all that. He has everything to his game."
He brings up some valid points, but it is also hard to ignore Dybantsa. The Wizards should note that they already have promising guards on the roster in Tre Johnson and Bub Carrington, so picking Dybantsa is a good choice as well. That will leave Peterson to be with either the Utah Jazz or the Memphis Grizzlies.
More NBA news:
- AJ Dybantsa admits he could get starstruck by LeBron James when they play against each other
- AJ Dybansta reveals there was no need to work out with a team in the 2026 NBA Draft
- Anthony Davis reportedly wants to stay with the Wizards ahead of the 2026-27 season
- AJ Dybantsa's eye-popping comparison to a Celtics legend
- Darryn Peterson is still second in most mock NBA Drafts