What happened: Former BYU forward AJ Dybantsa finished with 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field in his NBA debut for the Washington Wizards against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday. Washington upgraded the rookie from questionable prior to tipoff after a left ankle sprain kept him out of the opening four games.

Why it matters: Getting the top overall draft selection onto the floor gives Washington its centerpiece rookie in the lineup after starting the 2025-26 campaign without him. Converting two-thirds of his field-goal attempts in his first professional appearance provides immediate interior and perimeter scoring efficiency for the Big 12 product.

What to watch: Washington will monitor how Dybantsa's left ankle responds to his first live game workload as he integrates into the regular-season rotation.