AJ Dybantsa starts pro career with alley-oop dunk in aggressive, impressive NBA debut

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AJ Dybantsa was worth the wait.

The Wizards rookie made his delayed debut Wednesday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers after missing Washington's first four games with a sprained ankle. Wizards fans surely liked what they saw.

Dybantsa made an immediate impression off the opening tip and led the Wizards with 19 points.

Dyabntsa immediately sought to make an impact with an aggressive drive to the hole on his first NBA touch off the opening tip. He didn't get the dunk. He did get fouled and hit both free throws for his first NBA points.

There was no stopping Dybantsa on his second dunk attempt.

The athletic 6-foot-9 forward slipped behind the Cleveland defense in transition. Trae Young spotted him from the backcourt and delivered a pass that Dybantsa slammed home from the baseline.

By the end of the first quarter, Dybantsa had nine points on 3-of-3 shooting that included a 3-pointer and a tough floater through traffic.

It was the sort of dynamic offensive display that made Dybantsa college basketball's leading scorer and a first-team All-American as a freshman and the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft. It helped Washington to a 42-34 first-quarter lead.

While the Wizards ultimately surrendered that lead in a 121-111 Cavaliers win, there was plenty to like from Dybantsa throughout the game.

He added another alley-oop dunk for his first bucket of the second half that prompted the Cavaliers to call a timeout.

He finished the game with 19 points, 2 assists and 2 rebounds. He did it on 8-of-12 shooting from the field (1 of 3 from 3) in an impressive display of efficiency in his first game facing regular-season NBA competition.

Playing in a lineup that features multiple-time All-Stars Young and Anthony Davis, Dybantsa was aggressive, but looked for his spots and didn't force his shots. He ended up leading Washington in scoring as Davis and Alex Sarr tallied 18 points each and Young finished with 14. Bilal Coulibaly added 17 points off the bench.

Dybantsa joins a Wizards team featuring veteran All-Stars as an already established star. How he fits into and impacts the lineup as a rookie will be a compelling watch this season as Washington seeks to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2021.

Even though his debut didn't come with a win, the Wizards are certainly happy with what they saw Wednesday night.

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