He beat me three times previous, so this was my first win.
In the desert heat of Las Vegas, two young men stepped onto a professional court for the first time, carrying the weight of enormous expectation. AJ Dybantsa, chosen first by Washington, and Darryn Peterson, chosen second by Utah, had already met four times before — and this time, Dybantsa claimed his first victory, 92-88, in a game that offered the basketball world its earliest glimpse of who these prospects might become. Summer league is a prologue, not a verdict, but prologues carry meaning.
- Dybantsa entered the game with a personal score to settle — Peterson had beaten him three times before, and the No. 1 pick played with a visible hunger to reverse that history.
- His 27-point, 7-rebound performance was built on relentless paint attacks and sheer athleticism, including a jaw-dropping dunk through four defenders that briefly silenced any doubters in the arena.
- Peterson's night unraveled under Washington's suffocating trap scheme — eight turnovers exposed his decision-making under pressure, even as he still managed 24 points through sheer scoring instinct.
- Both players shot inefficiently from the field, reminding observers that summer league is a laboratory, not a showcase — the rough edges are part of the experiment.
- The game lands as a narrow first-chapter win for Dybantsa, with Peterson already looking ahead to a regular season where elite teammates will loosen the defensive vice around him.
Las Vegas summer league opened Thursday with the matchup draft enthusiasts had been anticipating: AJ Dybantsa, taken first overall by Washington, against Darryn Peterson, selected second by Utah. The two had history — Peterson had won all three of their previous meetings. This time, Dybantsa flipped the script.
Playing 26 minutes, Dybantsa scored 27 points and grabbed seven rebounds as the Wizards held on for a 92-88 victory. His performance was built on aggression — he attacked the paint relentlessly, drew eight free throw attempts, and delivered one highlight that crystallized his ceiling: a rim-rattling dunk through four Jazz defenders, briefly losing the ball in midair before regaining it and finishing through contact. "He beat me three times previous," Dybantsa said afterward. "I was glad to come out on top."
The caveat was real, though. Dybantsa shot just 7-for-18, leaning on a contested midrange diet that shadowed him from his college days at BYU. He also left late with apparent leg cramps. Efficiency remains a question mark even as the talent is undeniable.
Peterson's night was defined by Washington's deliberate game plan: trap him, double him, force mistakes. It worked — he turned the ball over eight times and shot 6-for-18. Yet he still found ways to score, including a lefty runner off the glass in the fourth quarter, and his defensive length altered multiple shots as Utah rallied from a double-digit deficit. "That was their game plan," Peterson said evenly. "It's good to get used to it now." He knows that once Keyonte George, Lauri Markkanen, and Jaren Jackson Jr. are beside him, defenses won't have the luxury of such singular focus.
One summer league game settles nothing. But it offered a first, honest look at two prospects navigating the gap between promise and proof — Dybantsa with his will to impose, Peterson with his scoring instinct and room to grow. The first battle belongs to Dybantsa. The season is long.
The NBA's summer league opened in Las Vegas on Thursday with a matchup that had been circled on draft enthusiasts' calendars: the league's top two picks, separated by just one selection, facing off for the first time as professionals. AJ Dybantsa, taken first overall by Washington, and Darryn Peterson, selected second by Utah, had history. Peterson had beaten Dybantsa three times in their previous encounters. This game would be different.
Dybantsa came out with something to prove, and it showed in every possession. Playing 26 minutes, he scored 27 points—more than anyone else on the floor—while pulling down seven rebounds and dishing two assists. The Wizards won 92-88, giving Dybantsa his first victory in the head-to-head series. "Every time I play against him it's a battle," Dybantsa said afterward. "He always comes out to compete. He beat me three times previous, so this was my first win. I was glad to come out on top."
What made Dybantsa's performance remarkable was how he got there. The BYU product was aggressive from the opening tip, frequently handling the ball and hunting his own shots. He attacked the paint with a directness that suggested he belonged at this level, getting to the free throw line eight times and consistently finding his spots even when Utah's defense collapsed to stop him. There was a moment late in the first quarter that captured his athleticism perfectly: he beat four Jazz defenders on a single possession, accelerating past Cody Williams, shrugging off Peterson's help defense, and rising between two more defenders to complete a rim-rattling dunk that sent the Thomas & Mack Center crowd into a frenzy. He even lost the ball briefly in midair before regaining it and finishing through contact.
But the performance came with a caveat. Dybantsa shot 7-for-18 from the field, relying heavily on a difficult diet of contested midrange jumpers—a pattern that followed him from college. His efficiency was a concern, and he sat out the final moments of the game with what appeared to be leg cramps. Still, his ability to penetrate and his willingness to attack suggested the Wizards knew what they were doing with the top pick.
Peterson's night told a different story. The Kansas product finished with 24 points on 6-for-18 shooting, a step down from his 28-point performance in a Salt Lake City exhibition game the previous Saturday. Washington's game plan was clear: trap him, double him, make him uncomfortable. Guard Jamir Watkins committed nine fouls in just 20 minutes applying pressure. Peterson responded by turning the ball over eight times, losing his handle near midcourt on several occasions. Yet he still found ways to score—a graceful floater in the first half, a lefty runner off the glass late in the fourth quarter. His length on defense was also evident; he altered several shots as a help defender as Utah clawed back from a double-digit deficit.
Peterson acknowledged the defensive scheme without making excuses. "That was their game plan," he said. "We lost, so it probably worked a little bit. But I'm expecting it. It's good to get used to it now." The implication was clear: once the regular season begins and he's surrounded by scoring threats like Keyonte George, Lauri Markkanen, and Jaren Jackson Jr., defenses won't be able to focus so heavily on him.
One summer league game proves nothing about a career trajectory. But it offered a window into how these two prospects might operate at the professional level. Dybantsa showed why he was the consensus top choice—his athleticism, aggression, and willingness to impose his will on the game. Peterson demonstrated the elite scoring ability that made him a lottery lock, even if decision-making and turnovers remain areas for growth. The first battle went to Dybantsa. The season is long.
Citas Notables
Every time I play against him it's a battle. He always comes out to compete. He beat me three times previous, so this was my first win.— AJ Dybantsa, on defeating Darryn Peterson
That was their game plan. We lost, so it probably worked a little bit. But I'm expecting it. It's good to get used to it now.— Darryn Peterson, on Washington's defensive strategy
La Conversación del Hearth Otra perspectiva de la historia
What did Dybantsa's shot selection tell you about his mindset going into this game?
He came in hungry. Three losses to Peterson in their previous matchups—that sticks with you. He wasn't content to play it safe or defer. He wanted to prove something, and that meant hunting his spots, even the difficult ones. The 7-for-18 shooting is a real problem, but it came from a place of confidence, not carelessness.
The dunk over four defenders—was that a turning point, or just a highlight?
It was both. Technically it was one possession, but it told the crowd and his teammates something: he can impose himself athletically against NBA-level length and help defense. He lost the ball in midair and still finished. That's not luck. That's instinct and body control.
Peterson had eight turnovers. Is that a fatal flaw or a growing pain?
Growing pain, probably. Washington specifically designed their defense to trap him and force decisions in tight spaces. Once he's playing alongside three other scoring threats, defenses can't afford to collapse on him like that. But he needs to improve his handle and his decision-making under pressure. That part isn't automatic.
What surprised you most about either performance?
How much Dybantsa's paint penetration stood out. He wasn't just scoring—he was getting to the free throw line constantly, which in summer league rules counts as one shot instead of two. In the regular season, that's 15 attempts instead of eight. That's a huge advantage for him.
Does this game change how you see either prospect?
Not really. It confirmed what scouts already knew. Dybantsa is aggressive and athletic but needs to improve his shot selection. Peterson is an elite scorer who can be pressured into mistakes. One game doesn't rewrite the narrative. It just adds texture to it.