Only a few years ago, the professional sports scene in Washington, D.C. looked bleak. The Commanders were coming off a 4-13 season in 2023. The Wizards were on their way to a 15-67 season. The Nationals were in the middle of back-to-back 71-91 seasons. Only the Capitals gave the region something to be proud of and they lost in the first round of the playoffs.
Then, the Commanders selected LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He would have the greatest rookie season in NFL history, leading the Commanders to 12 wins, an appearance in the NFC Championship Game, and sweeping all Rookie of the Year awards.
Two years later, after many more losses between the region's sports teams, things are looking up. The Commanders reloaded this offseason, one year after going 5-12. They landed Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Wizards would land the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, while the Nationals were competing for an MLB Wild-Card spot.
On Tuesday night, the Wizards selected BYU forward AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1 overall pick. The Wizards' long rebuild appears to have paid off. Now, the DMV has a few young, marketable stars, like Daniels, Dybantsa, Styles, and James Wood.
When Dybantsa was selected on Tuesday, he immediately heard from Daniels.