Four-time All-Star Trae Young is already calling his Washington Wizards "super special" for his first full season in DC, a wild claim for a team that limped to a 17-65 record just last year. Young told ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk that his squad "can achieve whatever we want to, especially if we have everybody healthy." He's talking about doing "so many things, man," and frankly, his excitement is kinda contagious, even if the recent past is, well, rough.
The No. 1 Pick Is Already Popping Off
A huge reason for Young's optimism? AJ Dybantsa. The No. 1 overall pick just flashed some serious promise in the NBA Summer League, and it seems like he's already turning heads, including his new star point guard's. Dybantsa was on an absolute tear, dropping 50 points and grabbing 14 rebounds in just two appearances. Fifty points! In two games! Young didn't hold back on the hype, saying, "He's nice. He's going to be great." But it gets better. Young added, "He's already good now. But people don't understand, I see certain things that he can even be better at." That's for the kid who's already the No. 1 pick! Young even noted that Dybantsa "made [scoring 27] look easy." If that's what we're getting from the jump, then maybe, just maybe, Young isn't completely out of his mind.AD's Buy-In and the Road Ahead
The other massive piece to this "super special" puzzle is Anthony Davis. Remember all that noise about the Golden State Warriors trying to snatch him up? Yeah, that pursuit didn't go anywhere, and Davis was actually on hand to watch Dybantsa ball out in the Summer League. That's a huge sign, right? Young confirmed he's already chatted with Davis about what they can pull off together in Washington, and he's feeling good about the big man's mindset. "I ain't on it too much," Young said. "I think he knows where he wants to be right now." That's a vote of confidence if I've ever heard one. Now, the Wizards finished 17-65 last season, which is, uh, not great. It's not totally unheard of for a team to flip that bad record into a playoff contender in one season, like how the Detroit Pistons improved by 30 wins and secured the sixth seed in the East in 2024-25. But let's be real, that's not the norm. The Wizards are banking a lot on Davis, who has a long injury record, and Dybantsa, who hasn't played a single meaningful NBA game yet. It's a blueprint that has the potential to be a total bust, but you gotta respect Young for his hope. So, is Trae Young a prophet or just incredibly optimistic? Can the Wizards really go from 17 wins to "super special" with Davis's health being a question mark and Dybantsa being fresh out of Summer League? When the actual NBA season kicks off, every single eye in the league is gonna be on Washington to see if this grand plan is brilliant or if it's all just talk. This team is gonna be fascinating.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.