Bub Carrington Says 'It's No Secret' Wizards Were 'Held Back' to Land AJ Dybantsa in 2026 NBA Draft

Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington came out and said what most were probably already thinking Thursday regarding the organization's pursuit of the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft.

During an interview with WUSA9 (beginning at the 27:20 mark of the video), Carrington said, "We just haven't been told yet to go be the best version of yourself. We've all, in a way, been held back just because we were trying to get AJ Dybantsa. That's no secret. But now, no one has handcuffs. Everyone is shackles-free."

Washington went just 17-65 last season, marking the third consecutive year it won 20 or fewer games. On that occasion, though, it was lucky enough to win the NBA draft lottery, which allowed the Wiz to select BYU forward AJ Dybantsa first overall.

The NBA's new lottery system for 2027 was created in large part to curtail intentional losing or "tanking," and Carrington's comments suggest that was a very real issue the league was facing before the new rules were implemented.