NBA Player Bub Carrington Confirms Washington Wizards Tanking Strategy to Land AJ Dybantsa
Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington confirmed that the franchise deliberately held back its roster during the previous season to secure the top pick in the NBA Draft and land prospect AJ Dybantsa. In an interview with television station WUSA9, Carrington stated that players were not pushed to play at their full potential as the organization pursued the top selection under the league’s draft lottery system.
Carrington Details the Restraints Placed on the Washington Roster
Carrington pulled back the curtain on the environment inside the Washington locker room during a difficult 17-win campaign. “We were simply not told to be the best version of ourselves,” Carrington told WUSA9. “We were all held back in a way because we were trying to get AJ Dybantsa. That is no secret. But now nobody has handcuffs on anymore. Everyone is freed from their shackles.” The approach culminated in a 17-65 record for the Wizards, marking their third season with 20 or fewer victories.
Draft Lottery Success and the Ongoing Debate Over Tanking
The strategy ultimately yielded the desired result when Washington won the NBA Draft Lottery and selected Dybantsa with the first overall pick. The tactic of losing games intentionally to improve draft positioning has long drawn criticism across professional basketball, where the teams with the worst records receive the best odds at premier incoming talent. Critics frequently label the practice as fraud. To combat the trend, the league previously approved a new lottery system designed to reduce the incentives for losing, scheduled to take effect for the 2027 draft.
