The NBA Draft arrives in June, and the teams at the top of the order are hoping to add the league’s next talented basketball superstar to their roster.
Among those topping most lists as the clear first-pick choice is AJ Dybantsa. He continued to impress everyone as a freshman at BYU, maintaining his standing as the best possible player a team could select.
Because of how the ping-pong balls sorted out, the Washington Wizards have the honor of selecting Dybantsa first, if they choose. However, there are a few other options, including Kansas’s Darryn Peterson and Duke’s Cameron Boozer, both of whom are also tremendous talents.
With surprises always a possibility in the draft, Dybantsa spoke about the importance of his draft spot, making a strong statement that he needs to be first overall.
“It’s very important. I’ve been number one since my first rankings came out,” Dybantsa said on the “All the Smoke” podcast. “ESPN ranked me number one in ninth grade. I was like 14, and I ain’t drop. So I don’t plan on dropping in the draft.”
Every indication seems to suggest he won’t drop, although ESPN’s Jeremy Woo suggested there’s still no consensus over the first pick. Along with Peterson and Boozer, North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson is also someone receiving consideration as a top pick.
However, one has to believe Dybantsa makes the most sense for a struggling team looking to land the next big star. The BYU standout led the NCAA with his average of 25.6 points. He also averaged 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game with a 51 percent field goal percentage.
He had multiple 30-plus point games and scored a career-high 43 points in the regular season against Utah, showing what he’s capable of. In the Big 12 tournament, he also exploded with a 40-point, nine-rebound, and six-assist game against Kansas State.
Basically, Dybantsa is the type of future superstar a team can build around. He’s likely heading first overall to the Washington Wizards, a team with disappointingly dismal performances in their recent seasons.
That said, the Wizards also made moves this past season to add veteran point guard Trae Young and forward Anthony Davis, which could make things a bit more interesting in the nation’s capital if they’re healthy and on the court with Dybantsa.
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