BYU star AJ Dybantsa packs an advanced offensive game with a high level of maturity and few flaws to dissect.
Kansas standout Darryn Peterson may potentially become the better player, but his one college season was littered with concerns and even fewer explanations.
Dybantsa and Peterson will likely be the first two names called — though Duke’s Cameron Boozer could sneak in — when the two-day NBA draft begins Tuesday night in New York.
Barring a trade, the Washington Wizards will introduce the No. 1 overall pick, followed by the Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies and Chicago Bulls.
This marks the third time Washington has owned the top pick. The Wizards selected Kwame Brown in 2001 and John Wall in 2010.
Washington would prefer to make a Wall-like pick (a five-time All-Star) this time around.
The 6-foot-9 Dybantsa led the nation in scoring at 25.5 points per game in his one college campaign and seems destined to come right in and make a huge impact.
Dybantsa visited with both the Wizards and Jazz and said he didn’t work out for either team. Utah already knows him well due to Dybantsa playing right down I-15 in Provo.
“They take me to the facility, take me to dinner, talk,” Dybantsa told reporters of his visits. “I don’t gotta work out. They know what I can do.”
Peterson’s chances to go No. 1 overall may have taken a hit with Washington’s decision to retain veteran point guard Trae Young on a four-year deal.
The 6-foot-5 Peterson expressed that he wants to join Danny Manning (1988) and Andrew Wiggins (2014) as Kansas players to go first overall.
He visited with the Wizards but declined to visit the Jazz or any other team.
Peterson averaged 20.2 points last season but missed 11 of the Jayhawks’ 35 games and left early in others due to apparent injuries, including cramping.
That leaves his durability and reliability under scrutiny since NBA seasons are more than twice as long as college campaigns.
“I did everything I could to be out there, and when I could, I was out there,” Peterson told NBA TV. “I just want to learn from it. I faced adversity for probably the first time I’d say on the court ever in my life. It’s something I know I can handle.”
Both the Wizards and Jazz have reportedly done deep dives on Boozer, a forward who averaged 22.5 points and 10.2 rebounds last season for the Blue Devils.
One note to consider is that Boozer’s dad, Carlos, was a former star for Utah and now works in the team’s front office. The focus of his duties is evaluating NBA draft prospects.
So could Utah be looking at Cameron Boozer as a possible No. 2 pick if the Wizards take Dybantsa? Regardless, it could be interesting if Utah ends up having to choose between Peterson and Boozer.
Still, Carlos Boozer said the family will watch and see how things shake out.
“Cam is so excited,” Carlos Boozer told NBA.com. “He’s not nervous at all. He’s worked his butt off for this moment and this is a dream he’s had since he was four years old, and it will be realized on Tuesday as he starts his NBA journey.”
North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson (19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds per game) is expected to go fourth overall before the draft briefly turns into a guard-fest.
The Los Angeles Clippers own the fifth pick and can choose from Keaton Wagler (Illinois), Darius Acuff Jr. (Arkansas), Mikel Brown Jr. (Louisville), Kingston Flemings (Houston) and Brayden Burries (Arizona).
Among the candidates to be chosen among the top 15 are three national champion Michigan frontcourt players: Yaxel Lendeborg, Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr. Tennessee’s Nate Ament and Washington’s Hannes Steinbach are also part of that mix.
Karim Lopez of Mexico is the top international prospect. The forward for the New Zealand Breakers is projected to be selected in the middle of the first round.
The Bulls (two firsts, two seconds) and San Antonio Spurs (one first, three seconds) have a league-high four draft picks. The Indiana Pacers and Portland Trail Blazers have no picks in the 60-player draft.
The NBA champion New York Knicks are slated for one first-round pick (No. 24) and two second-round selections (No. 31, No. 55).
–Field Level Media
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