Kansas shooting guard Darryn Peterson And BYU Before AJ Dybantsa are shaping up to be the projected top two picks in the upcoming NBA draft. They constitute the early cream of what projects to be one of the best NBA drafts – especially in the top 10 – of the last generation.
Who will be number 1? ESPN surveyed 20 NBA scouts and executives to get an early idea, and the results indicate there will be a rigorous debate leading up to the June draft.
Peterson received 12 votes and Dybantsa eight for first place. With No. 13 Kansas visiting No. 14 Kansas on Saturday (4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN), this will mark the first collegiate matchup between the two stars.
“That’s Darryn Peterson for me,” one veteran scout told ESPN. “He makes it look so easy, it’s incredible. His shot is unmatched. He’s the closest thing to Kobe Bryant that I’ve seen since Kobe in terms of shooting and being able to create his own shot. He’s not the same athlete as Kobe, but no one is. He’s really special.”
Few recruiters and executives interviewed indicated that the choice was easy.
“It’s so close,” one NBA veteran told ESPN. “I say 51% to 49%, barely. I just feel like there’s a little more potential with AJ Dybantsa as a player who makes others better. But if you call me on March 1, I might tell you I’ve changed my mind.”
The NBA is heading to Lawrence, Kansas, this weekend to get additional empirical evidence.
At least 32 NBA front office personnel from 17 teams will attend the game, expected to include seven general managers/decision makers. (There are also plans to attend Atlanta Falcons owner Tony Ressler.)
Some teams send several scouts and executives, including a majority of the Hawks front office staff (five participants) and Indiana Pacers (six participants). Both Brooklyn fillets And Wizards of Washington send three representatives.
Multiple NBA sources told ESPN they can’t wait to see what Peterson looks like after missing a game against Kansas State last Saturday with a sprained ankle. Kansas coach Bill Self said he expected Peterson to play, and the injury was not considered long-term.
Peterson missed nine games in two separate stretches earlier in the season with a hamstring issue. With his ankle injury costing him one game, that means he’s missed half of Kansas’ games this season. He also had a problem with cramps.
“I don’t like the drama of playing and not playing,” said one scout, who selected Peterson as his first pick. “But he’s a threat. He’s just a killer offensively.”
Dybantsa is 6 feet 9 inches tall and weighs 210 pounds. Peterson is 6 feet 6 inches tall and weighs 205 pounds. It’s unclear how often they will face each other directly on the field on Saturday, but they will certainly be compared and debated in the months to come.
The crux of the debate is Peterson’s rare offensive advantage against Dybantsa, who has more athleticism and a two-way advantage. Several recruiters and executives mentioned having both DukeIt is Cam Boozer And North CarolinaIt is Caleb Wilson in the No. 1 pick conversation, but none picked these players as their preference for No. 1.
One scout summed up his choice for Dybantsa this way: “He’s the only one who has a chance to be elite on both sides.”
Another said of Peterson: “I think he can be a championship-level shot creator in the NBA.”
Peterson averages 21.6 points per game in 27.2 minutes. He also averages 4.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists and shoots an impressive 42% from 3-point range.
Dybantsa scores 23.6 points per game, grabs 6.7 rebounds and delivers 3.6 assists. He has played in all 20 games for BYU and is shooting 31.8% from 3-point range.
No one is debating the talent at the top of this draft, as college basketball is enjoying a freshman renaissance this season. This draft is both elite and deep, with first-year stars such as HoustonIt is Kingston Flemings, LouisvilleIt is Mikel Brown Jr., TennesseeIt is Nate Ament, Arkansas‘ Darius Acuff Jr., ArizonaIt is Koa Peat, UConnIt is Braylon Mullinsthat of Houston Chris Cenac Jr. And Illinois‘ Keaton Wagler giving the sport a dose of adrenaline from young talents.
“It’s very deep with high-end talent,” one veteran recruiter said. “This draft will go down historically as one of the best in the last 20 years.”
