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There’s a clear top tier of one-and-done prospects in this month’s NBA draft.
BYU’s AJ Dybantsa was widely discussed as the No. 1 pick before becoming a first-team Associated Press All-American. His top challenger for the overall top selection is Kansas combo guard Darryn Peterson, followed by Tobacco Road forwards Cameron Boozer of Duke and Caleb Wilson of North Carolina.
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The first pivot point is seemingly set for No. 5 with a wave of one-and-done guards.
With the first round set for June 23, the AP’s initial mock draft starts with the longtime favorite:
The 6-foot-9, 217-pound Dybantsa averaged a national-best 25.5 points by pressuring defenses with his ability to create his own shot, get to the foul line (national-best 229 makes and 296 attempts) and find teammates (3.7 assists). Synergy rated him as “Excellent” in its analytics rankings as the ball handler in pick-and-roll scenarios (87th percentile) and post-ups (94th). He averaged 26.9 points in seven games against top-10 foes, including 35 points in a loss to Final Four-bound Arizona and a near triple-double (29 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists) in an upset of sixth-ranked Iowa State.
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2. Utah Jazz: Darryn Peterson, guard, Kansas
There’s no questioning the talent and athleticism, nor the playmaking and scoring skillset. The 6-5, 199-pound Peterson averaged 20.2 points by attacking off the bounce or in transition, shot 38.2% on 3-pointers and made 82.6% of his free throws. The biggest questions arose from his availability. He dealt with a full-body cramping issue that required hospitalization before the season, missed 11 games due to injury or illness and frequently had limited minutes for uncertainty with his day-to-day status.
3. Memphis Grizzlies: Cameron Boozer, forward/center, Duke
The 6-8, 253-pound son of former Duke and NBA player Carlos Boozer became the fifth freshman voted AP men’s national player of the year. He averaged 22.5 points and 10.2 rebounds, capable of finishing through contact (55.6% field goals) or stepping outside (39.1% on 3s). Synergy rated him as “Excellent” against man defense (94th…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/nba-mock-draft-byus-dybantsa-074318321.html
Author : AARON BEARD
Publish date : 2026-06-02 07:43:00
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