The No 1 overall pick will be …<\/p>\n
AJ Dybantsa looked like a pro among college kids in his lone season at BYU, becoming just the fifth Division I player in the last 40 years to average more than 25 points per game while shooting better than 51%. Even beyond the numbers, Dybantsa\u2019s natural length and ability to create his own shot make him look more like a future All-Star than Kansas\u2019s Darryn Peterson, whose load-management habits stand in stark contrast to Dybantsa\u2019s workhorse approach. Andrew Lawrence<\/p>\n
AJ Dybantsa. Let\u2019s not overthink this: yes, Peterson has shown flashes of the highest ceiling, and Cameron Boozer likely has the highest floor. But it\u2019s been clear for months now that Dybantsa, who has real superstar upside, will be going first overall. We\u2019ve just had too long to examine the choices, and are making it more complicated than it really is. Claire de Lune<\/p>\n
AJ Dybantsa. Washington anoint the BYU freshman the best franchise cornerstone 1A since Earl \u201cThe Pearl\u201d Monroe. He led Division I in scoring at 25.5 points per game on 51% shooting. We are living in the greatest era of basketball talent. Consider yourself blessed. Lee Escobedo<\/p>\n
This will be a good draft for \u2026<\/p>\n
The one-and-done college star. This year\u2019s draft could see those players dominate the top 10, a major validation of the pay-for-play era in college sports. Gone are the days when elite prospects felt compelled to bypass campus altogether in order to maximize their earning potential. Thanks to NIL, they can earn millions, develop against high-level competition and arrive in the NBA<\/a> better prepared than ever. AL<\/p>\n Faces of the franchise. In stark contrast to a draft like 2024, which contained very few blue-chip prospects, this year\u2019s is littered with them. Beyond just the obvious of the clear top four in Dybantsa, Peterson, Boozer and Caleb Wilson in some order, there\u2019s also players such as Darius Acuff Jr and Brayden Burries with tremendous upside. CDL<\/p>\n So-called Victor Wembanyama stoppers. This class is loaded with physical, switchable bigs. Of course, Wemby is sui generis. Don\u2019t be duped by a dollar-store double. To stop him, smart franchises will stockpile mass and mobility to beat the Alien and win the war of the worlds. LE<\/p>\n Which international player is worth keeping an eye on?<\/p>\n Sergio De Larrea has to intrigue more than a few NBA GMs. The Valencia guard was eligible for last year\u2019s draft but withdrew to continue polishing his game in Spain. Scouts have long been enamored with his basketball IQ and feel in the pick-and-roll, traits that could earn him rotation minutes early in his career while he works to improve his strength and perimeter shooting. AL<\/p>\n