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The 6-foot-9-inch, 210-pound Dybantsa has made his name with a power game that also includes grace.Adam Glanzman for the Boston Globe<\/p>\nGet Starting Point<\/p>\n
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Dybantsa is the best Boston-based prospect since the late Terrence Clarke and his journey to the NBA has been rapid, especially in today\u2019s NIL era. He\u2019s traveled the world with his sponsors, including to the Monaco Grand Prix in May and he\u2019s already thrown out the first pitch at a Red Sox game.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think my favorite place I went to was Monaco,\u201d he said. \u201cI was amazed to see the type of luxuries over there. There\u2019s where you want to be when you think about retirement and things like that, that\u2019s the type of people you want to be around. It was an eye-opening point. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been all over the world due to my sponsors but for the most part I\u2019ve just been at BYU doing team workouts getting ready for the season.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dybantsa was pursued by every major Division 1 school in the country but he decided on BYU, a rising program led by former Suns assistant coach Kevin Young. He is projected as a first- or second-overall pick in the 2026 draft, and BYU\u2019s staff, filled with veteran coaches, encouraged him to make the surprising choice.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have to go see for yourself,\u201d Dybantsa said of BYU. \u201cMe explaining it is not going to do anything. Them having an NBA coaching staff, led by Kevin Young who was an NBA [assistant] coach and a bunch of NBA assistants on the staff and that\u2019s what really drew me because my angle is to go to the NBA and they have NBA coaching. I might as well go there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dybantsa seems like a one-and-done at BYU but he said he\u2019s discussed how to approach that branch to the NBA with others who have gone through the one-year college process.<\/p>\n
\u201cI kind of know what to expect based on other people and what they\u2019ve been saying, but I\u2019m just trying to go day by day and learn the coaching staff,\u201d he said. \u201cThey\u2019ve been in college. They\u2019ve been in the NBA, so they know the different point of view and I ask them questions and get knowledge.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m definitely a fan of college basketball. Definitely watched it for a long as I can remember. I\u2019m excited to hit the court.\u201d<\/p>\n
The 6-foot-9-inch, 210-pound Dybantsa has made his name with a power game that also includes grace. His favorite player is Kevin Durant but like every significant moment in his career, he took meeting Durant in stride.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverything is easy to him. It doesn\u2019t take a lot,\u201d Dybantsa said. \u201cThe first time I met him was during workouts. I\u2019m not really star-struck but people like to get a rise over me being in places because of the fame level but I know I\u2019m a human being just like them. <\/p>\n
\u201cSo when I see other people that are above me or are more famous than me I know you\u2019re just a person, too. It was just a workout. We worked out together and we had a good relationship. But it wasn\u2019t \u2018Oh my God,\u2019 it\u2019s Kevin Durant.\u201d<\/p>\n
The next step for Dybantsa is BYU\u2019s season, which includes marquee matchups with Villanova, UConn at TD Garden, Wisconsin, Miami, Clemson and then Arizona, Houston and Kansas in the Big 12. For the 18-year-old potential star, it\u2019s going to be all about ball until the NBA calls.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t have time for other things,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m going to be playing basketball most of the time and team-bonding activities or extra workouts. I don\u2019t really have time to do anything else. But I\u2019m ready for college.\u201d<\/p>\n
The 6-foot-9-inch, 210-pound Dybantsa has made his name with a power game that also includes grace.Adam Glanzman for the Boston Globe<\/p>\n
Post All-Star matchups<\/p>\n
Top 10 games with huge implications<\/p>\n
Last Sunday,we looked at the best 10 games prior to the All-Star <\/a>break.<\/a> This Sunday we look at matchups that could decide playoff seedings or late-season showdowns between conference rivals. What\u2019s fascinating about this coming season is the parity. Oklahoma City will enter the season as favorites to repeat but there are six or seven teams in each conference that believe they have a legitimate chance to reach the Finals.<\/p>\n The top-10 games:<\/p>\n FEB. 19: PISTONS AT KNICKS<\/p>\n Are the Pistons for real? We should know by this time. Detroit made a spirited run to the playoffs under J.B. Bickerstaff last season, coming back from a miserable year in 2023-24. The Pistons will not be sneaking up on anyone. But they should be healthy with Jaden Ivey returning from a broken leg and they also added Duncan Robinson and Caris LeVert to an already deep team. The Pistons lost to the Knicks in six games in the first round last season but blew fourth-quarter leads in two of those games. This will be a good test for the Pistons against one of the best in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks, essentially the same team from last season, added Jordan Clarkson and former Celtic Guerschon Yabusele.<\/p>\n FEB. 22: CAVALIERS AT THUNDER<\/p>\n The teams with the best records in the NBA last season and their matchups were tabbed as an NBA Finals preview but only one team met expectations. The Thunder edged the Pacers in seven games to win their first championship since relocating from Seattle in 2008. The Thunder added rookies Nikola Topic from Serbia and Thomas Sorber from Georgetown. The Cavaliers added Lonzo Ball to stabilize the backcourt but are banking that better preparation and good health can carry them beyond the second round. The Cavaliers have a lot to prove t and this showdown should be an interesting evaluation.<\/p>\n FEB. 22: CELTICS AT LAKERS<\/p>\n It\u2019s the second matchup of the season and it also will be the unveiling of the Pat Riley statue in front of Crypto.com Arena. The Lakers are banking on an in-shape Luka Doncic, 40-year-old LeBron James, and former Celtic Marcus Smart to compete in the Western Conference. This is a pivotal season in Los Angeles as James could be in his final year with the Lakers. The Celtics will be forced to navigate through the season without Jayson Tatum, who is recovering from a torn Achilles\u2019. The club should know by this time whether Tatum could be available for this season and if it\u2019s worth him returning. Jaylen Brown and Derrick White will be the offensive catalysts for the Celtics while the roster could be different after the trade deadline.<\/p>\n MARCH 5: LAKERS AT NUGGETS<\/p>\n The Nuggets have undergone a front office overhaul in removing general manager Calvin Booth and coach Mike Malone before the playoffs last season. New executives Ben Tenzer and Jon Wallace reshaped the roster by bringing back Bruce Brown, acquiring Cameron Johnson and Jonas Valanciunas to help out Nikola Jokic. The three-time MVP has a shrinking window to win another championship and the Nuggets finally parted ways with Michael Porter Jr. and moved on from DeAndre Jordan. Still, despite their flawed roster, the Nuggets pushed the Thunder to seven games in the conference semifinals. With their new additions, they could be the biggest threat to a Thunder repeat. This matchup could be a potential playoff preview.<\/p>\n MARCH 21: CLIPPERS AT MAVERICKS<\/p>\n Two teams few are talking about in the Western Conference. Dallas has recovered from dealing Doncic by landing the No. 1 overall pick and taking Maine native Cooper Flagg. GM Nico Harrison also added D\u2019Angelo Russell to the backcourt until Kyrie Irving comes back from his ACL injury. The Clippers added Bradley Beal to replace the traded Norman Powell and Brook Lopez to supplement the frontcourt. James Harden re-signed for two years to pair with Kawhi Leonard for an effective but aging backcourt. The Clippers don\u2019t have much time left to remain relevant and this could be the final year for them to make a legitimate run before major changes are in store.<\/p>\n MARCH 25: BUCKS AT TRAIL BLAZERS<\/p>\n It\u2019s reunion time in Portland, where the Bucks will come to Moda Center and face Damian Lillard and the Blazers. Lillard re-signed with Portland after Milwaukee unceremoniously waived him with $100-plus million left on his contract. It\u2019s uncertain whether Lillard will be available because he\u2019s recovering from a ruptured Achilles\u2019 but former Celtic Jrue Holiday should be available to face the team with whom he won his first championship. And the Bucks are going to spend this season, convincing superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo to stay long term. Team management cut Lillard loose to create the salary cap space to sign former Pacer Myles Turner. They also brought back Gary Trent Jr., Taurean Prince and Kevin Porter Jr., while adding Cole Anthony and Gary Harris, giving the team plenty of bodies but not necessarily competitive talent.<\/p>\n MARCH 31: KNICKS AT ROCKETS<\/p>\n The Knicks should be cruising toward a top two seed in the Eastern Conference under new coach Mike Brown. The only issue for Brown is how to use ball dominant guard Jalen Brunson in an up-tempo offense that has been Brown\u2019s pattern over the years. The Knicks best offensive players \u2014 Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns \u2014 are the team\u2019s worst defenders. Despite that, the Knicks were a quality team on both sides of the ball under former coach Tom Thibodeau. The Rockets have no excuses after adding Kevin Durant to a young, exciting club. But they\u2019ll need more than Durant averaging 28 a night to edge the Thunder in the West. With Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun and Tari Eason, the Rockets have enough talent and youth to be an NBA Finals dark horse.<\/p>\n APRIL 6: PISTONS AT MAGIC<\/p>\n The Magic have high expectations after acquiring Desmond Bane in the offseason, while Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner return healthy along with a supporting cast that should be good enough to push the Cavaliers and Knicks in the East. The question is whether the Magic have enough offense to compete with the elite teams. While Bane is a premium 3-point shooter, he\u2019s not enough to make the Magic into a top-10 offensive team. They\u2019ll need Banchero and Wagner to be better. And the Magic will need a legitimate point guard. Last season, they started journeyman Cory Joseph at point in the playoff series against Boston. They desperately need an upgrade and the successor is Anthony Black, who has talent but lacks experience.<\/p>\n APRIL 10: CAVALIERS AT HAWKS<\/p>\n The Hawks quietly had one of the best offseasons of any club, adding Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kennard to join Trae Young, Jalen Johnson and Zaccharie Risacher for an intriguing team. This could be a late-season showdown to determine playoff seeding. The Cavaliers had a league-best 64 wins last season and should be vying for a top seed. Last season they ran out of gas in the playoffs, prompting the question: can Donovan Mitchell can be a No. 1 option for a championship-caliber franchise?<\/p>\n APRIL 12: MAGIC AT CELTICS<\/p>\n The regular season finale for the Celtics and the biggest question is whether Tatum will be in the lineup as the team prepares for the playoffs. It will be 11 months since his Achilles\u2019 injury and he should be close to a return. Despite Tatum\u2019s absence, the Celtics should be good enough to grab a fifth or sixth seed in the Eastern Conference depending on health and whether Brad Stevens decides to break down the roster for future assets. These Celtics in October could be dramatically different from the Celtics in April, which could be a fascinating month for Boston faithful.<\/p>\n The Cavaliers hoped to enter this pivotal season healthy, but those were dashed when swingman Max Strus sustained a foot injury in summer workouts that will cost him four months. Strus has been an asset on defense and with 3-point shooting but he\u2019s had trouble staying healthy. The Cavaliers and the Knicks are the favorites in the Eastern Conference but injuries have hindered the Cavs in the past few years. Darius Garland is recovering from offseason foot surgery but he is expected to be ready by the beginning of the season \u2026 We\u2019re still waiting for a destination for Al Horford, a free agent expected to sign with the Warriors. But nothing has happened because the status of Jonathan Kuminga has yet to be decided. The restricted free agent turned down the Warriors\u2019 two-year, $45 million offer because it included a team option for the second season. Horford, De\u2019Anthony Melton and Gary Payton II are waiting for deals although they\u2019re all expected to join Golden State \u2026 Former Celtic Tacko Fall, still a fan favorite in Boston, signed with the Chinese Basketball Association, his third time playing with the CBA. Fall, a 7-foot-6-inch center, played for the Celtics and Cavaliers after going undrafted out of Central Florida \u2026 Russell Westbrook remains a free agent after turning down the player option on his contract with the Nuggets. There are not many suitors for the energetic Westbrook, who had his moments with the Nuggets and worked well with star center Nikola Jokic but struggled with his shooting and on-court decisions. The best Westbrook could hope for at this juncture is a veteran minimum contract. The Kings reportedly have shown some interest but they would have to move Devin Carter or Malik Monk to clear backcourt space \u2026 Now that sharpshooter Malik Beasley is no longer a target of an FBI investigation for gambling, he has risen to the top of free agent boards but likely for a veteran minimum contract because the market has dried and because of off-court concerns. The Pistons are pondering bringing him back and were prepared to offer him a lucrative deal prior to the investigation. <\/p>\n Gary Washburn is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at gary.washburn@globe.com<\/a>. Follow him @GwashburnGlobe<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/ZWLKELXJP7GRARJKVJ345UWNSQ.jpg\")
The Celtics’ regular season finale against the Magic could be telling for their playoff chances.Barry Chin\/Globe Staff<\/p>\n