A.J. Dybantsa, a 6’8″ wing from Massachusetts and one of the top high school prospects in the country, intends to reclassify to the 2025 recruiting class, as Jeff Borzello of ESPN.com writes. Dybantsa had previously been the No. 1 player in ESPN’s 2026 recruiting rankings. Now, he becomes the favorite to be selected first overall in the 2026 NBA draft, according to Borzello.
As Borzello explains, Dybantsa, Cooper Flagg, and Cameron Boozer are widely considered the best high school prospects in the country. When ESPN asked 20 college coaches and NBA evaluators to rank the trio this summer, Dybantsa earned seven first-place votes and placed second behind Flagg, who is the frontrunner to be the top pick in the 2025 draft.
“Dybantsa is just the most complete,” one coach told ESPN. “Scores at all three levels. Super athletic. He’s the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft whenever he goes.”
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the league:
- Former Pelicans assistant Teresa Weatherspoon will be the next head coach of the WNBA’s Chiacgo Sky, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). The former WNBA star was an assistant in New Orleans for four seasons before the team parted ways with her in June.
- In John Schuhmann’s general manager poll, two players received more votes than Magic forward Franz Wagner for this season’s top breakout candidate. However, Wagner sits atop the list compiled by Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who spoke to 25 executives around the NBA and has shared the top nine vote-getters. Pistons guard Cade Cunningham and Rockets guard Jalen Green round out Scotto’s top three.
- John Hollinger of The Athletic lists a dozen under-the-radar NBA players whom he expects to have a real impact this season, including Celtics wing Oshae Brissett, Nuggets forward Peyton Watson, Thunder guard Vasilije Micic, and Pelicans forward Naji Marshall.
- The Capital City Go-Go have traded the returning rights to Isaiah Mucius to the Delaware Blue Coats along with a 2024 first-round pick and 2023 second-round pick in the G League draft. In exchange, the Sixers‘ G League affiliate has sent Michael Foster Jr.‘s returning rights to the Wizards‘ affiliate, the Go-Go announced today (via Twitter).
Dybantsa … Cooper Flagg …. Cameron Boozer (Carlos Boozer’s son) are all examples of guys that Portland will not get a chance to add alongside of Scoot.
The Blazers will get plenty of chances to add top talent to pair with Henderson. They’re going to very bad for a long while unless Scoot turns out to be the 2nd coming of Magic Johnson. Of course if that happens, they won’t need anyone else.
People forget that the Blazers were the third pick and only won 33 games despite having Dame on the team xD
And HOU, DET, and ORL are rebuilding teams that missed out on two generational talents.
Playing the lottery sucks! The strategy of poor suckers. And even when you win the stupid thing… the guy ends up in his prime playing for a championship for the Lakers.
None of those guys are eligible for this coming draft… also please don’t leave Darryn Peterson out, he’s arguably the best hs baller in the world rn
What!? No if you can pick any father/son combo who would you pick or win since Boozer in the article? You slacking
Celtics have done some rockstar stuff, no doubt-they are TOO thin, however. Memo to mgmt-use those trade freebees x3, asap. Secure Drummond, at least, with that main one. Despite the rockstar starting lineup, the bench looks awful. Isn’t the year for Stevens to screw with the developments-they need three true vets, obviously. Ainge always stacked the roster, Brad has it way too thin here, boys. Pay the 2nd tier tax-it’s now or never.