BYU wing AJ Dybantsa goes No. 1 overall in the latest mock draft from Sam Vecenie of The Athletic. As Vecenie details, the 6’9″ freshman has put up incredible numbers, has elite athletic tools, and has made tremendous strides in terms of his offensive decision-making and passing. Dybantsa is still a work in progress on the other end though, per Vecenie.
Dybantsa, Kansas guard Darryn Peterson (No. 2 in Vecenie’s mock) and Duke power forward Cameron Boozer (No. 3) are all in contention to be selected with the first pick, Vecenie writes, but Dybantsa and Peterson are talked about more often for that spot.
According to Vecenie, North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson is the clear No. 4 player in a class that is “absurdly good” at the top. Then there’s another five players (Houston’s Kingston Flemings, Illinois’ Keaton Wagler, Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr., Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr. and Tennessee’s Nate Ament) that teams would love to land.
The 10 through 30 spots in the first round are much trickier to pin down, Vecenie continues, in part because it’s unclear which players will return to school to potentially make more money because of name, image and likeness — some could get around $4MM, per Vecenie.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Jon Chepkevich of RookieScale.com has created a consensus big board using input sources from 13 different outlets (including The Athletic) and “dozens of other independent boards/mocks.” The same nine players listed above are the top nine on Chepkevich’s board, with Michigan big man Yaxel Lendeborg at No. 10 (he’s No. 19 in Vecenie’s mock) and Kentucky big man Jayden Quaintance at No. 11 (No. 12 in Vecenie’s mock).
- Third-year center Victor Wembanyama has become a minority investor in Nanterre, the French team with whom the Spurs star played from the ages of 10-17, per Eurohoops. Wembanyama made the announcement alongside his former coach in an interview with Yann Ohnona of L’Équipe. “I don’t even remember who approached whom first, but it happened naturally. I was born and raised in France. I want to have an impact on French basketball, and at Nanterre because that’s where I feel at home,” Wembanyama said.
- The U.S. men’s national team was upset by the Dominican Republic in a 2027 World Cup qualifying game last Thursday, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Team USA never led in the game and trailed by as many as 19 points. “Now I am very happy because every player that comes to the (Dominican Republic) national team, they feel love for this country, for this flag,” Dominican coach Nestor Garcia said. “In our country, the people support us. This is for the Dominican people.” As Vardon notes, the U.S. roster isn’t exactly star-studded considering it’s the middle of the NBA season, but several players with recent experience in the league are competing, including James Wiseman and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl. After rebounding by blowing out Mexico on Sunday, Team USA is still 3-1 with eight qualifying games remaining, so the Americans aren’t in any danger of not qualifying for the World Cup at this point.
I see Peterson as that top talent. Only his health does get my attention. He is a serious guard with size, a playmaker. I see him more as a 2. But I said same thing about Cade. I see him as NBA ready. As is Boozer imo. AJD is also a serious talent. He is still a little raw. Will take longer. He is a big 3. With big time talent. Just have to go easy with him, no rushing. Any could be top pick. Depends on team picking. I don’t think you go wrong with either one. They are the top talents to me.
I also don’t think you can go wrong with any of the 3, but from what I’ve watched I have AJ over Peterson. Whoever gets Boozer at 3 will be thrilled.
From The Athletic: “… it’s unclear which players will return to school to potentially make more money because of name, image and likeness — some could get around $4MM …”
Amateur? Professional? You could make more money staying an amateur than you could by turning professional? It’s the END TIMES, break out the good cabernet sauvignon! ;)
Considering how much the NCAA makes off of them, why shouldn’t they get paid?
Because it’s STUDENT ATHLETE. There are pro’s and there is amateur. Most of these dudes should stay in college more than one year. Because they’re earning potential goes down by not having a longevity career. They have completely blown up college sports. I can’t stand when people say oh well they make money off of people. Your employer makes money off of you. At the end of the day that’s how the world works. You work for somebody? They make money of you. You own your own. You make money off of somebody else. That’s just how it goes.
If you’re going to have nil and pay the players it should be a set rate. And all the money should go into a trust until they get out of playing amateur sports!. What’s next? We’re going to start paying high school players? Middle School players will start making money. Where does it stop? But when you’re in college, you should not be living in a mansion where the rest of your teammates are living in dorms. If you’re going to pay the players it goes into. Trust you receive the money after you either clear and lose your eligibility to play any college basketball. Once you see players like Bailey kid who went after the money instead of developing his game and now all these players are trying to go back to college cuz now they’re washed out of the NBA. Had you just focused on your game, you would have made more money in the NBA than you making college by having a longer career
NIL is already paying HS athletes. Why do you care.
Talent gets paid in this society. NIL doesn’t work for everyone. And it doesn’t last longer than 2nd yr in college. Cause by then all top athletes are expected to go pro. Basketball players after one year.
I will agree with those arguing the NCAA players should give up their money when the administrators who don’t even play give up their money too.
Right! They have been getting paid since we were all in short pants. By all means this paying college guys above the table was way overdo. They should get paid, but I do wonder if the end result will be the realization that college sports is nothing more than minor league pro sports, a development league.
It’s always been that lol. Catch up.
Like I said, ‘since we were in short pants’. Since at least the 1950’s. If by “catch up” you mean it happened even before we were around at all, yes, then I need to catch up. I’m assuming your in at least your 60’s, Al. You have that ‘old soul’ commentary style. Was college sports crooked before WW2? I never thought about that!
I never said they shouldn’t get paid. What I said is you are a student athlete. If you want to create a minor league then create a minor league. Oh wait, they already did that. The G leak had a team just for kids who didn’t want to go to high school and every player that has played on that team is pretty much washed out or hasn’t lived up to hype or standards.
College is about education, just like highschool. Nil for highschool should be for AAU not highschool teams. I’m all four people getting paid and making money but let’s not put the cart before the horse. And statistics and studies have showed paying high school and paying college players leads to less of a product, especially going into the NBA.
As I suggested if your going to pay the players. They should either a be a flat rate And also have a trust that players are expected to be student athletes and not pros. Players can always go overseas or play in the G League or other things if they want to skip the college experience.
Its been a minor league since day one. Catch up. NIL is 50 yrs LATE