Combine Notes: Dybantsa, Boozer, Peterson, Wilson

Potential No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa is approaching this week’s draft combine in Chicago like a “job interview,” writes Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Dybantsa has been wearing a suit and tie not only in his meetings with team executives, but even for his sessions with the media.

“I had interviews this morning with different teams, and I mean, I never had a job before,” Dybantsa told reporters on Wednesday. “I was 13 (when I) started taking basketball serious. But this is like my first job interview. So my dad’s kind of like, ‘You know, this is your job interview. So come professional, come in a suit.’”

By noon Wednesday, Dybantsa had talked with the teams holding the top five picks in the draft – the Wizards, Jazz, Grizzlies, Bulls and Clippers – along with the Hawks and Mavericks, according to Robbins. His case for being selected first overall includes a mixture of versatility, dedication to the game and fan appeal.

“I’m super versatile as a player,” Dybantsa said. “I think I can guard one through four, play one through four. I think that I can play a little bit of combo guard if you need me to. I can be that jumbo wing if you need me to. I play the game the right way. So I try to play to win, try to make my teammates better. But I’m super exciting as a player, super explosive. I fill seats.”

There’s more from the combine:

• The other projected top-four picks, Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson and Caleb Wilson, were also asked why they should be taken first, Robbins adds. Boozer responded, “I think my mind, for sure,” along with his “feel for the game” and competitiveness. Peterson stated that he can fit with any team and dispelled rumors that he only wants to play point guard. Wilson cited his “leadership and focus” in addition to his on-court talents and said the hand injury that derailed his collegiate season is no longer an issue. “My hand’s perfectly fine now,” he said, “and I feel like it offered me a different perspective on basketball in general, just because once I injured my hand, now I’m way more grateful to play. Every day I wake up and I get the opportunity to play and just be able to shoot and dribble and stuff like that. I just feel grateful for the opportunity, and I wasn’t as grateful as I am now.”
• Wilson displayed his knowledge of Chicago by talking about Michael Jordan, “The Last Dance” documentary and SLAP, which is the acronym new Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Bryson Graham uses to sum up what he looks for in a player – size, length, athleticism and physicality, per Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune (subscription required). Wilson fits those characteristics and may be an easy choice for Chicago if he’s still on the board at No. 4, but the Bulls also hold the 15th pick and plan to talk to roughly 20 players this week, according to Poe.
• Talent evaluators and executives at the combine view Dybantsa, Peterson, Boozer and Wilson as a “big four” in the draft, with the next tier starting once they’re off the board, relays K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link).