Browsing: Dybantsa

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  Myron MedcalfOct 22, 2025, 05:48 PM ET

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  Myron Medcalf covers college basketball for ESPN.com. He joined ESPN in 2011.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Big 12 might boast the top two picks in next summer’s NBA draft — but both Kansas guard Darryn Peterson and BYU wing AJ Dybantsa say the NBA isn’t on their minds right now.

Speaking at Big 12 media day on Wednesday, Peterson — a five-star recruit and 6-foot-6 guard who is projected to go No. 1 in ESPN’s latest 2026 NBA mock draft — said he’s focused on helping the Jayhawks win this season, not the chatter about his future.

“I handle it by not even paying any attention to it,” Peterson told ESPN. “I’m just going to go out and play and win games.”

Peterson on Wednesday was tabbed as Big 12 Preseason Freshman of the Year and a unanimous selection to the All-Big 12 preseason first team. Dybantsa, the 6-foot-9 standout who is projected to be drafted second, was named to the Associated Press preseason All-America team on Monday.

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The buzz around Dybantsa grew on Saturday when he recorded 30 points (10-for-19), 7 rebounds and 3 steals in BYU’s 90-89 exhibition loss to Nebraska. Dybantsa said playing a road game against the Huskers was a good experience, despite the loss.

“I think that not everybody had their best game. Some people had jitters,” he said. “It was the first college game for the freshmen or their first game with BYU or their first game on the biggest stage. I like the Big 12 level, but I learned a lot. I felt more comfortable getting into an exhibition and just getting to [compete] out there, getting to learn the away crowds, how away games are. I never really played a crazy away game, so that was fun.”

But the speculation about him potentially being the No. 1 pick — and maybe battling his Big 12 peer Peterson in the pursuit — is something Dybantsa has tried to avoid, too.

“I think me and [Peterson] probably have similar mindsets, obviously, playing with him since I’ll say my freshman year,” Dybantsa said. “I don’t think he is too worried about [going No. 1]. I think he’s just really trying to prove himself as a college player and he’s probably got the same goal as me: to go out and win.”

Peterson said his only focus right now is to be a great leader for the Jayhawks and adjust to college life.

“I lead by example and I’m trying to do all the right stuff, both on and off the court,” he said. “I think that’s good for the team if you can see a young guy coming in and doing that.”

Although Dybantsa and Peterson were the focus of Wednesday’s event, another NBA prospect’s name was mentioned, too.

UCF coach Johnny Dawkins, following his team’s 96-71 exhibition loss at Duke on Tuesday night, hopped on a plane to Kansas City with his players for Big 12 media day.

Dawkins, a former Duke star, said freshman Cameron Boozer — the two-time national Gatorade Player of the Year and projected No. 3 pick in ESPN’s latest mock draft — has the talent to excel at the next level after he scored 33 points (4-for-7 from 3) in the win.

“He’s terrific. He’s a great basketball player and he still has room to grow,” Dawkins said Wednesday. “I mean, I’m watching him out there and the thing that stood out more than anything is that it was a really good basketball game, and his competitive spirit, you saw him raise his level and that’s what the great players do. They’re able to raise their level in those moments and I saw him do that.

“When I saw that happen, I knew exactly who he’s going to be. He’s going to be a great college player and he’s going to be a terrific pro.”

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As AJ Dybantsa enters his freshman season at BYU with high expectations, he revealed that Kevin Durant is one of the NBA stars that he looks to emulate on the floor.

“I be spamming hesi pull, I ain’t gonna lie,” Dybantsa told Boardroom’s Rich Kleiman (15:50 mark). “I watch too much Kevin Durant not to do it.”

“KD was my favorite player since I started watching him play,” he said (6:14 mark).

The 18-year-old also recounted his experience watching the Dallas Mavericks select Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft after playing against him prior to their respective college careers.

“You know what’s crazy? I’m a month younger than Coop, he was in our class,” Dybantsa said (13:58 mark). “I’ve been playing against Coop since eighth grade. So watching him just go number one, it was like, ‘We were just playing with/against each other.’ It was crazy. Crazy.”

He committed to the Cougars in Dec. 2024, explaining that their coaching staff filled with NBA experience aligned with his long-term goal of making it to the association.

“I mean obviously my ultimate goal is the NBA and after they hired Kevin Young, he hired a strength coach from the Milwaukee Bucks,” Dybantsa said (8:38 mark). “A dietician from the Suns, analytics from the Suns. He just started stacking NBA prototypes around us. And it was just a family atmosphere on my visit. They were changing my name at the football game…There was less distraction there.”

It isn’t difficult to imagine him playing in the NBA in the near future, as he was listed as the No. 1 overall prospect in the country as part of the 2025 recruiting class (via 247Sports’ composite rankings).

He averaged 21.5 points and 12.7 rebounds to go along with 3.2 assists per game during his 2024-25 high school season, according to MaxPreps.

Dybantsa also stood out during the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup, recording 14.3 points and 4.1 rebounds in 20.1 minutes per game while shooting 50 percent from the field.

He was projected to be off the board with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft during the latest mock draft from Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman.

For now, Dybantsa will focus on his inaugural year at BYU and look to help the school build upon a 26-10 finish during its 2024-25 campaign.

The Cougars will open their regular season against Villanova on Nov. 3.

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