AJ Dybantsa

[Caneman786]

AJ Dybantsa has a twitchy, quick handle. It reminds me of Jamal Crawford's.

[peZt]

I was really hoping to like Dybantsa’s game. Looks robotic and like he processes slowly and a bit uncoordinated. I did like that he was self aware in the interview and seems like a hard worker.

Only seen bits and pieces of Peterson but he looks like he should be #1.

I don't know what you are watching but he looks insanely good to me. I don't see any reason he's not a 30ppg scorer by year 3.

He doesn’t handle well. Doesn’t pass well. Doesn’t play defense well. Bad floor game. Footwork is messy (he’s young but it shows aptitude)

He works hard and plays hard. But athletically he isn’t an elite athlete that will dominate NBA athletes.

Not really sure where he’d get 30ppg in an NBA offense (is he a great shooter). I think he is talented and superstar doesn’t seem possible, although I hope I’m wrong.

I genuinely think you have the wrong channel on and are mistaking him for someone else.

He is 6‘9 and has a burst and first step unlike anything I’ve seen in a 6‘9 prospect in a long time. And while maybe not elite handles, still good enough to have blown by his defenders on every occasion like they were cones. When was the last time you saw a 6’9 guy have such an easy time blowing by his defenders?
And then he also had a couple of really nice assists as well off those drives. So really not sure how you can say bad passing either

[King Ken]

I don't know what you are watching but he looks insanely good to me. I don't see any reason he's not a 30ppg scorer by year 3.

He doesn’t handle well. Doesn’t pass well. Doesn’t play defense well. Bad floor game. Footwork is messy (he’s young but it shows aptitude)

He works hard and plays hard. But athletically he isn’t an elite athlete that will dominate NBA athletes.

Not really sure where he’d get 30ppg in an NBA offense (is he a great shooter). I think he is talented and superstar doesn’t seem possible, although I hope I’m wrong.

I genuinely think you have the wrong channel on and are mistaking him for someone else.

He is 6‘9 and has a burst and first step unlike anything I’ve seen in a 6‘9 prospect in a long time. And while maybe not elite handles, still good enough to have blown by his defenders on every occasion like they were cones. When was the last time you saw a 6’9 guy have such an easy time blowing by his defenders?
And then he also had a couple of really nice assists as well off those drives. So really not sure how you can say bad passing either

He got confused. AJ is wearing #3.

[peZt]

Tbf I was also a bit sceptical of him after the fiba u19. Tho I only saw highlights there but he somewhat reminded me of RJ Barrett in the bad sense

But now I’ve seen his exhibition matches and this one live and I’m blown away. None of this stiffness that reminded me of RJ to be seen. I had the impression he was more of a stiff, straight line power dribbler. But man he looks so insanely twitchy and explosive while at the same time super nimble as well. Super rare combination and a surefire combination to stardom.

I have to agree with the one poster above me, my thoughts at some points were „man he moves and plays just like LeBron in High School“. Something about his movements and handles reminds me a lot of that version of LeBron

[King Ken]

I love watching Villanova play. They play the right way. I just love it.

[King Ken]

AJ getting his teammates Bron looks. Yeah, I am taking AJ first overall. Too damn talented.

[King Ken]

If you are going to reach, AJ, you gotta commit to the steal. His defensive reaction time is something I want to see him work on throughout the season.

[Caneman786]

Another thing I noticed in the second half he had the open three, took it and made it.

The first half there was an opportunity like that but he hesitated and just decided to drive even though he was wide open.

I like the improvement I saw there (even if he doesn't make the three, he should take it).

[King Ken]

I would like to see BYU play smarter. Villanova is the less talented team but they are playing better basketball

[King Ken]

Keita putting the team on his back

[King Ken]

BYU got a good thing when the ball is in AJ hands. They should stick to that strategy

[King Ken]

One thing I want to see moving forward is better FT shooting. The touch is there but his focus is a tad off.

[bigboi]

BYU got a good thing when the ball is in AJ hands. They should stick to that strategy

Needs to stop foul baiting and falling every shot as it messes up ability to get back on defense
Free throws were a huge weakness
Will need to improve his strength for sure
Curious to see how his jumper progresses. Most his shots were drives.
And needs to stop forcing the issue, was shooting, double coverage some times. He was playmaking first half, could’ve definitely got some open looks for teammates

Again BYU’s spacing is terrible. Teammates other than Keita are flat out bad

[King Ken]

BYU got a good thing when the ball is in AJ hands. They should stick to that strategy

Needs to stop foul baiting and falling every shot as it messes up ability to get back on defense
Free throws were a huge weakness
Will need to improve his strength for sure
Curious to see how his jumper progresses. Most his shots were drives.
And needs to stop forcing the issue, was shooting, double coverage some times. He was playmaking first half, could’ve definitely got some open looks for teammates

Again BYU’s spacing is terrible. Teammates other than Keita are flat out bad

I definitely didn't see him foul baiting. He was failing a lot on his finishes. I've never seen him on the ground so much.

He definitely has to work on his strength and tight area explosiveness but that's normal for this age as a big wing.

He definitely took some tough shots but Villanova was forcing that for all BYU players, not just AJ. Villanova did well defensively. Better than a lot of NBA teams I watch but of course, the NBA pace and spacing makes it impossible to play defense like this.

[The-Power]

Happy with his first game despite missing some shots very unnecessarily and his issues at the line. He looked very good all things considered.

What I'm most excited about is the fact that he can play both very fast and very slow. His ability to probe slowly and be patient, reacting to the defense, while also then bursting towards the rim when there's an opportunity is really good. Some might think I'm crazy but in that way he reminds me a bit of SGA and we know that style very tough to stop even for NBA defenses.

Still, he has a lot of areas to improve in if he wants to be a superstar. His defense projects to be average at best despite the good physical tools and, of course, there's the question how good of a shooter he'll be. I feel like that could go either way with him but he'll need to be a constant shooting threat – even if not necessarily from 3 – to be that franchise cornerstone that I hope he'll be.

[threethehardway]

His movement and handle is mid. I don't know what people see him.

He plays like a 4 year college superstar that is destined to be an consultant bro or an European All-Star.

Every step looks labored, sloppy handle, jump shot isn't smooth.

It's gives me James Wiseman vibes.

He's big though.

I thought I was supposed to see a Tracy McGrady like player and in reality it's skinny Julius Randle or Pascal Siakim.

Big guy with decent skills but it isn't smooth and guard like, it's big guy with some skills.

[peZt]

His movement and handle is mid. I don't know what people see him.

He plays like a 4 year college superstar that is destined to be an consultant bro or an European All-Star.

Every step looks labored, sloppy handle, jump shot isn't smooth.

It's gives me James Wiseman vibes.

He's big though.

I thought I was supposed to see a Tracy McGrady like player and in reality it's skinny Julius Randle or Pascal Siakim.

Big guy with decent skills but it isn't smooth and guard like, it's big guy with some skills.

DId we watch the same guy? I know everybody has their opinions but I really really dont see or understand this.

I dont remember the last time we saw this combination of first step, burst, change of speed and direction with solid handles and even solid playmaking at 6'9. He literally explodes off the floor and was able to beat his man off the dribble every single time. Even without a PNR. That's the #1 that a 6'9 wing is is destined for stardom

And what makes me even more hopeful about him is that he does not rely on his superior athleticism to get to where he wants

Like here at the end. The way he reads the defense, how he slows down his moves, how he puts his defender into jail and glides to the basket without just using brute force.

Read on Twitter

DP was my #1 before the season and Im still as convinced of him as before, but AJ to me jumped ahead becuase I was blown away by the upside and ceiling he showcased. This combination of skills and physical gifts is destined for stardom.

[bigboi]

Tbf I was also a bit sceptical of him after the fiba u19. Tho I only saw highlights there but he somewhat reminded me of RJ Barrett in the bad sense

But now I’ve seen his exhibition matches and this one live and I’m blown away. None of this stiffness that reminded me of RJ to be seen. I had the impression he was more of a stiff, straight line power dribbler. But man he looks so insanely twitchy and explosive while at the same time super nimble as well. Super rare combination and a surefire combination to stardom.

I have to agree with the one poster above me, my thoughts at some points were „man he moves and plays just like LeBron in High School“. Something about his movements and handles reminds me a lot of that version of LeBron

RJ and AJ never played alike lol. It’s like people don’t watch these players at all. RJ is a purely north south player with very little lateral movement. AJ is an east west player with a lot of wiggle and lateral movement. It’s just a lazy comparison. Plus AJ’s footwork was always better than RJ and he relies on midrange game way more. AJ is reminiscent of 2000s wing. Ceiling is TMac

[threethehardway]

DId we watch the same guy? I know everybody has their opinions but I really really dont see or understand this.

I dont remember the last time we saw this combination of first step, burst, change of speed and direction with solid handles and even solid playmaking at 6'9. He literally explodes off the floor and was able to beat his man off the dribble every single time. Even without a PNR. That's the #1 that a 6'9 wing is is destined for stardom

And what makes me even more hopeful about him is that he does not rely on his superior athleticism to get to where he wants

Like here at the end. The way he reads the defense, how he slows down his moves, how he puts his defender into jail and glides to the basket without just using brute force.

Read on Twitter

DP was my #1 before the season and Im still as convinced of him as before, but AJ to me jumped ahead becuase I was blown away by the upside and ceiling he showcased. This combination of skills and physical gifts is destined for stardom.

His first step isn't all that, he's just playing against college kids that have no hope of being in the NBA.

I think what happen to a lot of people is, they have this belief about a highly ranked player because they dominate high schoolers due to being more physically developed than everyone else.

Yeah, compared to his competition he's super athletic with a good first step.

But if you compare him to his hype HOF comp, Tracy McGrady, he's just a big guy with some skills. He's not a super athletic player on an NBA scale. You know who was super athletic and like "OMG I can' t believe he just did that?" it was Zion.

If you are not out there like Zion and just destroying the hopes and dreams of college basketball players of even being Euroleague players because they are seeing NBA/NFL athleticism first hand and they can't even understand it, you are not a super athlete on the NBA level.

Because that's what it should look like.

I think about an elite prospect on an NBA scale, not college kids scale.

AJ has been hyped as superstar prospect and supposed to be this smooth hyper athletic player that is like Tracy McGrady in the long history of a Tracy McGrady type prospects since Perry Jones the 3rd and AJ looks like Skinny Julius Randle/Pascal Siakim. Which isn't a bad thing, he's just not G/F type of player. He's clearly a SF/PF.

He's big as hell, could be an defensive end, with some intriguing ball skills, but he's looks like James Wiseman when he moves, it's not guard like. It's like he's practiced a lot of his moves to do guard things but it's not him. He isn't low enough of his drives. He looks good in the post, he looks good when he has a chance to settle and coordinate himself.

For example, Paolo got probably 25 to 30 pounds on AJ and he looked smoother. Tatum looked smoother. KD looked smoother. Franz Wagner has crazy movement ability for his size, he's a 6'10 Manu.

He's an NBA prospect, probably be top 5 just off of pedigree, but he isn't a world shattering, paradigm shifting prospect.

But yeah, I thought he was gonna be the type of player flying around and smacking shots off the backboard and dunking on class presidents, and hitting hesi pull up 3s, and it's nothing like that. He's snaking Spain pick and rolls and muscling up layups against 6'8 centers.

Like yeah, he's an obvious NBA player but where's the hype?

I was appalled.

[tontoz]

From what I've seen AJs first step really is all that. College ball doesn't suit him because there is no illegal D so teams can pack the paint.

AJ isn't just fast, he is physical as well. He is like a smaller, quicker version of Giannis. I don't see how any single player will be able to stay in front of him.