The incoming college basketball freshman class of 2025 presents a slew of high-level talent that is poised to bolster a stacked 2026 NBA Draft class. Among these young standouts are Darryn Peterson and AJ Dybantsa, both of whom have almost been synonymous with each other about how they are neck-in-neck for the true projected No. 1 overall pick in next year’s draft.
According to a 2026 mock draft by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo back in February of this year, Peterson is expected to be selected with the first overall pick by coach Brian Keefe’s Washington Wizards. Dybantsa is then projected to follow suit with the No. 2 pick, joining coach Willie Green’s New Orleans Pelicans should that be the case.
Darryn Peterson vs. AJ Dybantsa Skillsets
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Peterson, who just wrapped up his stellar high school career with Prolific Prep in the 2024-25 season, presents a combo guard skillset. Listed at 6-foot-6, Peterson is best known for his elite three-level scoring coupled with his unmatched athleticism. Time and time again, the Cuyahoga, Ohio native has shown flashes of a poised offensive game along with his potential on defense.
Through this, he has garnered a No. 2 overall ranking as a five-star recruit among his class, per ESPN.
Dybantsa, on the other hand, is a lengthy wing that is currently listed at 6-foot-9 and possesses a wingspan of 6-foot-11 and a standing reach of 8-foot-10. The Brockton, Massachusetts native’s mix of size, speed and versatility bolsters his potential as a two-way wing, one that is currently a trend in the NBA. As of the moment, Dybantsa is listed by ESPN as the No. 1 overall prospect in his class.
Darryn Peterson vs. AJ Dybantsa: Who has the higher ceiling?
Between Peterson’s all-around offensive game as a dynamic guard versus Dybantsa’s two-way potential as a sizeable wing, the latter may pose a higher ceiling as a future NBA star. This is because Dybantsa’s length can mean that he could impose his will better on defense than Peterson, while still having a potentially superstar-level skillset on offense. Nevertheless, both prospects have complete skill sets that show any of them could go first.
Where will Darryn Peterson and AJ Dybantsa play for their likely one-and-done stints of college basketball?
Back in November of last year, Darryn Peterson committed and then signed to play for Bill Self’s Kansas Jayhawks in the 2025-26 season. Kansas is looking to return to its 2022 national championship-winning ways after they were eliminated in the first round of the 2025 March Madness by the Arkansas Razorbacks, 79-72.
For Dybantsa, he is currently committed to playing for coach Kevin Young’s BYU Cougars after he announced it on ESPN’s First Take in December of 2024. The Cougars finished the 2024-25 campaign with an overall record of 26-10 (14-6, Big 12) and were trounced in the Sweet 16 of this year’s national tournament by the Alabama Crimson Tide, 113-88.
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