Mock Draft 2.0: Lottery Picks — AJ Dybantsa Is Your New No. 1
New No. 1, new risers: Ament’s rebound and Acuff’s breakout shake up the board
If there was ever a draft for a team to hit the reset button, it’s this one.
The process of positioning for a top lottery pick has started earlier than expected, with plenty of “tank-influenced” moves happening before the February trade deadline. We’ve seen the league hand out fines to the Pacers and the Jazz. We’ve seen social and traditional media alike weigh in on the idea of tanking. Some understand the process; others think it messes with the integrity of the game.
Me? I think you do what you need to do to improve your team. If that means taking a longer look at backend rotation guys a little earlier, why not?
So is this draft class worth tanking for?
YES.
Even in this exercise of putting together a mock, I honestly feel like there are three guys who would be first-round picks in most drafts. Picks four through six could also have All-Star upside, and there are a ton of rotation pieces scattered throughout the class.
Like last time, I went to Tankathon and hit “sim” on the draft lottery. My apologies if your team didn’t land where you wanted them to, but here we go.
Part 2 drops tomorrow, covering picks 15–30 and the rest of the first round.
1. AJ Dybantsa
BYU
Freshman
Wing
6’9” | 210
Age on draft night: 19.3
Mock Draft 1.0 Rank: 2
In what has largely been a three-man race, Dybantsa comes in as the number one player in the draft. The combination of scoring, athleticism, and improved playmaking is too much to ignore. Dybantsa is the first freshman to lead the nation in scoring since Trae Young did it in 2017.
