The Indiana Pacers needed to see the top prospects in this year's draft flourish during the March Madness tournament, and for the most part, that's exactly what they've gotten. At least so far.
This year's draft class is considered one of the best ones in recent years for the NBA, and a lot of it has to do with the top-four players: AJ Dybantsa of BYU, Darryn Peterson of Kansas, Cameron Boozer of Duke, and Caleb Wilson of UNC.
If Indiana's draft pick lands in the 1-4 range, it will keep the pick and not have to send it to the Los Angeles Clippers as part of the Ivica Zubac trade. And, in turn, the team will have a fantastic opportunity to draft a potential star to a team that already has what it takes to compete for a championship.
With March Madness upon us, this is as good a time as any for the Pacers to get a good look at potentially the next member of the roster (except for Wilson, who was ruled out for the season earlier in March after undergoing right thumb surgery.
And as it stands, Indiana should be very happy with what it's seeing.
The Pacers should be thrilled with March Madness so far
Dybantsa and BYU were upset by Texas in the first round of the tournament, but it was far from the Massachusetts native's fault. In fact, it was the exact opposite.
In the 79-71 loss, Dybantsa recorded a game-high 35 points (Texas center Matas Vokietaitis was the only other player on either team to score at least 20 points) on 11-for-25 shooting (his 1-for-7 mark from deep was admittedly not very pretty), 10 rebounds, and one assist in 40 minutes.
Dybantsa nearly carried BYU to a victory in the tournament single-handedly, and assuming this is the end of his collegiate career, he ended it on a high note.
Sunday marked the likely end of Peterson's collegiate career as well after Kansas lost to St. John's in the second round, 67-65.
In his two tournament games (which also included a 68-60 victory against CBU), the Ohio native averaged 24.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, and one steal while shooting 41% from the field and 36.8% from deep in 36.5 minutes. Peterson has caught the eyes of many because of his elite shot-creation and shot-making, which were on full display during the tournament.
As for Boozer, he hasn't been on his A-game, but he is still playing some solid basketball and is the biggest reason Duke's National Championship dreams are still alive.
In victories against Siena and TCU, Boozer averaged 20.5 points, 12 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1 block while shooting 52.3% from the field in 36 minutes. The Duke forward is providing a lot of value in every area of the game, and he is proving that he can play winning basketball due to his high basketball IQ and well-rounded game.
Who should the Pacers draft?
Let's assume that Indiana secures the No. 1 pick in the draft this year and can choose anybody in the draft. In my opinion, the team's best move would be to draft Dybantsa because of what he can provide right away.
I don't know if Dybantsa is going to be the best player from this draft class in five years, but I feel confident in saying he is the safest pick and has the best chance to flourish at the NBA level.
The BYU forward can do a bit of everything. He is an athletic freak who can create his own shot, score at every level, is a good rebounder, can pass and playmake, and has the tools to be a great defender in the league because of his high motor, athleticism, and seven-foot wingspan.
Additionally, in the modern NBA, having a ball-dominant wing who can do a bit of everything is key. And as it stands, there are reasons to believe Dybantsa could start for the Pacers right away and raise their ceiling better than the other three players can.
Either way, the Pacers should be happy regardless of who they end up with (if any of them), but if they had their pick, Dybantsa might be the best selection for the short and long-term future.