It's official, BYU forward AJ Dybantsa has declared for this year's NBA draft, which is huge for the Indiana Pacers, who may have an opportunity to add him to the roster in June.
This year's draft class is loaded, particularly at the top of the draft. In addition to Dybantsa, a lot of eyes are on Kansas' Darryn Peterson, Duke's Cameron Boozer, and UNC's Caleb Wilson, who are all viewed as potential franchise players at the NBA level.
But while they all have their own perks, many fans consider Dybantsa to be the best prospect in the draft. And now that he has officially declared, the Pacers are one step closer to making the dream of adding him to the roster a reality.
AJ Dybantsa would be a great addition to the Pacers' roster
The BYU forward (soon-to-be alum) has a ton going for him. He is an athletic freak who is six-foot-nine and has a seven-foot wingspan. While he's not an elite defender, he has the tools to develop into one at the NBA level. Regardless, it's everything else he does that makes him so special.
Dybantsa is a three-level scorer who excels at driving to the basket (both in the half-court and in transition) and is fantastic at creating his own shot. He is also an exceptional rebounder, a solid passer and playmaker, and plays with a ton of intensity and energy.
Last season, he averaged 25.5 points (which led men's NCAA Division 1), 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.1 steals while shooting 51% from the field and 33% from deep in 35 games. He has his flaws (he averaged 3.1 turnovers per game, is a streaky shooter, and isn't particularly strong yet), but it's clear that the talent and potential are there. And the Pacers should be happy with him if they can land him.
The Pacers need some lottery luck to go their way
Of course, Indiana needs some luck to go its way in the lottery, as it will only get its pick back if it falls in the 1-4 range, but it's easy to get excited about the idea of the team adding Dybantsa.
The Massachusetts native can immediately come in and contribute in every area. He is a jack-of-all-trades type of player who has the potential to be elite at just about everything. He can take a lot of pressure off players like Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam, and Andrew Nembhard because of his shot creation, but he can also rebound and playmake at a high level as well.
On paper, Dybantsa is a fantastic fit on this Pacers team. In a way, he's almost like what they wanted Bennedict Mathurin to become (a ball-dominant wing who can create his own shot, get some points when the offense becomes stagnant, and contribute everywhere else to be a good fit in the system). And if they have the opportunity, they need to draft Dybantsa, as he would be a great help now and for the long haul.
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