(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
The 2024-25 NBA season hasn’t even started but people are already looking ahead to 2026 and beyond.
ESPN just released its list of the 100 best high school basketball players for the class of 2025 and 17-year-old AJ Dybantsa is at the top.
According to ESPN, Dybantsa is “on pace” to be the top pick in the 2026 NBA draft.
The promising young player continues to get better and the future looks very bright for him.
17-year-old AJ Dybantsa is ‘on pace’ to be the No. 1 NBA draft pick in 2026, per ESPN’s @PaulBiancardi
He retains his spot at No. 1 on ESPN’s Top 100 for the class of 2025
More: https://t.co/bKvDKH5hzV pic.twitter.com/Ys9XeryRlD
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) September 5, 2024
By all accounts, Dybantsa is something truly special.
He is six-foot-nine with a wingspan of seven feet and has an amazing ability to shoot from just about anywhere on the court.
He is an impressive wing player, which makes him even more coveted by multiple teams throughout the league.
Even before entering high school, scouts have had their eyes set on Dybantsa.
He is currently enrolled at Utah Prep but is already looking at colleges.
Many reports state that BYU has the best shot at signing Dybantsa before he makes his way to the NBA.
The 2026 draft is still a long way away and a lot can change between now and then.
But the thing about Dybantsa is that he continually gets better and improves his skills.
That means he could be even more enticing when the draft rolls around.
Other young players on ESPN’s list include Cameron Boozer at number two, Darryn Peterson, Nate Ament, and Caleb Wilson.
NBA fans who want a look at the future of the league should keep track of these young stars as they get through high school and college.
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