AJ Dybantsa, unfiltered

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Good morning! Hope you’ve got some time set aside today for some extended hoops reading. I’ve got a bunch of articles worth your time linked inside today’s Daily.

But first, a video that’s worth watching.

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1. AJ Dybantsa discusses … everything

AJ Dybantsa’s Oakland Soldiers team didn’t win the U17 division at Peach Jam — it’s tough to beat the Boozer brothers — but few players had a better individual tournament.

The 6-9 wing averaged 23.1 ppg over eight games, shooting 48.3% from the field and never scoring fewer than 21 points in a single game.

His performance during the third quarter alone was worthy of the considerable hype for the No. 1 prospect in the class of 2025. He attacked the defense and found his shot repeatedly, cutting a double-digit deficit to just four points entering the fourth quarter.

That poise and polish is one of the reasons why scouts think he’s got a bright future in college (for one year) and in the NBA.

But he’s also got plenty of polish off the court. He spoke with Jeff Goodman and Rob Dauster for more than 20 minutes over the weekend, and wasn’t afraid of any topics or to speak candidly.

Among the highlights:

• Why choose college over the G League?

• What’s he looking for in a college? Does Boston U have a chance? (Yes, BU)

• How he works on his game and his focus.

• Who’s his player comp?

• The joys of playing with Tyran Stokes.

• Jaylen Brown or Jayson Tatum? Can he choose a favorite?

Heck, even his scouring report on Cooper Flagg had plenty of insights.

I wouldn’t say Dybantsa looked relaxed during the interview (who would when flanked by Goodman and Dauster), but once the conversation turned to his dad was when his smile came out a bit more and he started to crack some jokes.

Watching a player turn into a professional athlete is awesome. Watching him maintain a bond with his dad? That’s my favorite part.

2. Oklahoma’s late roster push

Few people have enjoyed the last few days more than Porter Moser.

OK, maybe Kamala Harris.

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