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AJ Dybantsa vs Cooper Flagg: Comparing the Two Stars Ahead of 2026 NBA Draft
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- AJ Dybantsa vs Cooper Flagg: Comparing the Two Stars Ahead of 2026 NBA Draft
AJ Dybantsa and Cooper Flagg (Sources: Imagn, Imagn)
With the NBA draft finally happening on Tuesday, the eyes will fall on the Washington Wizards and who they will be picking as their No. 1 overall pick. Many believe it to be AJ Dybantsa, the BYU small forward who has been lighting up the stats sheets, though he does have some serious competition in Kansas guard Darryn Peterson and even Duke power forward Cameron Boozer.
However, as the draft nears, it seems many are already assuming that AJ Dybantsa will be going first. The question now is, how will the BYU star compare with last season's No. 1 pick, Cooper Flagg, who was selected by the Dallas Mavericks and thrived there?
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AJ Dybantsa vs Cooper Flagg Break Down
Of course, the two did take on one another before, as Cooper Flagg's Montverde Academy took on AJ Dybantsa's Prolific Prep. Flagg's Montverde Academy won that one and they went on to win the high school national title with an undefeated record, making it a legendary run for Flagg. However, Flagg was already a high school senior at that time, while Dybantsa was still a sophomore, with Dybantsa jumping one grade up the next year.
Their infamous showdown is not a very good comparison, however, so it should be a good time to check their stats. Like Flagg, Dybantsa will also be a one-and-done, playing only in his freshman year of college before entering the NBA. So who has the edge in stats?
In 37 games, Cooper Flagg scored 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game, with a 48.1% field goal percentage. Meanwhile, AJ Dybantsa averaged 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game on 25 games, with a 51% field goal percentage. It should be noted that Flagg played on a much more loaded Duke team than Dybantsa over at BYU.
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Offensively, AJ Dybantsa has the clear edge, with Flagg being a better passer and rebounder. Dybantsa also has the edge in athleticism, with him becoming the No. 1 prospect from the Class of 2025 immediately after moving up a grade in high school based on his talent alone.
However, Flagg has been more consistent than Dybantsa in terms of leading a team, as he took the Duke Blue Devils to the Final Four, while Dybantsa's BYU Cougars were booted during the first round by the 11th-ranked Texas Longhorns in a massive upset.
One of the biggest criticisms for the BYU star is that despite his talent, he has not shown that he could win a championship. Flagg not only led Duke to the Final Four, but he also led Montverde to an undefeated national championship season. While Dybantsa has shown that he is a monster statistically, his teams have not won as much as Flagg's.
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