NBA execs: Kansas' Peterson, BYU's Dybantsa top draft prospects - ESPN

Kansas shooting guard Darryn Peterson and BYU forward AJ Dybantsa loom as the projected top two picks in the upcoming NBA draft. They are the precocious cream of what projects to be one of the best NBA drafts — particularly in the top 10 — in the past generation.

Who will be No. 1? ESPN polled 20 NBA scouts and executives to get an early vibe, and the poll results indicate that there will be a rigorous debate right up to June's craft.

Peterson received 12 votes and Dybantsa eight for the top spot. With No. 13 BYU visiting No. 14 Kansas on Saturday (4:30 p.m., ESPN), it will mark the first collegiate matchup between the two stars.

«It's Darryn Peterson for me,» a veteran scout told ESPN. «He makes things look so effortless, it's unbelievable. His shotmaking is unmatched. He's the closest thing to Kobe Bryant I've seen since Kobe in terms of shotmaking and ability to create his own shot. He's not the same athlete as Kobe, but no one is. He's really special.»

Few of the scouts and executives polled indicated the choice was easy.

«It's so close,» a veteran NBA executive told ESPN. «I'm saying 51% to 49%, just barely. I just feel like there's a little bit more potential with AJ Dybantsa as a player who makes others better. But if you call me on March 1, I could tell you that I changed my mind.»

The NBA is descending on Lawrence, Kansas, this weekend for some additional empirical evidence to find an answer.

There are at least 32 NBA front office personnel from 17 different teams attending the game, with seven general managers/decision-makers expected to be among them. (Also slated to attend is Atlanta Hawks owner Tony Ressler.)

Some teams are sending multiple scouts/executives, including a majority of the front office staffs