Jazz Mailbag: How Would AJ Dybantsa Fit With Ace Bailey?
Jul 15, 2025, 2:33 PM | Updated: Jul 16, 2025, 9:48 am
Ace Bailey #19 of the Utah Jazz (Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images)
(Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – Welcome to the Utah Jazz mailbag, where this week we take an early look at how the team could build around Ace Bailey.
Each week, we will send out a prompt on X and BlueSky asking for the questions you have about the Jazz.
Then, we’ll respond to as many as we can in that week’s Jazz mailbag in the Jazz Notes podcast.
Jazz Mailbag: How Would The Team Build Around Ace Bailey?
If Ace pops… shows the Jazz all-star potential or whatever and Jazz end up with #1 in 26 draft do they go bpa or best fit next to Ace? Or is this wwwaaaaayyyy too early to be to thinking about?
— Stephen Q Ritter (@StephenQRitter) July 14, 2025
Question: If the Jazz were to land the top pick in 2026, should they draft the best player available, or whoever would fit best next to Ace Bailey?
Answer: First and foremost, yes, this is far too early to think about how to build around Bailey, who has made just two appearances with the Jazz during summer league.
One of those appearances was underwhelming, while his second showed flashes of why he has been considered a top-three player in the 2025 draft class for the last three years.
But, in the spirit of the mailbag, let’s entertain the question by looking forward at the 2026 draft class, before revisiting what the Jazz might have in Bailey.
As of July 2025, Darryn Peterson is considered by most to be the top player in the 2026 draft.
Darryn Peterson has been on another level for Prolific Prep (22-2), averaging 30.4 points, 7.1 assists per game, shooting 44% for 3. Two wins in head-to-head matchups against AJ Dybantsa convincingly made the case for him as the best NBA prospect in the high school game. pic.twitter.com/QiD2cM2Idg
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) February 26, 2025
The Kansas-bound star is a 6-foot-6 guard who can play both backcourt positions and projects as a high-level scorer at the next level.
AJ Dybantsa is widely regarded as the second-best prospect in the class, though some believe he should be the top player due to his 6-f00t-9 frame and exciting athleticism.
The BYU wing has excellent size for his position, and like Peterson, he projects as a go-to scoring option in the NBA.
Cam Boozer is the most decorated player in the class after having one of the best high school careers in recent memory, and with a 6-foot-10, 250-pound frame, might be the top player in college basketball next season.
The Duke forward is not of the same caliber athletically as either Peterson or Dybantsa, but any team in the 2026 draft would be excited to select him.
Cam Boozer has a strong case as the No. 1 pick in 2026. Most college coaches would pick him to win a game tonight. He might be the NBA Rookie of the Year favorite in 26 months. No one should be surprised if he emerges as the best player in college basketball next season. pic.twitter.com/v2gXoUZszt
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) February 26, 2025
With that said, we need to let the 2025-26 college season play out before we cement any of these players as top-three picks in the class.
After all, Bailey was almost universally expected to be a top-three pick at this time last year, while no mock draft had Kon Knueppel breaking into the top four.
It’s also worth noting that had all three players been in the 2025 class, they may have been selected 2-4, behind only super-freshman Cooper Flagg, which may mean they come into the NBA as more highly touted prospects than Bailey, forcing us to reframe this question to how Bailey fits with the Jazz’s 2026 rookie, rather than the other way around.
But, let’s explore how each of these three players could fit with the Jazz in a lineup if Bailey develops at an ideal pace.
No. 5 pick Ace Bailey was impressive in the @utahjazz Salt Lake City Summer League W 🙌
18 PTS
7 REB
3 AST
3 3PM pic.twitter.com/AYYuqJcZ75— NBA (@NBA) July 8, 2025
Barring significant improvement as a playmaker for his teammates, Bailey will likely evolve into a small forward in today’s NBA, rather than a full-time two-guard who is responsible for more offensive initiation.
Thus, adding Peterson, who may not be a traditional lead guard at the next level, but should excel as a secondary playmaking option, would be a near-ideal fit.
A fully-realized Bailey would benefit from playing next to a star guard who draws significant on-ball scoring attention, but still has the chops to get him the ball.
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Boozer, despite his physical tools lending themselves more to a traditional power forward, might be the best pound-for-pound playmaker for his position among the three top-rated prospects.
The son of Jazz All-Star Carlos Boozer hasn’t posted the same gaudy scoring numbers throughout his high school career, but is excellent at drawing help defenders into the paint and feeding his teammates for easy looks on the perimeter.
MVP of @FIBA U-19 World Cup, @BYUMBB @AJ_Dybantsa took 9 shots a game. Here’s what @usabjnt coach Tommy Lloyd said about AJ: “He’s a world class talent but he’s also a world class teammate. He does a really good job playing through the team concept.” pic.twitter.com/UZ827G5lT1
— Fran Fraschilla (@franfraschilla) July 7, 2025
Though Dybantsa is a willing passer as he showed throughout his high school career, playmaking hasn’t traditionally been his biggest strength.
The wing is better at creating his own shot in the halfcourt than he is at finding others, though it should be noted that all three players will enter the NBA as better playmakers than Bailey was after one season at Rutgers.
Based purely on fit next to a hypothetical All-Star player in Bailey, both Peterson and Boozer may have the least overlapping skillsets among next year’s top prospects, while Dybantsa may not fully excenuate the rookie’s current playing style.
But, if the Jazz were to land the top overall pick in 2026, and the BYU wing were to sit atop their draft board, they should select him regardless of how he may fit with any player on the current roster.
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Ben Anderson is the author of the Jazz Mailbag, a Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports, the author of the Jazz Mailbag, and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10-12p with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops, on Instagram @BensHoops, or on BlueSky.
