Sports
NBA execs: Kansas’ Peterson, BYU’s Dybantsa top draft prospects
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 results indicate that there will be a rigorous debate right up to June’s draft.
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. ET, 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.
At least 32 NBA front office personnel from 17 teams are 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 and executives, including a majority of the front office staffs of both the Hawks (five attendees) and Indiana Pacers (six attendees). Both the Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards are sending three reps.
Multiple NBA sources told ESPN that they are eager to see how Peterson looks after missing a game against Kansas State last Saturday with an ankle sprain. Kansas coach Bill Self has said he anticipates Peterson to play, and the injury has not been considered long term.
Peterson missed nine games over two separate stretches earlier in the season with a hamstring issue. With the ankle injury costing him a game, it means that he has missed half of Kansas’ games this season. He has also been managing a cramping issue.
“I don’t like the drama of playing and not playing,” said one scout, who chose Peterson as his No. 1 pick. “But he’s a scoring menace. He’s just a killer offensively.”
Dybantsa is listed at 6-foot-9 and 210 pounds. Peterson is 6-foot-6 and 205 pounds. It’s uncertain if they will often match up directly with each other on the floor Saturday, but they will certainly be compared and debated in the upcoming months.
The core of the debate comes to Peterson’s rare offensive upside against Dybantsa having more athleticism and two-way upside. Multiple scouts and executives mentioned having both Duke‘s Cam Boozer and North Carolina‘s Caleb Wilson in the conversation about the top pick, but none picked those players as their preference for No. 1.
One scout summed up his Dybantsa pick this way: “He’s the only one who has a chance to be elite on both ends.”
Another said about Peterson: “I think he can be a championship-level shot creator in the NBA.”
Peterson is averaging 21.6 points per game in 27.2 minutes. He is also averaging 4.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists and shooting an impressive 42% from 3-point range.
Dybantsa is scoring 23.6 points per game, snags 6.7 rebounds and dishes 3.6 assists. He has played in all 20 of BYU’s games and is shooting 31.8% from 3-point range.
No one is debating the talent at the top of this draft, as college basketball is having a freshman renaissance this season. This draft is both elite at the top and deep, with freshman stars such as Houston‘s Kingston Flemings, Louisville‘s Mikel Brown Jr., Tennessee‘s Nate Ament, Arkansas‘ Darius Acuff Jr., Arizona‘s Koa Peat, UConn‘s Braylon Mullins, Houston’s Chris Cenac Jr. and Illinois‘ Keaton Wagler giving the sport an adrenaline shot of young talent.
“It is extra deep with high-end talent,” said a veteran scout. “This draft will hold up historically as one of the better ones in the last 20 years.”
The first trophy of the season is up for grabs and it is Arsenal and Manchester City competing for the Carabao Cup final at Wembley.
The top two teams in the Premier League could well compete for all three domestic trophies and they have the chance to land the first blow in March in front of 90,000 fans.
You can follow every single moment of the game live on ESPN in what is sure to be a massive, tense affair.
Manchester City reached the final after defeating reigning champions Newcastle United 5-1 on aggregate in the semifinals.
They had previously beaten Huddersfield in the Third Round, before advancing past Swansea and and Brentford.
Arsenal meanwhile navigated past Chelsea in the semi-finals with Kai Havertz‘s 90th minute goal seeing them win 4-2 on aggregate.
They defeated Port Vale in the Third Round, before getting past Brighton and Crystal Palace on penalties in the quarterfinals.
City have won the League Cup eight times, most recently in 2021, while Arsenal have won it only twice and not since 1993.
Sports
Tom Brady shines in return to football field despite losses at Fanatics Flag Football Classic
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Even three years removed from the game, Tom Brady looks like he could drop back and sling the pigskin for an NFL team.
Brady highlighted the first-ever Fanatics Flag Football Classic on Saturday at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, and not just because he was back on a football field for the first time since he officially retired.
The 48-year-old was throwing darts.
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Tom Brady of the Founders FFC warms up before the Fanatics Flag Football Classic at BMO Stadium on March 21, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Michael Owens/Getty Images for OBB Media – FANATICS STUDIOS)
Brady, surrounded by current and former NFL players, as well as the U.S. national flag football squad, threw for 85 total yards on the small field with two touchdowns over his two games played in the inaugural event.
Brady’s co-captain, Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl LIX MVP Jalen Hurts, started for their Founders FFC crew, throwing for 224 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions. Brady came in after Hurts, and it was like old times as he was throwing all over the field.
BRADY, GRONK, HURTS, BURROW: FANATICS FLAG FOOTBALL CLASSIC DRAFT RESULTS
Of course, Brady couldn’t go without finding his trusty tight end, Rob Gronkowski, who secured a two-point conversion after a touchdown. Gronkowski, though, went out early in the contest due to a hamstring injury.
While Brady performed well, his squad was blown out by Team USA Football, 43-16, in that game. Brady and Founders FFC would have a chance at revenge in the championship game, but the U.S. team, which knew exactly how to take advantage with flag football rules, beat them again, 24-14.
Brady’s competitive edge was in full bloom, saying “my heart is really hurting right now,” between his losses.
Tom Brady of the Founders FFC avoids a sack by Shawn Theard Jr. #19 of the US Men’s Flag Football Team during the Fanatics Flag Football Classic at BMO Stadium on March 21, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images for for OBB Media – FANATICS STUDIOS)
But he said before the contests that he felt “great” about stepping on the field and running some plays before the big games on Saturday.
“Fortunately, as an athlete, your body is your asset over a period of time and you learn how to take care of it,” Brady said during practice this week. “Even when you retire, I felt like I still wanted to do the same things after football when I was playing. I still want to be active. I want to be outside. I want to continue to live a healthy, active lifestyle.”
For those thinking Brady could take over at quarterback for an NFL squad, he has shown no wish to walk back his retirement for the second time in his future Hall of Fame career.
Brady is a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, which has played a large role in precluding a return. He is invested in seeing the rebuild of the team. At the same time, he has enjoyed being part of the FOX Sports broadcast team during the NFL season alongside Kevin Burkhardt.
Tom Brady of the Founders FFC warms up before the Fanatics Flag Football Classic at BMO Stadium on March 21, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Michael Owens/Getty Images for OBB Media – FANATICS STUDIOS)
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But who knows when 2028 rolls around what Brady may be doing, when flag football joins the list of the Summer Games in Los Angeles? Team USA, though, proved on Saturday just how different this style of football can be, even for current NFL stars.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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WELLINGTON: South Africa’s spinners played a decisive role as the tourists won the fourth Twenty20 international against New Zealand by 19 runs on Sunday to square the five-match series 2-2.
New Zealand were well placed to clinch the series midway through their chase in Wellington after the Proteas scored 164-5.
However, from 88-3 after 10 overs, they lost wickets in rapid succession to be all out for 145 off 18.5 overs.
It sends the series, played between weakened sides from both countries, to a decider in Christchurch on Wednesday.
The match swung in favour of South Africa when spinners Keshav Maharaj and Prenelan Subrayen turned the screws through the middle stages of the chase.
Captain Maharaj is comfortably the most experienced member of an experimental tour squad and proved hard to score from as he took 2-22 off four overs.
Subrayen, playing his first T20 international, bowled Dane Cleaver for 26 to spark New Zealand’s middle order crumble and finished with 2-13 off three overs.
Maharaj said his side played with more energy than in defeats in Hamilton and Auckland.
“It was a perfect response to two disappointing losses in a row,” he said.
“Coming into this game, you could see there was a little bit more energy and hunger.
“We are a young team, finding our way in international cricket so it takes a little bit of time.”
Opener Tim Robinson top-scored with 32 for New Zealand while Proteas paceman Gerald Coetzee took 3-31.
South Africa’s innings were dominated by 57 off 36 balls from wicketkeeper Connor Esterhuizen.
He was dismissed by a spectacular outfield catch from Katene Clarke, on his international debut, off Ben Sears’ bowling.
Paceman Sears impressed, taking 1-22 off four overs, which included conceding just two runs off the last over of the innings.
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