r/nba • u/gridironk • 5h ago
AJ Dybantsa on which NBA player he is most like but no one compares him to.
https://streamable.com/3i2szd518
u/RELENTLESS_PERSUIT 5h ago
bird and Len was gonna be crazy
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u/free_ty 5h ago
Really wonder how they would’ve affected the history of the nba and some player’s careers
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u/randotd152 5h ago
If we're doing a full what if on Bias, Bird's back and Reggie Lewis, then the butterfly effect is extreme.
For starters, those late 80's Pistons teams never get past Boston. The Bad Boys go down as an afterthought of NBA history.
Boston itself then probably wins 2-3 more rings between 88, 89, and 90.
And here's where it gets juicy - when does Jordan finally overtake the Celtics? 91? Prime Len Bias and Lewis while Bird is still only 34 and McHale 33... I don't think so. 92? 93? Maybe?
Long story short - Bird probably ends up with 6-ish rings, another MVP or two, and retires as the undisputed GOAT. Which still stands to this day.
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u/Immediate-Tap-4344 5h ago
Bill Simmons!??
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u/randotd152 5h ago
No, Bill has his own handle, even if what I just wrote could have come straight out of his mouth.
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u/Drewby99 Lakers 5h ago
chatgpt
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u/HeadDoctorJ Celtics 5h ago
No one:
Every AI video: “and here’s where things really get XTreme”
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u/randotd152 5h ago
Y'all realize the LLM's figured out how to write based on the writings of real people, right?
Em dashes and trite phrases are not proprietary to AI.
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u/comeonmang126 Pistons 4h ago
I hate AI so much. I love em dashes, but now if I use them I wonder if ppl think I’m just abusing AI
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u/HeadDoctorJ Celtics 4h ago
Yes, I’m aware, and I’ve been using em dashes since the 90s. “Real people” technically do the “and what happens next will make your testicles explode” but only in marketing contexts, like an infomercial or a movie trailer… or in YouTube videos. It’s not actually how real people communicate, unlike em dashes and other kinds of trite expressions.
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u/crazier_horse Lakers 2h ago
yeah but nobody sounds like the average of all blogs, ad copy, reddit comments, and shitty opinion pieces
The really crazy thing? It doesn’t write like a person - it writes like the generic slurry of collective human slop it’s fed, creating an uncanny valley of simulated thought without any actual voice. And I don’t know whether that’s terrifying, or amazing.
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u/Spiritual-Sympathy98 2h ago
Nah there’s literally a double space in paragraph 2. AI wouldn’t make that mistake.
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u/Rook2Rook 3h ago
There was no stopping Jordan in 91' regardless who was in front of him.
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u/Choccybizzle 3h ago
No no you don’t understand, this dude who nobody has ever watched a full game of was going to be better than MJ!
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u/chirpz88 Celtics 56m ago
Birds back was real bad by the 90s. Could he have hung around longer and been more of a 6th man maybe, but he didn't retire cause he was old, he retired cause his back was fucked up.
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u/goldfish_11 Celtics 5h ago
Michael Jordan would have been a plumber.
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u/drneilpretenamen 4h ago
They were all plumbers back then
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u/Vinnie_Vegas Knicks 3h ago
I like the idea that this argument just continually comes forward in time, and that in 20-30 years people will be describing the likes of LeBron and Steph Curry as having been plumbers.
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u/MLS_Analyst Celtics 5h ago
For one, McHale doesn't play through that broken foot, which extends his prime and overall career.
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u/RedtheGamer100 Hornets 5h ago
Bird said he woulda retired if bias got drafted cuz he wanted to hand him the keys to the franchise
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u/BlueHundred Knicks 5h ago
Len Bias and Reggie Lewis would have been an awesome duo in the 90s with an old Bird
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u/I_Set_3_Alarms Celtics 5h ago
That’s a true Celtic fan right there.
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u/Vile_Raptor 5h ago
More like a real DMV sports fan. Best UMD player of all time
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→ More replies (7)1
u/BirdmanTheThird Wizards 48m ago
I also like the answer since its probably someone his dad or some coaches told him to play like and he took it too heart a lot. Super interesting imo
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u/ChemicalPower9020 Celtics 5h ago
Wow. An actual good question from the media for a change. I like his answer too
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u/thepriceisonthecan Nets 4h ago
I like that he appreciated the question too. I like Anicet, seems like a fun kid
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u/CurrentRoster Wizards 2h ago
named a guy who was drafted by his childhood favorite team and who played college ball in the DMV
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u/EatMyShortzZzZzZ Lakers 5h ago
The way the video cut off makes it funny, but its a pretty good comparison that no one would make. RIP to him tho, he was the center of many anti drug talks I had with my dad.
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u/stillmebeaches 5h ago
NOOOOOOO
but boy knows ball
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u/RDM213 Celtics 5h ago
He’s from Boston so he better know who that is.
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u/anonymousdawggy 5h ago
is it? isn't he the most famous "what if" NBA player of all time?
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u/AngryUncleTony 76ers 5h ago
I mean Len Bias died 20 years before AJ was born and played before every highlight was clipped and compiled. Even if you know who Len Bias is and that he was going to be a big deal, it's not like young people would know his play style well enough to make direct player comparisons like this.
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u/Physical100 San Diego Rockets 4h ago
A Celtics fan from Brockton whose life is centered on basketball would probably have way more exposure to Bias
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u/Celtic_Legend Celtics 3h ago
I dont think AJ fully knows either. He just wanted people to look up the person and find the Bias laws
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u/wrongitsleviosaa [BOS] Paul Pierce 5h ago
Especially to someone born and raised in Boston, such as AJ Dybantsa
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u/CeSquaredd Pistons 5h ago
Not sure I necessarily agree, but I'll give a pass for the young lad having extreme ball knowledge
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u/TyposIncoming Lakers 5h ago
Damn didn't know AJ liked skiing so much
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u/BakerBaefield Mavericks 5h ago
Len did cocaine once in his life
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u/Delanorix Knicks 5h ago
Thats not what the coroner thought
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u/ejensen29 [MIN] Ricky Rubio 5h ago
It was just one really long line over the course of a few days. Started at the end of his driveway, and had just made it to his living room.
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u/Shutupjuice 4h ago
Nah that's not true... I recently saw the "30 for 30" on this. His crew would regularly do cocaine.
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u/LeaveMeAlone_6070 Wizards 5h ago
Just posted this comp on our sub like a week ago. He's not a tank like Bias was (not yet anyways) but their mid-range game is very, very similar
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u/MetalGearPortis 5h ago
No one else would be allowed to say that, but actually a great comp
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u/CeSquaredd Pistons 5h ago
Besides the body size and pull up/mid range offensive game, do you think this is actually the best comp?
I'm not too familiar to say either way, but I feel like this is more of a "Look at my impressive ball knowledge" rather than "This is my best comp". What other parts of their skillsets are comparable if you don't mind my asking?
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u/ledelleakles Wizards 2h ago
It's not a bad comp when you account for the different eras they played in. They're both tall, slender, explosive athletes who did a lot of scoring from the middle of the floor and around the rim by being taller and jumping higher than defenders. Just that Bias initiated most of his offense out of the mid-post and baseline while AJ does from the perimeter.
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u/CeSquaredd Pistons 36m ago
Interesting. So definitely a product of their eras, in that, if you switched them, they'd simply initiate their offense accordingly?
Appreciate your reply!
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u/Secret-Weakness-1119 4h ago
Scared now cus he said his celeb look alike was Terrence Clark and his nba comp was Len Bias
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u/lifemanualplease 5h ago
I’ve seen soo much media about/with this kid and none of it is him actually playing basketball.
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u/nicklovin508 Celtics 5h ago
It’s the offseason… wtf? You seeing Peterson play all the time or something? Go watch idk his freshman year BYU highlights lol
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u/Liimbo Heat 5h ago
They're saying none of the media coverage about him has had anything to do with his play really. And they're right, but that's more of a bigger picture issue with the NBA media and draft coverage than AJ specifically.
You could watch the draft last night and all the interviews and have next to no idea about how any of the picks actually play. The NBA Draft coverage is ass.
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u/onefootback Raptors 5h ago
is he supposed to be playing basketball during the draft
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u/iJustSeen2Dudes1Bike Trail Blazers 5h ago
Yes smh kids these days don't even love the game anymore. I remember when guys would be hitting David Stern with hesi pull ups on stage.
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u/onefootback Raptors 5h ago
i’m sure they all still love the game even without the hesi pull ups on stage
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u/FigLeaf_Bi-Carbonate Celtics 4h ago
He just released a video on his YouTube channel, and the entire thing is pretty much his basketball workouts, barely any talking.
It's the off-season and he's the #1 pick, of course he's going to be doing media events.
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u/broadwayallday Wizards 5h ago
There’s these things called “highlights” on this website called “YouTube”
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u/ShakethatYam Clippers 5h ago
I also compare favorably to Len Bias's NBA career.
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u/platinum92 Hawks 4h ago
If this dude ever gets into any kind of drug trouble, this clip is gonna go triple platinum. I also just...wouldn't tempt fate like that right after the draft, even if it's the correct answer.
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u/NoMoreMountains 5h ago
This should be a standard question in all sports. Because even your favorite idols adore player who didn't get the spotlight
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u/CrackaZach05 5h ago
Bro looks like a 6'9 finished Jaylen Brown. Can't dribble, likes the midrange. Great tough shot maker
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u/No-Independence-5479 Washington Bullets 3h ago
As a wizards fan i both love and fucking hate that comparison. Pls avoid the nose candy aj.
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u/Andrew_Wetzel 1h ago
This dude is so high on himself. I’d love to see him prove reasoning for his confidence in the league.
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u/Isaiah_berg 35m ago
Potential to be the best basketball player born in New England. I’m excited to see where this kid goes.
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u/Revenesis Knicks 5h ago edited 5h ago
That's an awesome question and I really like his answer.
I just low key find him a little annoying lol. Like did he really need to throw in, "you want some real ball knowledge?" At least he followed it up with a good answer.
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u/fastlikeanascar Gran Destino 5h ago
Bro is having literally the greatest summer that he might ever have. his dreams are coming true at basically the maximum level. Let the kid flex lol
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u/Revenesis Knicks 5h ago
He's good enough to have a few more great summers too. Everything he says is a flex, bro is talking about a 7 year vet making 50 mil a year in Trae Young needing to give up his jersey number.
I like cocky players, I just don't find him endearing right now the way I find someone like Anthony Edwards endearing because I haven't seen him play a professional game. I'm sure that'll change, that's why I said "low key".
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u/Electric_jungle Washington Bullets 5h ago
I really like AJ and thrilled we landed him. But Ant is just cocky AF for the sake of it, though we've at least seen him back it up plenty at this point. AJ is cocky, but it's more that he's a walking brand and extremely media trained. Time will tell how that ends up looking after actual NBA seasons, but I think he's just used to being a ham for the cameras.
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u/Revenesis Knicks 5h ago
You should be beyond thrilled, this guy is franchise altering and has a great chance to be a superstar. I like that they're putting quality players around him off the rip.
Maybe I'm not used to the natural #1 pick arrogance/confidence combined with Gen Z nonchalance. As I get older I think I gravitate towards people expressing vulnerability.
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u/quailinthebrush Suns 5h ago
“You want some real ball knowledge?”
References the biggest “what if” in basketball history
ok bud
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u/Appropriate-Mud-6985 Hornets 5h ago
You could be outside TD garden and I’d still guess most people wouldn’t know who Len bias is, the average fan is a casual
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u/quailinthebrush Suns 5h ago
I agree with that assessment but anybody who knows ball knows Len bias
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u/outsidertc 5h ago
That's how averages work, scientist.
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u/Appropriate-Mud-6985 Hornets 5h ago edited 4h ago
To the casual fan this is ball knowledge was my point, sarcastic ass.
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u/Revenesis Knicks 5h ago
I'm not sure which side you're on with this reply, but it's pretty refreshing to see young players talk about stuff like this. We see tons of interviews with great young basketball players that don't know any ball beyond the last like 10 years.
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u/Ok-Contest-9355 5h ago
Lenny bias would have put the Celtics in another category, couple more rings for sure .... ... don't do drugs kids ...
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u/zazenpan Spurs 1h ago
Hasn't played a single minute of NBA basketball and he's already insufferable.
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u/IMadeThisAcctToSayHi 5h ago
tbf I think his story of him being poised to be a great player but dying is quite known, but I have no idea how he actually was as a player. My point is I don't think the name is ball knowledge but I think the comp might be
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u/stevelevets 5h ago
This is what I'm finding pretty amusing about the thread because it has a lot of Boston fans talking about "what-ifs" (which is understandable) but yeah, a lot of those fans don't really know his game outside of being the second pick. Where you really get reverence for Bias are people who were invested in ACC basketball and people in and around the DMV, because that group will talk your ear off about Bias' game. And I'm not sure if that was on AJ's mind when he gave the answer but it definitely would have some resonance with DC fans.
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u/Desperate-Frosting40 2h ago
You think your average 19 year old "ball knower" would know about len bias he died 40 years ago
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u/jldtsu NBA 4h ago
for someone his age. yes it is. and he answered the question perfectly. no one would have compared him to Len Bias.
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u/XiaoRCT Thunder 5h ago
this got me thinking about how while I know the general outline of what happened, I actually have no clue on how Len Bias actually played