AJ Dybantsa has officially committed to BYU basketball
Utah Prep forward AJ Dybantsa, the top recruit in the 2025 class, announced his commitment to the BYU basketball program on ESPN’s first take.
Dybantsa’s recruitment was high profile of course, being the No. 1 player in his class, and he eventually chose BYU over Alabama, North Carolina and Kansas. It is a big get for first-year head coach Kevin Young, who is taking over after Mark Pope left to coach the Kentucky basketball program. It is a defining moment for the Cougars’ program, and Dybantsa will be the star for them when he arrives next season. He is a likely one-and-done and is slated to be the top prospect in the 2026 NBA Draft.
During Dybantsa’s appearance on First Take, he was asked by Stephen A. Smith and Shannon Sharpe who he models his game after, specifically mentioning Tracy McGrady and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
“KD my favorite player, I take a lot from his game but I don’t think I play like him. I think he really one-of-one,” Dybantsa said on First take. “… I play like a mix of Tracy McGrady and Shai [Gilgeous-Alexander].”
“[Kevin Durant] my favorite player, I take a lot from his game but I don’t think I play like him. I think he really 1-of-1. I play like a mix of Tracy McGrady and Shai [Gilgeous-Alexander].”
AJ Dybantsa on which NBA player he patterns his game after 🗣️pic.twitter.com/D9Ao6DuX4Z
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 10, 2024
Clearly, Dybantsa is confident in his abilities based on the way he is speaking. If he is truly a blend of McGrady and Gilgeous-Alexander, then BYU is getting a great player, and there will be a lot of intrigue when he goes to the NBA.
AJ Dybantsa getting a large NIL number at BYU basketball
Dybantsa reportedly is going to make a lot of money in NIL while at BYU, and the number is close to $7 million, according to Adam Zagoria. It is a staggering amount, but still a big get for the Cougars
Clearly, the BYU basketball program is committed to attracting top talent, and securing Dybantsa’s commitment could lead to more top recruits considering the Cougars down the line.