'AJ Dybantsa, Top-Ranked Recruit in Class of 2025, Commits to BYU'
BYU secured the top prospect in the Class of 2025, AJ Dybantsa, who opted for the Cougars over Alabama, North Carolina, and Kansas.
Dybantsa is currently playing at a prep school within driving distance of BYU in Utah for his senior season after reclassifying from the Class of 2026.
Originally from Massachusetts, Dybantsa is a 6-foot-9 versatile forward and the standout player in a class that includes Jayhawks commit Darryn Peterson and Duke signees Cameron and Caydyn Boozer, five-star recruits who followed in their NBA father's footsteps and chose the Blue Devils on October 11th. Carlos Boozer, a two-time NBA All-Star, also played at Duke.
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Dybantsa boasts a wingspan of nearly 7 feet and made a name for himself as a key player on the Team USA U16 team, where he helped secure the gold medal.
First-year BYU coach Kevin Young has also secured commitments from two other players for the Class of 2025, Xavion Staton and Chamberlain Burgess. The Cougars are in their first season since Mark Pope left to take over for John Calipari at Kentucky and feature star freshman Egor Demin, who is averaging 13.3 points, 5.8 assists, and 4.6 rebounds per game in the 2024-25 season.
Young had to work hard to secure Dybantsa's commitment after Alabama and North Carolina gained enough interest to prompt him to take visits to their campuses this semester.
Reports in October suggested that NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) was one of the reasons why Kansas was not expected to be in the running for Dybantsa.
In an interview with Paul George on an episode of "Podcast P," Dybantsa was direct about his intentions to attend a prep school for one year before heading to the NBA.
"Everybody's going to think you should have the four or five blue-bloods in there, but my family and I have certain criteria," Dybantsa said. "We need a school with a strong sense of family, a coach who won't sugarcoat things, the best and fastest development plan - I'm aiming to be a one-and-done - a winning program, and I just chose the top seven schools that I think fit that... I'm simply trying to choose the best school for me."
