A commitment as significant as AJ Dybantsa’s to BYU requires meticulous planning in the background. The No. 1 high school basketball prospect kept even the BYU coaching staff in the dark when he made his decision. But one person knew before the rest: Head Coach Kevin Young.
Before the official announcement, Dybantsa secretly FaceTimed Young, personally delivering the news that would shake up the college basketball recruiting landscape.
AJ Dybantsa Shares Details of FaceTime With Kevin Young Before BYU Commitment
When AJ Dybantsa, the No. 1 high school basketball prospect, committed to BYU, the announcement took many by surprise. But before the news went public, Dybantsa had a private FaceTime call with BYU head coach Kevin Young, sealing his decision in secrecy.
Aaron Torres asked Dybantsa about how he informed Young, saying, “When you did decide on BYU, first off, how did you tell Coach Young?… Did he know before you were going on First Take? How did that conversation go?”
Dybantsa responded, “I just told him I’m coming.”
Torres followed up, “Was it a FaceTime or was it on Facebook?”
Dybantsa confirmed, “Yeah, it was a FaceTime.”
The conversation revealed that Young was the only one who knew before the official announcement. Even the BYU coaching staff was kept in the dark.
Torres asked, “How excited was he? The staff?”
Dybantsa replied, “No, was geeked. No, the staff didn’t know.”
Torres clarified, “OK. So it was just him?”
The 18-year-old explained, “It was just him. Because me, I was raised to like, I told all the coaches that I didn’t go to, that my top four, I told the three coaches that I found somebody else. So then I called Kevin Young and told him that I was coming, but then I said I have to announce it so don’t tell anybody.”
KEEP READING: ‘No Balance, Terrible Energy’ – $3.8M Nil-Valued AJ Dybantsa Gives Honest Take During BYU Facility Tour
There’s been a lot of talk about Dybantsa’s NIL deal. Reports say it could be worth at least $4 million, with some estimates reaching up to $7 million. However, Dybantsa himself denied the $7 million figure. He said the deal is probably closer to $4.5 to $5 million.
Dybantsa is no stranger to the national stage. Last summer, he won a gold medal with the U17 National Team in Turkey. Before that, he also helped the U16 squad win gold in Mexico in 2023. Being the nation’s No. 1 recruit, it’s not surprising that he asked for a strong NIL deal. After all, top prospects like him often have high expectations.
However, don’t you think the conversation before AJ’s commitment to BYU was too casual between the head coach and the former Saint Joseph’s standout? Or maybe he explained it very casually?
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, and baseball!
