AJ Dybantsa, a five-star recruit, was named the top high school basketball player in the country by On3 in July 2023, regardless of class. His stock has only gone up since then. ESPN named him the No. 1 NBA prospect in the 2026 class.
When Dybantsa committed to the BYU Cougars in December 2024, he became the highest-ranked committed recruit to join the Cougars in program history. In his freshman season, Dybantsa lived up to the hype.
He played 35 games this season, averaging 25.5 points, shooting 51% from the field, with 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. Dybantsa earned the right to be a potential No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
However, his dominant run with the Cougars wasn’t enough to convince everyone that he joined BYU because of the program. Many believe that Dybantsa’s going to BYU was a mismatch and that he only went there because they offered him the most money.
It’s no secret that Dybantsa had offers or was under consideration at many great programs, including UConn, Duke, North Carolina, and more. Still, he went with the Cougars because he wanted to play without the off-court attention.
Recently, Dybantsa spoke on the changes that are happening at BYU and how they’re moving toward a new identity.
“BYU was never really known as that ‘athletic school,’ but it’s changing. We’re getting different staff members that are continuing to boost their athletics. It’s just great,” he said.
Dybantsa said that BYU’s football team is scaling new heights as well, and BYU is now focusing more on developing talent across multiple sports. He said that he joined BYU because of sports, but the university now has so much more to offer.
Doug Gottlieb Made Strong Claims About AJ Dybantsa and Ryan Smith
During a recent appearance on The Colin Cowherd Podcast, Doug Gottlied was asked about AJ Dybantsa and his draft projection. Instead of answering that question, Gottlieb made a strong claim about Dybantsa’s recruitment.
“First thing everybody should know is that if the Utah Jazz have the number one pick, they’re taking AJ Dybantsa. How do I know? He went to Utah Prep, which is funded by Ryan Smith. He went to BYU, which is funded by Ryan Smith. Ryan Smith owns the Utah Jazz,” he said.
Gottlieb claimed that Ryan Smith has been involved in Dybantsa’s career at every step, and it’s nearly guaranteed that he will bring him to the Utah Jazz.
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