In a move that sent shockwaves through the basketball world that resemble the reverberations created by "The Decision" of LeBron James, the No. 1 prospect in high school basketball and the projected No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA draft announced on ESPN's First Take that he'll be taking his talents to Brigham Young University in Utah instead of a blue blood school with a history of hoops success.
A Massachusetts native who won Gatorade Player of the Year honors in his home state in 2022-23, A.J. Dybantsa chose the Cougars over Alabama, North Carolina, and Kansas and is the first five-star recruit to commit to BYU since ESPN opened its recruiting database in 2007.
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According to the 6-foot-9 wing player, what attracted him to the Cougars, who suffered their first loss of the season on Thanksgiving afternoon during a 96-85 defeat in overtime to No. 23 Ole Miss at the Rady Children's Invitational, was head coach Kevin Young and his staff.
"At BYU, the whole staff from the head coach on down came from the NBA. Head coach Kevin Young coached my favorite player in KD and coached Devin Booker. Both had a lot of good things to say about him. We watched clips of both," Dybantsa told ESPN. "Coach Young's NBA background played a big factor in my decision. He came from the NBA. He coached NBA players. You cannot get any closer to where I want to be."
One could certainly make the argument that joining Alabama, North Carolina or Kansas, who have consistently sent star players to the next level, would give Dybantsa a better shot at hitting paydirt in the NBA. But, he chose BYU and is now tasked with legitimizing a program that hasn't won an NCAA tournament game since 2012.
"The goal is to win a national championship," Dybantsa said. "Individually their plan is to make me NBA-ready, the No. 1 overall draft pick. They will help me with my 3-point shot and put me in different spots that I would play in the NBA."
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It's a tall task, but Dybantsa is a tall guy who's adept at going to the basket but is also regarded as the most dangerous pull-up shooter in high school basketball. BYU, which hasn't gotten a player drafted into the NBA since Jimmer Fredette in 2011, took their shot at landing the soon-to-be 18-year-old hooper.
Surprisingly, it hit.
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This story was originally published December 10, 2024, 9:03 AM.