USA continues its victorious path in the 2025 U19 FIBA Basketball World Cup. However, on Friday afternoon, the Americans faced their biggest test so far.
USA beat Canada 108-102 in the quarterfinal, as the projected No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, AJ Dybantsa, led the way.
The 18-year-old finished the game with game-high 22 points (5/8 FG, 0/1 3PT), 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, and 25 EFF.
AJ Dybantsa credits the FIBA U19 Competition
After the game, Dybantsa admitted that he's impressed by the competition's level.
"It's the best competition I've played," Dybantsa told BasketNews. "I did U16 and U17, and by a margin, U17 and U16 weren't as good as U19."
Speaking of international basketball, the recent results show that Team USA struggles to keep its dominance.
In the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup, Team USA finished only 7th. Four years later, the Americans were left without the medals again after finishing 4th.
On top of that, the last 7 NBA MVPs weren't from the United States. Amid growing global competition, Dybantsa still believes that the US remains the benchmark for basketball.
"I mean, me playing for US, I'm going to say that we're the standard, definitely. I think we have the most gold medals won. So, I mean, I think we're still the standard," he observed. "The world is definitely getting better."
"Different teams, different countries are developing different skill sets. And that's why, you know, Canada just almost, you know, beat us today. So, I mean, the world is definitely catching up, but I think we're standard," he continued.
Why Dybantsa Chose BYU Over Bigger Names
On a personal level, Dybantsa is preparing for his NCAA debut after committing to BYU, drawn in large part by the program's NBA-experienced coaching staff.
And Dybantsa expects only one thing from his coaches.
"Just putting me in positions to be successful. But the main goal for us is just winning. I want to play in March Madness to win that," he said.
However, college wasn't his only big decision—before that, Dybantsa made the strategic choice to reclassify, moving up to the class of 2025.
"It was just like, I think you just feel it when you know that you're—you think that you're ready," USA U19 star walked through his decision. "And I did, and I felt like I was successful in my senior and junior year."
"I wanted to go to college. This is my original grade, though, so I didn't really lose anything," he added.
AJ Dybantsa
AJ Dybantsa
Credit FIBA Media
AJ Dybantsa On Dealing With Pressure as a Teen Basketball Star
Nevertheless, being under the microscope from the early years, all the hype, projections, and expectations might take its burden on the teenager.
Even though Dybantsa admits he doesn't get to live a typical 18-year-old's life, he has a very easy solution for all this pressure.
"I just play basketball. Win or lose, I just play basketball and try to have fun with it," Dybantsa noted.
How AJ Dybantsa Spent A Day Working at McDonald's
Although he's only 18, it doesn't feel like it. Even before making his college debut, Dybantsa has and continues to do charitable work in Africa and Jamaica, as his father is from the Congo, while his mother is from Jamaica.
Additionally, as AJ notes, he was always surrounded by older people.
"I was always the youngest on my team growing up, so I always lived with older guys. And I've done so many pro workouts and I've been in workouts where I'm the youngest dude at my college, so just being around older people," he said.
The multicultural background in his family also made a huge impact on shaping him as a person.
"It's definitely strict," Dybantsa admitted. "I mean, my dad's African, my mom's Jamaican. I mean, that's why me and my sisters act the way we act, and I'm just blessed for it."
One of the examples – AJ's dad put him on the McDonald's shift so his son could appreciate what it's like to have a good job.
"That was good," he said about his McDonald's experience. "I ate a lot of fries and a lot of pancakes, but it was just good, just experiencing that. I have so much respect for those people."
Dybantsa's Workouts With LeBron, Steph, KD, and Others
Grounded by those early life lessons, Dybantsa hasn't let the spotlight go to his head—even as he trains alongside some of the NBA's biggest names.
Dybantsa's maturity doesn't just come from his upbringing—it also stems from the rare experiences he's already had with some of the NBA's biggest names.
Despite being only 18, he has already worked out with superstars like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Paul George, Jayson Tatum, and others.
"LeBron was telling me just enjoy the process. Don't rush it," Dybantsa revealed in a conversation with FIBA. "Kevin Durant was telling me don't overexert yourself, just make simpler plays. Chris Paul taught me how to manipulate the game because he is a point guard and has been in the game for so long."
How come such a young player builds such good relationships with the NBA superstars?
"I mean, I work out a lot and I just contact the guys to work out with," Dybantsa told BasketNews. "And I got like a summer in the same workouts. And I just try to keep in contact with them because obviously I want to be there one day, and I just got to ask them questions."
A Message to His Future Self
With the NBA Draft just a year away, Dybantsa already has a message in mind for his future self.
"Keep playing hard, keep being you," Dybantsa concluded.
Edvinas Jablonskis
Edvinas Jablonskis began his basketball coverage career in 2017. Starting as a Daily Writer for BasketNews.lt, he steadily climbed the ranks and became a Daily Editor for BasketNews.com in 2021, a position he continues to hold. Over the years, Jablonskis has covered multiple EuroLeague Final Fours and international tournaments, including the FIBA EuroBasket, FIBA Basketball World Cup, and FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
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