PROVO, Utah – The nation’s No. 1 basketball recruit has committed to BYU.
AJ Dybantsa, a 6-foot-9 wing from Brockton, Massachusetts, who is playing his final high school basketball season at Utah Prep in Hurricane, will continue his basketball career with BYU.
BOOM!
AJ Dybantsa, the nation’s No. 1 basketball recruit in the class of 2025, has committed to #BYU.#BYUHoops pic.twitter.com/fZjeVnHIxL
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) December 10, 2024
AJ Dybantsa commits to BYU on national television
Dybantsa announced his commitment to BYU in a nationally televised appearance on ESPN’s “First Take.”
The No. 1 prospect in the 2025 class picked BYU over a final four of programs that included Alabama, Kansas, and North Carolina.
Dybantsa is the second five-star prospect BYU basketball head coach Kevin Young has landed since taking over as coach in April. Before Young’s arrival, BYU had not signed any five-star prospects in the internet era.
The previous five-star signee under Young is current freshman guard Egor Demin.
Dybantsa’s recruitment with BYU heated up in the spring
BYU got into the mix for Dybantsa when they offered him a scholarship at the end of May. From that point forward, Kevin Young and his staff made Dybantsa their top priority in the 2025 recruiting class.
Dybantsa took an unofficial visit in June, an official visit in October, and finally a game visit to the Marriott Center in November. BYU coaches frequently attended Dybantsa’s Utah Prep games around the country.
In August, Dybantsa led Utah Prep to a title in the Shanghai Future Star Basketball Championship against the China National Team. In that game, Dybantsa scored 32 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and had four assists and four steals.
Last month, Dybantsa earned MVP honors in a Hoopfest game with Utah Prep against nationally ranked Link Academy, scoring 18 points and 12 rebounds.
Potential No. 1 NBA draft pick
Dybantsa has made it clear throughout his recruitment that he would be a one-and-done prospect at the college he chooses. Throughout Dybantsa’s recruitment, BYU has leaned into its experience with the NBA.
Dybantsa is projected as a potential No. 1 NBA draft pick in the 2026 Draft.
Landing Dybantsa gives BYU a generational prospect that puts the Cougars into the national conversation in college hoops.
Kevin Young is a former NBA assistant coach with the Phoenix Suns and Philadelphia 76ers. He also has a staff of assistant coaches, support staff, trainers, and nutritionists with NBA backgrounds.
“One of the things that I think is unique about us is the stuff that we’re talking to recruits and their parents about; it’s not hypothetical,” Young said in November on his pitch to recruits. “I’ve done it at the NBA level. Where these guys are trying to get to, I’ve been there. I’ve lived that life, and I’ve brought a lot of people here on our staff who have also lived that life.
“So when we talk about a strength and conditioning program, it’s not hypothetical. We talk about a nutrition plan for someone to grow their body; it’s not hypothetical. Player development on the court, we’ve got multiple guys who were G-League head coaches. Again, it’s not hypothetical.”
AJ Dybantsa has a perfect composite rating
Dybantsa was initially going to be part of the class of 2026 until he reclassified in the fall of 2023. Since then, Dybantsa quickly emerged as the nation’s No. 1 prospect for the class of 2025.
The superstar prospect turns 18 years old next month.
In the 247Sports Composite ratings, Dybantsa is the only player in the class of 2025 with a perfect 1.0000 rating.
Dybantsa joins a strong BYU basketball recruiting class for 2025 that already includes 7-foot four-star center Xavion Staton from Las Vegas and Top-125 prospect Chamberlain Burgess from Orem High School.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.
