Dybantsa, predicted leading NBA choice, indications with BYU

Jeff Borzello Close Jeff Borzello ESPN Staff Author Basketball recruiting expert. Joined ESPN in 2014. Graduate of University of Delaware.Paul Biancardi Close Paul Biancardi Basketball Recruiting National Recruiting Director for ESPN.com 18 years of coaching experience at Department I

level Former Horizon League coach of the year at Wright State Dec 10, 2024, 10:46 AM

and coached Devin Booker. Both had a lot of good ideas to state about him. We enjoyed clips of both. “Editor’s Picks 2 Related Dybantsa formally signed with BYU throughout the early finalizing duration, sources informed ESPN, however didn’t make his choice public till Tuesday. The school received his papers in the final hours of the signing

period, which ended November 20. BYU

had positioned itself towards the top of Dybantsa’s list soon after Young, the Cougars’ new head coach, took over last spring. Young flew to meet Dybantsa’s moms and dads throughout the NBA playoffs last spring when he was still on the Phoenix Suns’staff and after that hosted Dybantsa for a check out in late June. Dybantsa likewise took his final main visit to BYU’s campus in October.Dybantsa consistently pointed to all the NBA ties at BYU– even the program’s strength and conditioning coach, Michael Davie, was with the Milwaukee Bucks and the director of nutrition, Danielle LaFata, originated from the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury.”Coach Young’s NBA background played a big factor in my choice,”Dybantsa stated. “He came from the NBA. He coached NBA players. You can not get any closer to where I want to be.”A number of other schools were included during the procedure, with Kansas State hosting Dybantsa in late August before failing to make his last list of 4. He likewise checked out Kansas, Alabama and North Carolina– with his dad, Ace, participating in recently’s Alabama vs. North Carolina game in Chapel Hill.” This was a hard choice,”

Dybantsa stated. “The hardest part about the recruiting procedure wants every go to you want to go to that school.”Dybantsa, originally from Massachusetts, moved from Prolific Preparation(California )to Utah Preparation(Utah) over the summer season, and was initially a member of the 2026 high school class before reclassifying to 2025 in October 2023. He was the No. 1 possibility in 2026 and preserved that status upon his move to 2025. He has actually

been one of the most prolific scorers in the nation throughout his high school basketball profession, winning Gatorade Player of the Year honors for Massachusetts in 2022-23. Regardless of playing up an age at the Nike Peach Jam in the summer of 2023, he led the event in scoring, averaging 25.8 points. Last spring, he averaged 22.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists, shooting 51.9%from the flooring and 36.7%from 3-point range– then followed it up in the summer with 23.1 points en route to leading the Oakland Soldiers to the Peach Jam championship game. A.J. Dybantsa, a 6-foot-9 forward who is a former Gatorade Player of the Year in Massachusetts and a fixture with USA Basketball developmental teams, is the forecasted No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA draft. ALTAN GOCHER/Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images Dybantsa has actually also been a fixture with USA Basketball, winning gold medals at both the 2023 FIBA Americas U16 Championship and 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup. He started all 6 games at the U16 level, balancing 13.7 points and 3.8 assists, then started all seven games at the U17 level, installing 14.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 4.1 assists.Dybantsa is the embodiment of the modern-day NBA wing, possessing size, skill and explosiveness. He can play numerous positions, developing inequalities in spite of being just 17 years of ages. He shines as an aggressive attacking wing, but can develop into a playmaker and initiate offense for teammates. His scoring is most efficient in the midrange, as many can not challenge or contest versus his size and high release.

He is a hard shotmaker who has actually increased his 3-point percentage and likewise has the capability to complete through contact at the rim and get to the free toss line. Defensively, he can obstruct shots with a fast second dive and can switching on the perimeter.Young now needs to surround Dybantsa with adequate skill to make BYU nationally competitive during his one season in Provo. “The goal is to win a national championship,”he stated.”Separately their plan is to make me NBA-ready, the No. 1 total draft choice. They will assist me with my 3-point shot and put me in different spots that I would play in the NBA. “The star wing is the third member of the Cougars’2025 recruiting class, joining ESPN 100 center Xavion Staton(No. 34)and four-star big man Chamberlain Burgess. BYU has only 4 seniors on this year’s

roster, however the Cougars could also lose projected lottery choice Egor Demin and first-round pick Kanon Catchings.