AJ Dybantsa was one of the most sought-after high school players before he committed to the Brigham Young University men’s basketball team, the Cougars. He’s set to begin his collegiate career in Provo, Utah, after making a surprising selection.
In times where prospects tend to have as many cameras as possible when announcing their college commitments, Dybantsa took a different route. He wasn’t on live TV or with a lot of people around him waiting for the big moment.
Instead, he called his then-future head coach, Kevin Young, over FaceTime to let him know the good news. Speaking on how he dropped the news to Young, Dybantsa didn’t elaborate much on that.
AJ Dybantsa wasn’t interested in making a big deal out of his college commitment
“I just told him I’m coming,” Dybantsa revealed.
The BYU Cougars finished with a 26-10 record in 2024-25, including a 14-6 record in the conference, ranking third in the Big 12 standings after the season was over. They went all the way to the NCAA tournament’s Sweet 16, where the Alabama Crimson Tide took care of them with a 113-88 loss. They are eager to rebound and Dybantsa would probably be of great help to achieve that.
AJ Dybantsa rejected iconic programs to join BYU
Coming out of Utah Prep, AJ Dybantsa is was considered the No. 1 recruit in the country by ESPN. His name drew a lot of attention from popular programs. Among the group of candidates that showed interest in him, North Carolina, Alabama and Kansas were some of the most famous.
Dybantsa is not so far from home now and will have the chance to share touches with talented teammates such as Robert Wright, Richie Saunders, Keba Keita and Kennard Davis Jr.
He could have created a terrific tandem with Darryn Peterson in Kansas, but they will clash with one another instead.