Brigham Young University star AJ Dybantsa is already turning heads with his basketball abilities. The small forward was one of the most sought-after high school prospects this year, receiving interest and visiting iconic programs such as Alabama, North Carolina and Kansas, among others, before committing to BYU in October.
Before he played with the Cougars, Dybantsa was invited to participate in the 2025 USA Men’s U19 National Team training camp, where he excelled and was named to the team after just seven days of training camp in Colorado Springs.
While there, he caused a huge impression on college basketball analyst Fran Fraschilla, who compared the freshman to one of the best power forwards in NBA history, 2008 champion Kevin Garnett.
AJ Dybantsa draws Kevin Garnett comparison
“I’ll try to create a visual for BYUMBB fans for what to expect from AJ Dybantsa after watching him all week at @usabjnt Under 19 practices,” Fraschilla posted on X. “Best description is that if Kevin Garnett came back as a small forward with his intensity, athleticism & his team-first style, that’s who the Cougars have.”
With Dybantsa, four-star recruit Xavion Staton, and four-star Chamberlain Burgess, the Cougars have ambitious plans for the 2024-25 season. So much so that the forward said it was championship or bust for his squad.
He’s not ducking any smoke. The team isn’t the strongest of all, but they already showed glimpses of what they could do last season when they made it to the Sweet 16 and were eliminated by Alabama.