Evaluating the Freshman Impact: AJ Dybantsa’s Era Begins at BYU

Evaluating the Freshman Impact: AJ Dybantsa’s Era Begins at BYU

Provo, Utah, has never seen anything quite like this.

In a landscape of blue-blood basketball programs and powerhouse recruiting pipelines, Brigham Young University has quietly  or perhaps not so quietly anymore  landed the most transformative player in the 2025 class. AJ Dybantsa, the No. 1 overall prospect in the Rivals Industry Ranking and On3’s 2025 rankings, is not just a five-star addition to Mark Pope’s squad  he’s the highest-rated recruit in the history of BYU basketball.

The buzz surrounding the Brockton, Massachusetts native has been building for years, ever since he reclassified nearly two years ago and began climbing the ranks of elite prep talent. But now, in the summer before his freshman season begins, that buzz has turned into full-blown hype, and based on every evaluation from national scouts, NBA insiders, and international play, it’s justified.

“He’s just got a ton of different pathways, that are insanely valuable,” said On3’s Jamie Shaw. “You stand beside him, and you’re almost taken aback with how big he actually is. He’s got the physical makeup, the length, the athletic pop, the fluidity… He can self-create, he’s got touch. It’s elite stuff.”

At 6-foot-9, Dybantsa has the frame of an NBA wing, but the polish of a pro veteran. What separates him isn’t just his tools  it’s how early he developed them. Shaw compared his development to Jayson Tatum’s, noting how even in eighth and ninth grade, Dybantsa showed rare footwork and shot creation from the midrange.

“He was able to jab step, jab step, get a clean look within a phone booth early on,” Shaw recalled. “As he continued to grow, he started getting downhill more, finishing at the rim with authority. And when he’s playing in those USA Basketball settings, against the best of the best? He rises.”

Indeed, Dybantsa’s summer résumé speaks volumes. After standout performances at Prolific Prep, Saint Sebastian’s, and ultimately Utah Prep, he capped off his high school career with a McDonald’s All-American nod, an invitation to the Jordan Brand Classic, and perhaps most significantly, an MVP performance at the FIBA U19 World Cup, where he led Team USA to a gold medal in Switzerland. His averages: 14.3 points on 50% shooting, 2.3 assists, and 1.1 steals  all while playing against the top young talent across the globe.

For BYU, the implications are massive.

This isn’t just a good freshman walking onto campus. This is a game-changer. A likely one-and-done. A player whose presence might single-handedly vault BYU into national contention in Pope’s second year. And while he’ll certainly help fill up the Marriott Center, his arrival could also put BYU on the NBA scouting map in a way the program has never experienced.

According to both Shaw and On3’s James Fletcher, Dybantsa is tracking not only to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, but someone who could have challenged for that spot this year — even over Duke’s Cooper Flagg, who went first in 2025.

“There’s just so much value in that 6’7 to 6’9 wing who can do everything,” Shaw said. “You can be a 3-and-D guy, a self-creator, a two-way superstar. Dybantsa has all of those in his bag. It’s just a matter of which pathway he chooses.”

Fletcher echoed the sentiment, pointing to the draft and free agency markets as evidence of the modern game’s obsession with versatile wings.

“The 3-and-D mold alone is worth millions in the NBA,” Fletcher said. “But Dybantsa has the ceiling of a two-way superstar  and that’s what makes him different. His top-end outcomes? They’re insane.”

So what will his freshman season look like?

If Dybantsa delivers even 75% of what scouts project, BYU could become a must-watch team nationally, with NBA scouts flocking to Provo and the Cougars contending for the Big 12 crown. He’s not just a scorer  he’s a connector, a defensive disruptor, and a leader. The spotlight is now firmly on BYU, and if Dybantsa shines under it, it could change the trajectory of the entire program.

The countdown is on.

AJ Dybantsa has arrived  and he may only be here for one year. But that one year could become the most unforgettable in the history of BYU basketball.