BYU Lands Top 2026 Basketball Recruit With $7 Million NIL Deal
AJ Dybantsa, a 6-foot-9 forward, selected BYU over UNC, Kansas, and Alabama.
Enterprise News
The legacy of a program has always been a crucial factor in high school recruitment, but in the NIL era, financial incentives are now a game-changer—and BYU demonstrated that on Tuesday.
AJ Dybantsa, the top-ranked high school player in the 2025 class, revealed his decision to join the Cougars on ESPN’s First Take. He chose BYU over UNC and Kansas—two storied programs with a combined 10 national championships—and Alabama, which reached the Final Four last season.
According to basketball insider Adam Zagoria, BYU’s NIL offer to Dybantsa is nearly $7 million. This deal rivals the potential $10 million offer Bryce Underwood, the No. 1 quarterback in the 2025 class, may receive to flip his commitment from LSU to Michigan. Dybantsa, expected to enter the NBA draft after one year, could set a record with the highest annual NIL figure reported at $7 million.
The 6-foot-9 Massachusetts native is already playing in Utah, having transferred this summer from Prolific Prep in California to Utah Prep in Hurricane, just 260 miles south of BYU’s Provo campus.
BYU has been positioning itself as an emerging NIL force in men’s basketball, especially after hiring Kevin Young as head coach in April. Young, a former assistant coach with the Sixers and Suns from 2016 to 2024, was the highest-paid assistant in NBA history (earning over $2 million annually) before transitioning to college coaching.
When asked about his decision, Dybantsa highlighted Young’s influence. “A lot stood out during my visit. Obviously, coach Kevin Young is there. My ultimate goal is to get to the NBA, and he coached my favorite player of all time, Kevin Durant,” Dybantsa said. He also praised BYU’s staff for their extensive NBA experience.