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If BYU basketball wants to bring in the AJ Dybantsa, the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2025, they will have to pay up.
Dybantsa is expected to land an NIL deal, “north of $3M and could get as high as $4M.” Based on that projection, BYU is prepared between $4 to $4.5 million, according to Pete Nakos of On3Sports.
That is a shocking amount for a program like BYU that is not traditionally one of the top teams in college basketball to spend on a player who will almost certainly declare for the NBA Draft immediately after his freshman season. However, in this new age of college sports, that may be the price that programs have to pay for a player as talented as Dybantsa, even if they are only going to play college basketball for one season.
With new head coach Kevin Young leading the way after Mark Pope left for Kentucky, BYU basketball is entering a new era. What better way to kick that off than by securing the commitment of top recruit in the country and in program history.
What AJ Dybantsa would bring to BYU basketball
Dybantsa, a 6-9, 210 small forward and consensus five-star recruit, has the potential to be one of the most prolific scorers in college basketball even as a freshman next season. A three-level scorer, Dybantsa can truly do it all on the offensive end. With a 7-foot wingspan and plus-athleticism, Dybantsa also has the potential to become an elite defender.
Even if Dybantsa, who could end up being the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, does end up just playing one season of college basketball, he has the potential to be an All-American-type player the second he steps foot on the court. If is able to land Dybantsa and can bring in a few high-level upperclassmen transfers, they could be one of the absolute best teams in the country.
Dybantsa has currently narrowed his list of potential colleges to five–BYU, Kansas, Kansas State, Alabama and North Carolina. However, it is unclear whether any of his other favorites would be able to match BYU's $4-4.5 million NIL opportunity.
If BYU basketball does end up being the highest bidder, then it would not be a surprise to see Dybantsa end up in Provo. While they have not traditionally been considered a college basketball power, if BYU is able to throw this type of money around, they could quickly become one of the best programs in the country.
