Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty ImagesThere was reportedly a significant financial element to top basketball recruit A.J. Dybantsa's decision to commit to BYU on Tuesday.According to Adam Zagoria of the New York Times, Dybantsa's name, image and likeness (NIL) asking price was "close to $7 million."Dybantsa announced his decision Tuesday morning on ESPN's First Take, choosing BYU over big-time programs in Kansas, North Carolina and Alabama:First Take @FirstTakeAJ Dybantsa announces his commitment to BYU and explains his decision 🔥 <br><br>"I play like a mix of Tracy McGrady and Shai [Gilgeous-Alexander]." 👀 <a href="https://t.co/JIaymkr4Pz">pic.twitter.com/JIaymkr4Pz</a>The 17-year-old Dybantsa is rated by 247Sports as a 5-star prospect, and he is ranked as the No. 1 overall college basketball recruit in the class of 2025.The 6'9", 210-pound Dybantsa plays his high school basketball at Utah Prep in Hurricane, Utah, which gave BYU an in-state advantage over some of the blue-blood programs that were pursuing him."At BYU, the whole staff from the head coach on down came from the NBA," Dybantsa said. "Head coach Kevin Young coached my favorite player in KD [Kevin Durant], and coached Devin Booker. Both had a lot of good things to say about him. We watched clips of both."Young was an assistant coach with the Philadelphia 76ers from 2016 to 2020, and with the Phoenix Suns from 2020 to 2024.In his first season as the head coach at BYU, Young has the Cougars off to 6-2 start, and they may be well on their way to a second consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament.Dybantsa was the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2026 college basketball recruiting class before reclassifying to 2025 and keeping the top spot. He is also the early favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft.Originally from Brockton, Massachusetts, Dybantsa has already made a major impact internationally, winning gold medals with Team USA at the 2023 FIBA Under-16 Americas Championship and the 2024 FIBA Under-17 World Cup.He also led the 2023 Nike Peach Jam in scoring with 25.8 points per game, per Borzello and Biancardi, and he led the World Team at the 2024 Nike Hoop Summit with 21 points and seven rebounds in a 98-75 loss to Team USA.While BYU has reached the NCAA tournament 31 times and made it as far as the Elite Eight, the Cougars are usually not in the running for players of Dybantsa's caliber.In fact, Borzello and Biancardi noted that Dybantsa is BYU's first 5-star recruit since the the creation of the ESPN recruiting database in 2007.Dybantsa's arrival signals the start of a new era for BYU, though, and it could perhaps be the type of program-shifting move that makes the Cougars legitimate national title contenders moving forward.

Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images There was reportedly a significant financial element to top basketball recruit A.J. Dybantsa’s decision to commit to BYU on Tuesday. According to Adam Zagoria of the New York Times, Dybantsa’s name, image and likeness (NIL) asking price was “close to $7 million.” Dybantsa announced his decision Tuesday morning […]

Boston, MA - November 6: Utah Prep and Brockton native AJ Dybantsa throws down a dunk against Highland at Emmanuel College's Jean Yawkey Center, Yosinoff Court. (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

There was reportedly a significant financial element to top basketball recruit A.J. Dybantsa’s decision to commit to BYU on Tuesday.

According to Adam Zagoria of the New York Times, Dybantsa’s name, image and likeness (NIL) asking price was “close to $7 million.”

Dybantsa announced his decision Tuesday morning on ESPN’s First Take, choosing BYU over big-time programs in Kansas, North Carolina and Alabama:

First Take @FirstTake

AJ Dybantsa announces his commitment to BYU and explains his decision 🔥 <br><br>”I play like a mix of Tracy McGrady and Shai [Gilgeous-Alexander].” 👀 <a href=”https://t.co/JIaymkr4Pz”>pic.twitter.com/JIaymkr4Pz</a>

The 17-year-old Dybantsa is rated by 247Sports as a 5-star prospect, and he is ranked as the No. 1 overall college basketball recruit in the class of 2025.

The 6’9″, 210-pound Dybantsa plays his high school basketball at Utah Prep in Hurricane, Utah, which gave BYU an in-state advantage over some of the blue-blood programs that were pursuing him.

“At BYU, the whole staff from the head coach on down came from the NBA,” Dybantsa said. “Head coach Kevin Young coached my favorite player in KD [Kevin Durant], and coached Devin Booker. Both had a lot of good things to say about him. We watched clips of both.”

Young was an assistant coach with the Philadelphia 76ers from 2016 to 2020, and with the Phoenix Suns from 2020 to 2024.

In his first season as the head coach at BYU, Young has the Cougars off to 6-2 start, and they may be well on their way to a second consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament.

Dybantsa was the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2026 college basketball recruiting class before reclassifying to 2025 and keeping the top spot. He is also the early favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft.

Originally from Brockton, Massachusetts, Dybantsa has already made a major impact internationally, winning gold medals with Team USA at the 2023 FIBA Under-16 Americas Championship and the 2024 FIBA Under-17 World Cup.

He also led the 2023 Nike Peach Jam in scoring with 25.8 points per game, per Borzello and Biancardi, and he led the World Team at the 2024 Nike Hoop Summit with 21 points and seven rebounds in a 98-75 loss to Team USA.

While BYU has reached the NCAA tournament 31 times and made it as far as the Elite Eight, the Cougars are usually not in the running for players of Dybantsa’s caliber.

In fact, Borzello and Biancardi noted that Dybantsa is BYU’s first 5-star recruit since the the creation of the ESPN recruiting database in 2007.

Dybantsa’s arrival signals the start of a new era for BYU, though, and it could perhaps be the type of program-shifting move that makes the Cougars legitimate national title contenders moving forward.