PROVO, Utah — The BYU basketball program scored big Tuesday without even stepping foot onto the court.
In an early morning announcement, A.J. Dybantsa, the country's top high school recruit and projected No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, announced he has committed to the Cougars.
Dybantsa is no stranger to the Beehive State, having transferred to Utah Prep from California over the summer. He is the first five-star recruit to ever commit to BYU.
In choosing BYU and new head coach Kevin Young, Dybantsa spurred other top programs like North Carolina and Kansas.
“We’re so excited to welcome AJ and his family to BYU,” said Young. “We’ve been able to build a great relationship with him and his family and can’t wait to have them all in BYU blue. AJ is a generational talent. He’s a great young man who has a strong appetite to be the best player he can be. His versatile skill set and playmaking will seamlessly fit into our style of play.
"This is a great day for BYU basketball.”
With an eye on his basketball future, Dybantsa admitted on ESPN First Take that Young's NBA background helped sway his decision.
"My ultimate goal is to get to the NBA," he said, "and [Young] used to coach one of my favorite players of all-time, Kevin Durant, and he had high praise about him."
