BYU’s AJ Dybantsa Leads School Basketball In NIL Valuation

[ad_1] by Daniel Johnson June 15, 2025

As BYU's first-ever five-star recruit, the expectations for Dybantsa's freshman season are sky excessive.

AJ Dybantsa, the primary highschool participant within the nation and arguably the largest school basketball signing in Brigham Younger College’s historical past, additionally leads all of school basketball in NIL valuation, logging an estimated $4.1 million worth based on Athlon Sports activities.

In response to their reporting, his portfolio, though considerably selective, like fellow West Coast native Juju Watkins, additionally comprises a good quantity of groundbreaking NIL offers. The 6’9 Dybantsa is reportedly the primary male basketball athlete to be sponsored by Crimson Bull and like Watkins, he's additionally signed to Nike, his deal is valued at over $4 million.

As BYU’s first ever 5 star recruit, the expectations for Dybantsa’s freshman season are sky excessive, and though he has denied rumors that he has a $7 million contract with the college, BYU has been projected to deal with the defending convention champions, the College of Houston, for the Massive 12 title due largely to his presence on the group.

No matter how BYU’s season goes, Dybantsa has already indicated that he's going to be a one and performed participant and can declare for the NBA draft on the finish of his freshman 12 months.

In response to The Athletic, his rejection of the rumors of a $7 million NIL contract from BYU squares together with his distaste over receiving a $1,000 grant which being awarded the Gatorade Nationwide Participant of the 12 months entitled him to.

As he instructed the outlet, “Don’t take something without any consideration.” Dybantsa’s father, Ace, is Congolese, and gave him a lesson on the haves and have nots on a go to to Brazzaville, the capital of the Congo. “Persons are much less lucky and don’t have what we now have. If I proceed this route, I’m going to get much more cash than that. So, I would as properly simply donate (that examine) again to the neighborhood.”

Dybantsa, if he pans out because the draft prospect that scouts imagine he may be, will most assuredly be firmly within the haves camp, per an evaluation that an nameless NBA entrance workplace government supplied to The Athletic.

“He’s what the NBA is searching for. Wings with authentic measurement that perceive the sport can create offense after which, in concept, can guard a number of guys,” the manager mentioned.

Dybantsa appeared unconcerned with the precise worth of his offers in January when he instructed the outlet that his offers kind of had been executed by his father, and he simply desires to hoop.

“Individuals simply gonna speak, however I (didn’t) even know the way a lot I’m getting. They simply inform my dad all of that. I’m making an attempt to make it to the NBA, so wherever they'll get me the quickest there with one of the best growth, there’s a complete lot of pillars that include it. Cash’s going to come back if I do the work, so I’m not nervous in regards to the cash in a 12 months,” Dybantsa mentioned.

An instance of his aversion to chasing a bag simply to chase a bag is his NIL cope with the prep academy Utah Prep, which he selected to signal a $600,000 cope with to complete his highschool profession with, regardless of having a extra profitable supply from Florida’s extra prestigious Montverde Academy.

“Montverde, we will use them for example, I’m making an attempt to point out individuals you don’t should go to a faculty like that to perform sure issues,” Dybantsa mentioned. “They’re an excellent faculty, they usually’ve obtained probably the most league guys from highschool. So, there’s no knock going there. However you don’t should go to a faculty like that.”

He continued, “You don’t need to simply signal with anyone. You need to be companions with them. There’s much more to a proposal than simply cash. Individuals solely see the cash a part of it, nevertheless it’s not nearly cash. I’m not gonna change. They could. There are some individuals I do know that grow to be well-known and alter their complete persona. They need to have this lavish life-style, however I simply persist with who I'm, and I believe individuals mess with that.”