AJ Dybansta plans to play faculty basketball at BYU, the top-ranked recruit introduced Tuesday morning on ESPN.
Dybantsa, the No. 1 prospect within the 2025 class and the projected No. 1 choose within the 2026 NBA Draft, picked the Cougars over UNC, Alabama and Kansas. The Massachusetts native revealed his faculty alternative on ESPN’s “First Take.”
BYU was lengthy thought-about the favourite to land Dybansta, however the Crimson Tide and Tar Heels made a late push to make issues fascinating within the last weeks earlier than his dedication. He took official visits to all 4 finalists in September.
UNC 2025 CLASS:UNC basketball’s Hubert Davis talks Derek Dixon, Isaiah Denis, Tar Heels’ 2025 recruiting class
‘WOUNDED’:Hubert Davis, UNC basketball able to ‘heal,’ hit reset button with week off
Right here’s a breakdown of Dybantsa’s recreation and what’s subsequent for the Tar Heels.
AJ Dybantsa stats, scouting report
The 6-foot-9, 210-pound wing has the prototypical body and expertise to be the highest participant in faculty basketball earlier than changing into the face of an NBA franchise in 2026. An elite scorer, Dybantsa is taking part in his senior season at Utah Prep in Hurricane. On Dec. 6 in a loss to Dream Metropolis, Dybantsa had 31 factors, 10 rebounds and 6 assists. He adopted that with 28 factors, eight rebounds, six assists and 4 steals in opposition to Prolific Prep on Dec. 7.
As he prepares to make the bounce for what is definite to be a one-and-done season on the faculty stage, it’s exhausting not to take a look at Dybansta with out seeing a bit of little bit of Jayson Tatum, who arrived at Duke as a 6-foot-8, 210-pound wing earlier than changing into one of many prime gamers within the NBA with the reigning champion Boston Celtics. On “First Take,” Dybantsa mentioned he performs “like a mixture of Tracy McGrady and Shai (Gilgeous-Alexander).”
UNC basketball recruits embody Derek Dixon, Isaiah Denis
Head coach Hubert Davis and the Tar Heels have a pair of guards set to hitch the crew forward of the 2025-26 season. 4-star recruits Isaiah Denis and Derek Dixon signed with UNC in mid-November, giving the Heels a number of choices to assist fill the void that will probably be left by fifth-year guard RJ Davis.
What’s subsequent for Hubert Davis, Tar Heels within the 2025 recruiting class?
At present twenty ninth within the 2025 class rankings, in response to the 247Sports Composite, UNC stays seeking a high-profile prospect to hitch the Tar Heels forward of the 2025-26 season. Davis added five-star recruits Ian Jackson and Drake Powell forward of this season and five-star guard Elliot Cadeau within the prior season.
Because it stands, Caleb Wilson looks like the almost certainly prospect to turn out to be a Tar Heel. Kentucky is reportedly the highest challenger for Wilson, a 6-foot-9 energy ahead and top-ranked participant in Georgia. Ty Claude, RJ Davis and Jae’Lyn Withers are the lone gamers on UNC’s roster with no eligibility after this season.
Rodd Baxley covers Duke, North Carolina and N.C. State for The Fayetteville Observer as a part of the USA TODAY Community. Observe his ACC protection on X/Twitter or Bluesky: @RoddBaxley. Received questions relating to these groups? Ship them torbaxley@fayobserver.com.