5-star ahead AJ Dybantsa will begin a busy stretch of the calendar, as he begins his official go to schedule with a visit to Kansas State this weekend.
Dybantsa is taken into account the most effective participant within the class of 2025 and is the heavy favourite to be the No. 1 general choose within the 2026 NBA Draft, so his go to to Manhattan is an enormous alternative for head coach Jerome Tang and his workers.
Here’s a have a look at the place Dybantsa’s recruiting stands, and the place Ok-State sits earlier than his go to begins.
Who’s AJ Dybantsa?
There are few gamers in basketball with as a lot expertise and upside as AJ Dybantsa, who is taken into account the heavy favourite to be the No. 1 choose within the 2026 NBA Draft. Some individuals even imagine he could be the highest choose within the upcoming NBA Draft if he had been eligible.
Dybantsa has impressed at each degree of basketball, together with on the EYBL circuit and with USA Basketball on the FIBA U17 World Cup this summer time. Dybantsa averaged 14.1 factors, 3.9 rebounds, and 4.1 factors for the nationwide staff, together with a 14-point efficiency within the World Cup Ultimate.
Listed at 6-foot-7, Dybantsa has the distinctive mix of dimension and talent to impress at any degree. He’ll be an instantaneous contributor in faculty and sure be a favourite for many nationwide awards in his first (and sure solely) season.
Dybantsa has drawn comparisons to Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, and whereas he is not the primary participant to earn these lofty comparisons, he could be the primary to match that expertise. The capturing nonetheless has to return round (he shot simply 31.8% on the U17 World Cup), however his athleticism and shot-creating skill are spectacular. Though he must proceed to develop, Dybantsa has all of the instruments and measurables to be a cornerstone for any NBA franchise, not to mention a university basketball staff for one season.
Who’re the primary opponents for Dybantsa?
Dybantsa just lately introduced a prime seven, naming Alabama, Auburn, Baylor, BYU, Kansas, Ok-State, and North Carolina as finalists. Nonetheless, he had his choose of the litter, holding gives from each main faculty basketball program.
He at present has six official visits scheduled, as he’ll make journeys to Kansas (Sept. 6), North Carolina (Sept. 20), Alabama (Sept. 27), Baylor (Oct. 4), and BYU (Oct. 11) following his have a look at Ok-State this weekend.
BYU is the staff to look at right here. It would actually shock most followers, as BYU has by no means been a contender for prime faculty basketball expertise, however new head coach Kevin Younger has revitalized the donor pool. Since Younger’s hiring, BYU has grow to be a serious competitor within the NIL house, and so they appear set to make Dybantsa one of many highest-paid gamers in faculty basketball for the reason that introduction of NIL.
NIL is not the one factor for Dybantsa, who can also be prioritizing his improvement as a participant, so he doubtless will not decide to the highest-bidder outright. Nonetheless, Younger additionally comes from the NBA, the place he was an assistant coach for the Phoenix Suns.
North Carolina can also be an fascinating program to look at right here. The Tar Heels are one of many solely “blue bloods” nonetheless concerned in his recruitment, and so they’ve despatched loads of gamers to the NBA. They will have the NIL cash to compete with any college and can present further alternatives from sponsorships.
The factor to look at is BYU having the ultimate official go to for Dybantsa. It is broadly thought-about a optimistic signal when a faculty earns the ultimate go to, and that might stay the case right here.
The place does Ok-State stand?Â
Jerome Tang and his workers are at all times assured after they can get a high-level participant onto their campus for a go to. They closed most of their offers within the switch portal following the official go to, and are hoping this stays the case in highschool recruiting.
With so many elements in Dybantsa’s recruitment, we aren’t naming the Wildcats the odds-on favourite. Nonetheless, Ok-State has nearly as good an opportunity to land Dybantsa as any program on his listing, apart from perhaps BYU.
The Wildcats could not have the identical out there cash as BYU, however they’re insanely shut with their NIL price range. Underneath their collective, WildcatNIL, Ok-State might doubtless get near matching any deal offered to Dybantsa. That mixed with the respect that Tang has in faculty basketball might push the Wildcats over the sting.
There’s nonetheless work to be performed for Ok-State to be thought-about the favourite for Dybantsa, however touchdown an official go to is a promising signal. They will struggle to the top on his one.
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