It may be time to grow accustomed to the idea of athletic celebrities donning royal blue. And not just royal blue -- Cougar blue. AJ Dybantsa, basketball rocket ship, collector of buckets, and thief of ankles, has signed an NIL deal to (once again) place himself at the forefront of the sport.
But this time, it seems to be for a slightly different audience altogether. A touch more niche. A pinch more nuanced. A devastating heap more collectable.
Dybantsa, the top player from the 2025 basketball recruiting class and a BYU basketball signee, is now a member of the Fanatics and Topps family, agreeing to put his likeness on trading cards from this basketball season onward to his introduction as a pro within the NBA's walls.
Collectors and frantic fans alike, it's time to fine-tune your Google alerts once more.
Per a press release, these are the details of the new NIL agreement:
1. The multi-year deal goes into effect immediately and continues beyond his collegiate career.
2. The deal holds a focus on trading cards and collectible paraphernalia.
3. For trading cards, this includes autographs, game-worn jerseys, and his inclusion in Fanatics marketing campaigns.
4. This is not his first appearance with Fanatics, as his likeness was used due to inclusion in the McDonald's All-American game.
Included with the release was a promotional video featuring the highly-anticipated freshman standing in the shadow of the Wasatch Mountain Range in Provo, Utah. Tearing up the concrete, Dybantsa's presence promises to alter the trajectory of Kevin Young's basketball program immediately.
Basketball is a beautiful thing; this BYU hooper is about to be immortalized within a several works of art.