BYU basketball is the frontrunner to sign the top player in the 2025 recruiting class, and projected #1 NBA Draft pick, AJ Dybantsa. This is an unprecidented period for a BYU basketball program that is becoming a legitimate national championship contender before our very eyes, and much credit has to go to head coach Kevin Young and his staff.
Since Young joined the Cougars, leaving his position as the highest-paid assistant coach in the NBA with the Phoenix Suns, BYU has received an influx of talent unlike anything in the program's history. Securing Egor Demin, a 5-star international recruit who is projected as a lottery pick in next season's draft, and a conglomerate of 4-star recruits and hyper-talented transfers, Devin Booker's KYU moniker is becoming more appropriate with every piece of breaking news.
Bu the most exciting piece of news for this basketball team isn't the upcoming inaugural season for Young's hoopers, or even any players currently on this year's roster.
AJ Dybantsa--who some have said may surpass Duke's Cooper Flagg in ability--has his eyes on the Cougars. But why? Could it be that BYU is the perfect location for eliminating distractions while preparing for the NBA? Could it be that Kevin Young's expertise and rich understanding of the game is magnetic to players with their eyes on the league?
And even if all this is true, in the age of NIL and pay-to-win tactics in the NCAA, could the Cougars even afford a player of this caliber, or are they doomed to be outbid by a program with deeper pockets?
The reported magic number for Dybantsa could be north of $4 million. And BYU is ready to pay for it.
Multiple sources tell @On3sports that No. 1 recruit AJ Dybantsa is expected to land an NIL package north of $3M and could get as high as $4M.
— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos_) October 22, 2024
A source close to BYU said, “4 to $4.5 million is what they are prepared to pay.”
More: https://t.co/C5kyg92zQV pic.twitter.com/YrfXsECWVo
Undoubtably a terrific player, and if BYU has a chance to land his services, the Cougars could solidify their position in the college basketball world as a legitimate contender. If that's his price, that's his price, and someone is going to pay it. Why not BYU?
He recently took his second visit to campus (first official visit) since joining Utah Prep in Hurricane, and seemed to have a positive experience with his current FIBA teammate, JJ Mandaquit, on their trip to Provo. Both players even got to run out of the tunnel with the football team during pregame festivities as BYU prepared for their eventual win over Arizona.
As AJ's decision draws nearer by the day, college basketball fans will watch with bated breath as the star forward comes to a decision. It may sound crazy, and it certainly sounds expensive, but BYU fans should be optimistic about their chances to secure the best player in the nation's commitment.
Sometimes I'll read back what I've written and shake my head in disbelief--this could be happening.