AJ Dybantsa moved one step closer to charting his college path on Friday.
The Brockton, Mass. native revealed the top seven schools he is considering, as reported by ESPN. They include: Alabama, Auburn, Baylor, BYU, Kansas, Kansas State and North Carolina. Though Dybantsa is still far from his final decision — he plans to commit in February — he has begun to make cuts from his dozens of scholarship offers.
Dybantsa is the consensus top-ranked boys basketball prospect in the country and one of the most highly-touted young players from New England in recent memory. He recently led his AAU team, Oakland Soldiers, to the Nike EYBL championship game at Peach Jam in mid-July, and will attend Utah Prep for his senior year.
Dybantsa has repeatedly said that he values a college program that will win games, prepare him for the NBA (he has voiced one-and-done intentions) and provide a family-like atmosphere. Here's a rundown of the state of each program on Dybantsa's list.
Alabama
In five years under coach Nate Oats, the Crimson Tide have made four NCAA Tournament appearances. They reached the Final Four for the first time in program history last season and have become known for running a high-octane, pro-style offense. Alabama crushed its 2024 recruiting class, ranked second by 247 Sports. Among the additions are two of Dybantsa's former Prolific Prep teammates, Derrion Reid and Aiden Sherrell.
Alabama most recently helped Brandon Miller — a 6-foot-9 scoring wing, like Dybantsa — develop into the second overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft as a one-and-done freshman. Dybantsa told ESPN that Miller's success is a positive in his eyes. He also has a relationship with assistant coach Preston Murphy, who coached Dybantsa on his former AAU team Expressions Elite.
Related: Brockton's AJ Dybantsa is taking flight, and bringing his family along for the ride
Auburn
Dybantsa took a visit to Auburn in March and got to speak with Tigers legend Charles Barkley. Auburn is one of three schools he has officially visited. The Tigers, coached by Sharon, Mass. native Bruce Pearl, have made three straight March Madness appearances and reached the Final Four in 2018-19. The Tigers have sent some wing talent to the top of the NBA Draft in recent years in Isaac Okoro (2020 No. 5 pick) and Jabari Smith (2022 No. 3 pick).
Baylor
The Bears have become one of the most successful programs in the country. They won the national championship in 2020-21, have made nine of the last 11 NCAA Tournaments, and won at least 20 games in 15 of the last 17 seasons under coach Scott Drew. Baylor has had at least one NBA draft pick in each of the last four years, highlighted by 6-foot-8 forward Jeremy Sochan (No. 9 pick in 2022).
Incoming Baylor freshman Jason Asemota is a four-star wing from Lynn, Mass.; he and Dybantsa were teammates together on Expressions Elite.
BYU
Also one of Dybantsa's three visits so far (USC, his third, did not make the cut), BYU is boosted by new head coach Kevin Young. Young most recently spent four years as associate head coach for the Phoenix Suns and has coached in the NBA and NBA G League since 2007. His pro experience is a game-changer for a BYU program that has not developed an NBA draft pick since Jimmer Fredette in 2011.
"After my unofficial visit and conversations with Coach [Kevin Young], he can bring me in and play me like a pro with his knowledge of the NBA with the [Phoenix] Suns and taking it to BYU," Dybantsa told ESPN. "He also mentioned he coached Joel Embiid. He knows what he's talking about. It's a big campus and facility."
BYU is a little more than three hours from Utah Prep.
Related: A film dive into AJ Dybantsa's Nike EYBL championship performance
Kansas
The Jayhawks are one of two traditional blue-bloods to make the cut. Dybantsa referenced to ESPN their long line of successful NBA wing development, including Andrew Wiggins (No. 1 in 2014), Kelly Oubre (No. 15 in 2015) and Josh Jackson (No. 4 in 2019) — and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Kansas has made every NCAA Tournament since 1989-90 (cancelled 2019-20 tournament nonwithstanding) and most recently won the 2021-22 national title.
Kansas State
This might be the most fascinating school on Dybantsa's list. The Wildcats missed March Madness this spring, but made an inspiring Elite Eight run in 2022-23 during Jerome Tang's first year as head coach. Keyontae Johnson went No. 50 overall in the 2023 NBA Draft, but Kansas State has developed only one first-round pick this century (Michael Beasley went second overall in 2008).
However, it seems Tang and the coaching staff has put in work to make a positive impression on the Dybantsa family. Dybantsa's father, Ace, said that Tang flew out to Turkey to watch Dybantsa when he was playing in the FIBA U17 World Cup for Team USA.
"I talked with Jerome Tang," Dybantsa told ESPN. "He told me his guys play with a lot of freedom, but it's also in a system that is geared toward winning."
North Carolina
Like Kansas, North Carolina's blue-blood pedigree speaks for itself. In three years under coach Hubert Davis, the Tar Heels made the national championship game in 2021-22, missed March Madness entirely in 2022-23, then rebounded to a Sweet 16 appearance this past spring. UNC won national titles in 2004-05, 2008-09 and 2016-17 under Roy Williams. At least one UNC player has been selected in the NBA Draft in 16 of the last 20 years.
