North Carolina Is Still Alive for A.J. Dybantsa

When you are the best player in high school basketball regardless of class, and arguably one of the very top prospects in recent years, any recruiting related move is newsworthy.

A.J. Dybantsa officially trimmed his list of schools Friday morning, and it is generating quite a bit of buzz. His Friday announcement included Alabama, Auburn, BYU, Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, and North Carolina.

Obviously, Dybantsa had his pick of programs, so who he did and did not choose have created talking points throughout the day. Blue bloods like Duke and Kentucky were excluded while others such as BYU for example, find themselves in the unfamiliar spot of trying to land the top-ranked player in his class. Dybantsa unveiled his list with ESPN.

“I’m looking to build a relationship with a head coach who doesn’t sugarcoat anything, but we can still have that bond both on and off the court,” he said. “(We can) talk about things on and off the court and play to my strengths while helping me with my weaknesses. The list is based on the coaches who spoke with my dad the most. I will decide in February.”

Until now, Dybantsa has focused primarily on "books and ball" while his father handled all of the recruiting matters. The son admitted to the media that he knew nothing about any relationships with college coaches. Friday's time with ESPN was not only a breaking of the ice, but a transition from on-court to off the court happenings.

Tar Heel Illustrated spoke with Dybantsa several weeks ago where he confirmed both North Carolina's interest, but also his lack of knowledge about anything past that.

“My dad talks to them. Hubert Davis stays in contact with my dad. I have no idea what they’ve been talking about., "Dybantsa confessed.

UNC offered Dybantsa last October, and they have been in heavy pursuit ever since. Davis and his staff have watched him with both Prolific Prep, and the Oakland Soldiers of the EYBL over the past year. The five-star has transferred schools to Utah Prep in just the past few weeks.

A college in the state of Utah is a major presence in the process. BYU is perceived as the leader among many who cover and follow recruiting. Besides moving into the vicinity of the university, the Cougars hoops program is now reportedly swimming in NIL cash. Rumors have swirled around a seven-digit price tag just to get a seat at the table. However, his father told ESPN that it's not a make or break feature.

“It’s a factor, but it’s not the reason we are picking a school,” Ace Dybantsa told ESPN. “We left out schools that have a lot of money. A.J. will go where he feels he can have the most success on the court.”

Instead, the son says he will be looking for a, "Family-oriented, a winning program, offer development both on the court and in their strength program, and for me to be one-and-done and ready to impact.”

Dybantsa, in our opinion, is a generational type of talent. Everything about the basketball package is at the high end of the ceiling. His athleticism and explosion is in the top percentile. His footwork and skill is able to keep up as well. As far back as 2022, Dybantsa looked like a man among boys against the best players two years older than him.

Rob Cassidy recently put him on a very short list of select company that are the top candidates to be one-and-done college players that will move onto generational NBA wealth.

"Dybantsa’s long-term upside is only matched on this list by that of Flagg. The No. 1 prospect in the 2025 Rivals150, Dybantsa will look to take another large stride toward reaching his ceiling as a senior at Utah Prep, to which the five-star wing transferred this offseason. Utah Prep has only recently become a major destination for top-end talent, so Dybantsa’s development over the next six months will be under a high-powered microscope."

Cassidy continued, "Dybantsa has long looked dominant and impeccably versatile for games at a time, but is still prone to letting mistakes – in both shot selection and ball security – compound on occasion. The upcoming season will be about turning in consistently dominant performances, and it’s clear that the 6-foot-9 senior has that in him. He’s a near lock for the 2026 lottery even as things stand."

Jason Jordan painted an rosier picture if possible during the spring EYBL sessions.

"Dybantsa’s skillset is unparalleled and coupled with his motor creates a force so dominant it’s scary to think of the ceiling. Dybantsa, who is ranked No. 1 overall in the Rivals150, gets to his spots because of his quickness and footwork but is adept at recognizing which dominant attribute to unleash given the situation, " Jordan gushed.

The next step for Hubert Davis will now be trying to secure an official visit. So far the only school out of the group that has received one is Auburn which occurred this past March.