View source for AJ Dybantsa

{{Short description|American basketball player (born 2006)}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = AJ Dybantsa
| image = AJ Dybantsa 2024.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Dybantsa in 2024
| team = Utah Prep
| number = 3
| position = [[Small forward]]
| league =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 9
| weight_lb = 200
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2007|01
|29}}
| birth_place = [[Brockton, Massachusetts|Brockton]], [[Massachusetts]], U.S.
| high_school = *[[Saint Sebastian's School|Saint Sebastian's]]<br />([[Needham, Massachusetts]])
*Prolific Prep<br />([[Napa, California]])
*Utah Prep<br />([[Hurricane, Utah]])
| college =
| highlights = * [[Nike Hoop Summit]] (2024)
| medal_templates = {{MedalSport|Men's [[basketball]]}}
{{MedalCountry|{{bk|USA}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup|FIBA U17 World Cup]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2024 FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup|2024 Turkey]]|[[United States men's national under-17 basketball team|Team]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[FIBA Under-16 Americas Championship]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[FIBA Under-16 Americas Championship|2023 Mérida]]|[[United States men's national under-16 basketball team|Team]]}}
}}
'''Anicet “AJ” Dybantsa Jr.''' (born January 29, 2007) is an American [[basketball]] player who currently attends Utah Prep. He is rated as the number one player in the 2025 class after [[reclassification (education)|reclassifying]] from the 2026 class.
== Early life and high school career ==
Dybantsa grew up in [[Brockton, Massachusetts]] and initially attended [[Saint Sebastian's School]]. He has stated that his 8th grade religious studies teacher, Mr. Lewin, has been a mentor for him. <ref name="2023U16USA">{{Cite news |last=Gasper |first=Christopher L. |date=June 8, 2023 |title=He's 16, the top prospect in his class, and playing for Team USA. How does AJ Dybantsa stay focused amid the hype? |work=[[The Boston Globe]] |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/06/08/sports/aj-dybantsa-basketball-prospect/ |url-status=live |url-access=limited |access-date=July 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230711203111/https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/06/08/sports/aj-dybantsa-basketball-prospect/ |archive-date=July 11, 2023}}</ref> He was named the Massachusetts Boys' Basketball Gatorade Player of the Year following his freshman season after averaging 19.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.5 blocks per game.<ref name="ProlificPrepTransfer">{{Cite web |last=Divens |first=Jordan |date=June 15, 2023 |title=High school basketball: Top-ranked Class of 2026 prospect A.J. Dybantsa transfers to Prolific Prep |url=https://www.maxpreps.com/m/news/S1zeK71poE-UpMRiUmVv7g/high-school-basketball-top-ranked-class-of-2026-prospect-aj-dybantsa-transfers-to-prolific-prep.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230618021158/https://www.maxpreps.com/m/news/S1zeK71poE-UpMRiUmVv7g/high-school-basketball-top-ranked-class-of-2026-prospect-aj-dybantsa-transfers-to-prolific-prep.htm |archive-date=June 18, 2023 |access-date=July 11, 2023 |website=[[MaxPreps]]}}</ref> Dybantsa helped lead Saint Sebastian's to the [[NEPSAC]] Class A state championship, but lost to [[Milton Academy]] 77–76.<ref name="2023U16USA" />
Dybantsa transferred to Prolific Prep in [[Napa, California]] at the end of his freshman year, where he  teamed up with the second-ranked player in the 2026 class, [[Tyran Stokes]].<ref name="ProlificPrepTransfer" /><ref name="ProlificPrep">{{Cite news |last=Fuller |first=Ethan |date=June 15, 2023 |title=AJ Dybantsa, the nation's top-ranked freshman basketball player, is transferring from St. Sebastian's to Prolific Prep in California |work=[[The Boston Globe]] |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/06/15/sports/aj-dybantsa-nations-top-ranked-freshman-basketball-player-is-transferring-st-sebastians-prolific-prep-california/ |url-status=live |url-access=limited |access-date=July 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230711235304/https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/06/15/sports/aj-dybantsa-nations-top-ranked-freshman-basketball-player-is-transferring-st-sebastians-prolific-prep-california/ |archive-date=July 11, 2023}}</ref> In July 2023, Dybantsa led the [[Nike Elite Youth Basketball League#EYBL circuit|Nike Peach Jam]] in scoring with 25.8 points per game<ref name="On3#1Player">{{Cite web |last=Shaw |first=Jamie |date=July 10, 2023 |title=Ranking the top ten prospects in high school basketball |url=https://www.on3.com/news/ranking-the-top-ten-prospects-in-high-school-basketball-cooper-flagg-aj-dybantsa-cameron-boozer/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230712022858/https://www.on3.com/news/ranking-the-top-ten-prospects-in-high-school-basketball-cooper-flagg-aj-dybantsa-cameron-boozer/ |archive-date=July 12, 2023 |access-date=July 11, 2023 |website=On3.com}}</ref> as a member of Expressions Elite, an [[Amateur Athletic Union]] team from Boston.<ref name="2023PeachJam">{{Cite web |last=Parrish |first=Gary |date=July 9, 2023 |title=Peach Jam 2023: AJ Dybantsa impresses as elite Class of 2026 prospect proves worthy of growing hype |url=https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/peach-jam-2023-aj-dybantsa-impresses-as-elite-class-of-2026-prospect-proves-worthy-of-growing-hype/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230709225818/https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/peach-jam-2023-aj-dybantsa-impresses-as-elite-class-of-2026-prospect-proves-worthy-of-growing-hype/ |archive-date=July 9, 2023 |access-date=July 11, 2023 |website=[[CBS Sports]]}}</ref>
Dybantsa will conclude his high school basketball career playing at Utah Prep in [[Hurricane, Utah]], where he transferred for the 2024-25 season.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Harper |first=Mitch |date=May 24, 2024 |title=Nation's No. 1 Basketball Recruit Will Conclude Prep Career At Utah High School |url=https://kslsports.com/517748/aj-dybantsa-utah-prep-transfer-number-one-basketball-recruit/ |work=[[KSL News]]}}</ref> Utah Prep was previously RSL Basketball Academy in [[Herriman, Utah|Herriman.]] At Utah Prep, AJ will reunite with fellow USA gold medalist<ref name="U16FIBAGold" /> JJ Mandaquit, the nation's seventh-ranked point guard in the 2025 class who is also playing his senior year with the program.
=== Recruiting ===
Dybantsa was named the number one player in the 2026 class by [[ESPN]] following his freshman season,<ref name="Dybantsa#1ESPN">{{Cite web |last=Melissa |date=May 15, 2023 |title=Brockton Freshman Ranked #1 NBA Prospect By ESPN – Meet A.J. Dybantsa |url=https://wror.com/listicle/brockton-freshman-ranked-1-nba-prospect-by-espn-meet-a-j-dybantsa/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230712015424/https://wror.com/listicle/brockton-freshman-ranked-1-nba-prospect-by-espn-meet-a-j-dybantsa/ |archive-date=July 12, 2023 |access-date=July 11, 2023 |website=[[WROR]]}}</ref> with his first [[NCAA Division I]] college offer coming from [[Boston College Eagles men's basketball|Boston College]].<ref name="DybantsaBCOffer">{{Cite web |last=Cassidy |first=Rob |date=May 7, 2023 |title=Top 2026 AJ Dybansta is taking over games and collecting offers |url=https://basketballrecruiting.rivals.com/news/top-2026-aj-dybansta-is-taking-over-games-and-collecting-offers |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230507151341/https://basketballrecruiting.rivals.com/news/top-2026-aj-dybansta-is-taking-over-games-and-collecting-offers |archive-date=May 7, 2023 |access-date=July 11, 2023 |website=[[Rivals.com]]}}</ref> Additional schools that have offered him a scholarship and/or are under consideration include [[Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball|Alabama]], [[Arkansas Razorbacks men's basketball|Arkansas]], [[Auburn Tigers men's basketball|Auburn]], [[Baylor Bears men's basketball|Baylor]], [[BYU Cougars men's basketball|BYU]], [[UConn Huskies men's basketball|UConn]], [[Duke Blue Devils men's basketball|Duke]], [[Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets men's basketball|Georgia Tech]], [[Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball|Georgetown]], [[Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball|Kentucky]], [[North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball|North Carolina]], [[Providence Friars men's basketball|Providence]], [[USC Trojans men's basketball|USC]], [[Utah Utes men's basketball|Utah]], and [[Washington Huskies men's basketball|Washington]].<ref name="Dybantsa#Suitors">{{Cite web |last=Zagoria |date=July 14, 2024 |title=No. 1 2025 prospect AJ Dybantsa to release top schools later this month |url=https://www.zagsblog.com/2024/07/14/no-1-2025-prospect-aj-dybantsa-to-release-top-schools-later-this-month/ }}</ref><ref name="EarlyOffers">{{Cite web |last=Biancardi |first=Paul |author-link=Paul Biancardi |date=June 28, 2023 |title=Rising men's college basketball recruits, a new No. 1, more |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/insider/story/_/id/37905743/men-college-basketball-recruiting-updated-rankings-no-1-risers-new-faces |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230628192949/https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/insider/story/_/id/37905743/men-college-basketball-recruiting-updated-rankings-no-1-risers-new-faces |archive-date=June 28, 2023 |access-date=July 11, 2023 |website=[[ESPN]]}}</ref> In July 2023, On3.com named Dybantsa the top high school player in the country regardless of class.<ref name="On3#1Player" />
On October 11, Dybantsa announced that he had [[reclassification (education)|reclassified]] to the 2025 class.<ref name="Reclassified">{{Cite magazine |last=Buhler |first=Andy |date=October 11, 2023 |title=AJ Dybantsa, nation's top basketball prospect, moves up to class of 2025 |url=https://highschool.si.com/news/2023/10/11/aj-dybantsa-nations-top-basketball-prospect-reclasses-to-2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231011185304/https://highschool.si.com/news/2023/10/11/aj-dybantsa-nations-top-basketball-prospect-reclasses-to-2025 |archive-date=October 11, 2023 |access-date=October 11, 2023 |magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]}}</ref>
{{College Athlete Recruit Start|40=no|collapse=no|year=2026}}
{{College Athlete Recruit Entry
| recruit  = AJ Dybansta
| position = [[Small forward|SF]]
| hometown = [[Brockton, Massachusetts|Brockton, MA]]
| highschool = Prolific Prep (CA)
| feet   = 6
| inches = 7
| weight = 196
| 40 =
| commitdate = —
| scout stars  =
| rivals stars = 5
| 247 stars = 5
| espn stars = 5
| espn grade = 98
}}
{{College Athlete Recruit End
| 40               =
| year             =
| rivals ref title =
| scout ref title  =
| espn ref title   =
| rivals school    =
| scout s          =
| espn schoolid    =
| 247 overall      = 1
| rivals overall   = 1
| espn overall     = 1
| accessdate       = October 2, 2023
| bball            = yes
}}
== National team ==
Dybantsa won a gold medal while representing the United States at the [[FIBA Under-16 Americas Championship]] in [[Mérida, Yucatán|Mérida]], Mexico. He scored 12 points in the gold medal game and averaged 13.8 points for the tournament.<ref name="On3#1Player" /><ref name="U16FIBAGold">{{Cite web |last=Lawlor |first=Christopher |date=June 12, 2023 |title=Eight Straight: USA Men's Basketball U16 National Team takes home gold, burying Canada, 118-36, in FIBA Americas final; Cameron Boozer named MVP |url=https://bluestarmedia.org/eight-straight-usa-mens-basketball-u16-national-team-takes-home-gold-burying-canada-118-36-in-fiba-americas-final-cameron-boozer-named-mvp/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230612130731/https://bluestarmedia.org/eight-straight-usa-mens-basketball-u16-national-team-takes-home-gold-burying-canada-118-36-in-fiba-americas-final-cameron-boozer-named-mvp/ |archive-date=June 12, 2023 |access-date=July 11, 2023 |website=Bluestar Media}}</ref>
== References ==
{{reflist}}
== External links ==
*[https://www.usab.com/players/aj-dybantsa USA Basketball bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dybantsa, AJ}}
[[Category:2007 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American men's basketball players]]
[[Category:American people of Republic of the Congo descent]]
[[Category:American sportspeople of Jamaican descent]]
[[Category:Basketball players from Massachusetts]]
[[Category:People from Brockton, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Small forwards]]
[[Category:21st-century American sportsmen]]