BYU Basketball

It's a new day in college sports, and multiple schools were reportedly willing to pay what it took to land highly coveted recruit AJ Dybantsa before he revealed on Tuesday's episode of First Take that he will attend BYU.

Matt Norlander of CBS Sports reported Wednesday that BYU, North Carolina and Alabama all decided to "meet the asking price" of approximately $5 million in name, image and likeness money to sign Dybantsa.

Norlander noted it is believed to be the biggest deal for any college basketball player in history.

"The money for every [school] was the same," Leonard Armato, Dybantsa's business adviser, told CBS Sports. "The decision wasn't a money decision as much as it was a culture fit, a decision for the family, basketball, all those things that should be the determining factors. There was a certain money threshold, but once you got to that, it was about 'how comfortable do I feel for me as a basketball player and my family.'"

That's not all, as Dybantsa has deals with Nike and Red Bull that Norlander reported are believed to be worth at least another $1 million combined.

BYU's ability to land a recruit over some of the sport's most notable powerhouse programs speaks well to the direction the program is heading under head coach Kevin Young, who took over after Mark Pope departed for Kentucky.

Dybantsa is far from just an ordinary recruit, as he is the No. 1 overall player in the 2025 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings. He reclassified from the 2026 class to the 2025 one, but the move did nothing to his No. 1 ranking.

That is because of a skill set that features the ability to score all over the court as a 6'9" matchup nightmare. He can hit from the outside, score in the lane and attack off the bounce, and it isn't difficult to envision him as a defensive leader at the next level as well with his combination of size and athleticism.

He will be an expensive recruit for BYU's collective as the program looks to establish success in the Big 12, but the Cougars needed a jolt since they haven't won an NCAA tournament game since 2012.

Dybantsa is the type of player who can provide just that type of program-altering boost.

There was reportedly a significant financial element to top basketball recruit A.J. Dybantsa's decision to commit to BYU on Tuesday.

According to Adam Zagoria of the New York Times, Dybantsa's name, image and likeness (NIL) asking price was "close to $7 million."

Dybantsa announced his decision Tuesday morning on ESPN's First Take, choosing BYU over big-time programs in Kansas, North Carolina and Alabama:

The 17-year-old Dybantsa is rated by 247Sports as a 5-star prospect, and he is ranked as the No. 1 overall college basketball recruit in the class of 2025.

The 6'9", 210-pound Dybantsa plays his high school basketball at Utah Prep in Hurricane, Utah, which gave BYU an in-state advantage over some of the blue-blood programs that were pursuing him.

Per ESPN's Jeff Borzello and Paul Biancardi, Dybantsa suggested that the NBA experience of BYU head coach Kevin Young played a major role in his decision.

"At BYU, the whole staff from the head coach on down came from the NBA," Dybantsa said. "Head coach Kevin Young coached my favorite player in KD [Kevin Durant], and coached Devin Booker. Both had a lot of good things to say about him. We watched clips of both."

Young was an assistant coach with the Philadelphia 76ers from 2016 to 2020, and with the Phoenix Suns from 2020 to 2024.

In his first season as the head coach at BYU, Young has the Cougars off to 6-2 start, and they may be well on their way to a second consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament.

Dybantsa was the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2026 college basketball recruiting class before reclassifying to 2025 and keeping the top spot. He is also the early favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft.

Originally from Brockton, Massachusetts, Dybantsa has already made a major impact internationally, winning gold medals with Team USA at the 2023 FIBA Under-16 Americas Championship and the 2024 FIBA Under-17 World Cup.

He also led the 2023 Nike Peach Jam in scoring with 25.8 points per game, per Borzello and Biancardi, and he led the World Team at the 2024 Nike Hoop Summit with 21 points and seven rebounds in a 98-75 loss to Team USA.

While BYU has reached the NCAA tournament 31 times and made it as far as the Elite Eight, the Cougars are usually not in the running for players of Dybantsa's caliber.

In fact, Borzello and Biancardi noted that Dybantsa is BYU's first 5-star recruit since the the creation of the ESPN recruiting database in 2007.

Dybantsa's arrival signals the start of a new era for BYU, though, and it could perhaps be the type of program-shifting move that makes the Cougars legitimate national title contenders moving forward.

The best men's college basketball prospect in the country is going to BYU.

AJ Dybantsa announced on Tuesday's episode of First Take that he is joining BYU, choosing them over fellow finalists Kansas, North Carolina and Alabama.

The 6'9" small forward is the No. 1 overall player in the 2025 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

He was initially part of the 2026 class but decided to reclassify to the 2025 one and get a jumpstart on his collegiate career. That he remained the No. 1 overall prospect in his class despite moving up a year only underscores his overwhelming ability and potential.

Adam Finkelstein of 247Sports projected Dybantsa as a future top-10 pick in the NBA in large part because of his offense and ability to score the ball in a number of different ways.

Finkelstein called the prospect's pull-up game "lethal," which should help him create open looks at the next level. He can score from the outside, get out in transition and attack the lane off the bounce, and the combination of his size and overall skill package makes him a matchup nightmare from the small forward spot.

That same combination of size and athleticism also suggests Dybantsa can become a defensive star as well as someone who can protect the rim, help control the boards and get into passing lanes while staying in front of ball-handlers if necessary.

While he will be under the spotlight and facing elevated expectations as a college freshman, it would be surprising if Dybantsa ends up being anything other than a star and likely one-and-done player as he turns his attention toward the next level.

And that is surely exactly what BYU is looking for with this decision.

The Cougars were dealt a blow when head coach Mark Pope left for Kentucky, which put the pressure on new coach Kevin Young to quickly establish success. And the best way to do that is by performing well on the recruiting trail.

This is more than just performing well. This is landing the best prospect in the country, which should set BYU up to be a force in the Big 12 during the 2025-26 campaign.

It might even set it up to win an NCAA tournament game for the first time since 2012.

Utah native AJ Dybantsa, the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2025 class, is in Provo today for BYU's home game.

Per Joe Tipton of On3.com, Dybantsa is expected to be at J. Willard Marriott Center to watch the Cougars host Idaho as he continues to mull over his future college destination.

Dybantsa is a 5-star recruit and the top-ranked prospect, per 247Sports' composite rankings. He has received offers and taken official visits to several powerhouse programs across the country, including North Carolina, Kansas and Alabama.

The battle to land Dybantsa has been intense among many programs. Pete Nakos of On3.com reported in October that his NIL deal could get as high as $4 million for one year.

In a separate report from Nakos on Thursday, BYU was considered the "clear favorite" to land the Utah Prep standout and the program is "prepared to pay" him between $4-4.5 million when all is said and done.

Dybantsa told ESPN's Jeff Borzello and Paul Biancardi he moved up his commitment date from February to December because his official visits stopped last month and he feels confident about all of the schools he is considering:

"The original plan was to commit in February. The visits stopped in October. We wanted to make sure we had enough time to see all the schools play. We are ahead of where we thought we would be. If I know where I want to go, why wait? It's probably going to be in December. I feel I will be ready by then."

The 17-year-old Dybantsa reclassified from 2026 to 2025 in October 2023. After the Nike EYBL Peach Jam event in the spring of 2023, one coach told ESPN's Jeff Borzello that Dybantsa "has the potential" to be a player in the mold of Kobe Bryant, Jayson Tatum or Kawhi Leonard as a bigger guard with positional versatility.

BYU's 2025 recruiting class currently ranks fifth in the Big 12, led by center Xavion Staton. Landing Dybantsa would be a huge coup for first-year head coach Kevin Young, who took over after Mark Pope was hired by Kentucky in April.

AJ Dybantsa, the consensus No. 1 overall men's basketball prospect in the class of 2025, could reportedly receive an NIL package of up to $4.5 million from BYU if he commits to the Cougars, according to Pete Nakos of On3.

Dybantsa is a 6'9", 210-pound forward who attends Utah Prep in Hurricane, Utah. Per 247Sports, he's received 29 offers and made visits to seven schools: BYU, Alabama, North Carolina, Kansas, Kansas State, Auburn and USC.

It's not hard to find scouts and analysts raving about Dybantsa.

"A 6-foot-9 jumbo wing with a wingspan exceeding 7 feet, an emerging 200-plus-pound frame and an advanced understanding of how to score from his spots (even in a half-court game), AJ Dybantsa is the best prospect in high school basketball," Adam Finkelstein of 247Sports wrote in part last June.

He also said: "If he continues on his current path, then there's no one in high school basketball with more potential than him."

Dybantsa just dropped 28 points (including five three-pointers) in a 69-68 win over Columbus High School (Miami), the current home of No. 2 class of 2025 prospect and Duke commit Cameron Boozer, in a Border League game in Las Vegas.

BYU is going all-in on recruiting Dybantsa, as evidenced by the reported NIL offer but also by coaches' presence at his Border League games. Krysten Peek of Yahoo Sports provided the scoop.

"There are few players at the high school level who can take over possessions and consistently make the right read," Peek wrote in part.

"The way Dybantsa processes the game at just 17 years old is the reason so many teams are eyeing the 2026 draft."

Dybantsa could very well be the top pick in that draft, but for now, he's still playing out his final year of high school with eyes toward the collegiate ranks.

An NIL valuation of $4.5 million would rank second behind only Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, a candidate to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL draft. Per On3, Sanders' NIL valuation is at $6.1 million.

Dybantsa looks like he'll be worth the hype and then some. Per On3's latest recruiting predictions, BYU is ahead at 41.7 percent, with Kansas State second at 25.0 percent.

Given the Cougars' potential reported NIL offer, coupled with the connection to Dybantsa already, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the No. 1 recruit head to Provo.

BYU has found its next men's basketball coach in Phoenix Suns assistant Kevin Young.

Young will replace Mark Pope, who departed to take the Kentucky job after John Calipari left the Wildcats for Arkansas.

According to Matt Norlander of CBS Sports, "BYU is ready to put a deal on the table worth approximately $30 million and for seven years" for its next coach.

It is quite the deal from the Cougars, although ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski noted Young was the highest-paid assistant coach in the NBA and someone who was seen as "a significant candidate" for head coaching jobs across the league in recent years.

He previously interviewed with the Suns, Milwaukee Bucks, Toronto Raptors, Houston Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers, Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards, Charlotte Hornets and Brooklyn Nets, so it likely took a significant commitment from BYU to convince him to join the collegiate ranks.

There is also a connection in place with the state, as Young was born in Salt Lake City and previously coached the Utah Flash in the NBA G League.

He also coached the Iowa Energy and Delaware 87ers in the G League in addition to assistant roles with the Suns and 76ers.

Wojnarowski reported the plan is for Young to remain with Phoenix through the playoffs before fully transitioning to his role with the Cougars. However, he will put together a coaching staff that will immediately start recruiting during an important time of the college basketball calendar when it comes to roster building.

Pope built a strong foundation and led BYU to the NCAA tournament in two of his five seasons. It would have been three of his five seasons if the 2020 Big Dance wasn't canceled because of COVID-19, as the Cougars were 24-8 and ranked at different times during the season.

Young will look to take the next step, though, considering Pope lost in the first round of each of his tournament appearances.

The 2024-25 season will be BYU's second in the Big 12 conference, and it quickly found success with a 23-11 overall record and a 10-8 mark in the league in its first. While the season ended with an upset loss to 11th-seeded Duquesne in the first round of the tournament, it was an impressive overall showing following 12 years in the West Coast Conference.

During the early stages of No. 6 BYU's upset loss to No. 11 Duquesne in the first round of the NCAA tournament, sophomore guard Dallin Hall took a blow to his face while going for a rebound, leaving him with a bloody nose.

Play had to be stopped less than three minutes into the game after Hall went down, as the blood needed to be cleaned off the court:

Hall managed to stay in the game and played 36 minutes in BYU's 71-67 loss. He finished with 11 points, six assists and four steals.

Duquesne's win left a ton of brackets busted early on Thursday:

Hall led the Cougars with an average of 5.0 assists this season, so he should retain the role of lead distributor when the team returns for the 2024-25 campaign.

BYU basketball legend Jimmer Fredette played a hilarious prank on the BYU men's basketball team this week at walk-on tryouts.

In a video posted by ESPN, Fredette wore a wig, a fake mustache, heavy makeup and extra padding in his abdominal area before taking part in the BYU tryout:

Fredette introduced himself as Tim Schloss from Cincinnati, and told players and coaches that he went by the nickname "Slick Nick."

While the players were not aware of Fredette's identity until he shed his disguise after the tryout, his dominant performance may have clued them in to the idea that Slick Nick wasn't who he said he was.

Fredette knocked down shot after shot during the tryout, making it reminiscent of his run with the Cougars from 2007 to 2011.

During his time at BYU, Fredette was one of the best scorers in the nation, particularly in 2010-11 when he averaged 28.9 points, 4.3 assists, 3.4 rebounds, 3.4 three-pointers made and 1.3 steals per game.

The Cougars went 32-5 and reached the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament that year, and Fredette was named the national college player of the year.

Fredette was selected 10th overall in the 2011 NBA draft, and went on to spend six years in the league with the Sacramento Kings, Chicago Bulls, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks and Phoenix Suns.

He currently plays for the Chinese Basketball Association's Shanghai Sharks and was named CBA International MVP in 2017.

The 2021 Phil Knight Invitational did not go according to plan for the Oregon Ducks.

The No. 12 Ducks welcomed BYU to the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon, for this year's event but were promptly handed a blowout 81-49 loss. Alex Barcello continued his red-hot start to the season with 25 points on 9-of-11 shooting from the field and 4-of-6 shooting from deep to stake the Cougars to an early lead they never relented.

Unranked BYU was dominant in the first half and built a 19-point lead at intermission.

It set the tone on the defensive side while holding the Ducks to just 18 points in the first half and 32.1 percent shooting from the field overall. The Cougars swarmed to outside shooters and cut off driving lanes while the game was still hanging in the balance and never allowed the Ducks to build any sustained momentum in the second half.

Eric Williams Jr. led the way in the losing effort for Oregon and finished with 12 points and three rebounds.

Yet it was Barcello who stole the show against a Pac-12 opponent, which isn't exactly a surprise from BYU's perspective.

After all, the senior guard was the only player on the team who entered Tuesday's game averaging double-figure scoring totals after leading the Cougars to victories over San Diego State and Cleveland State to start the 2021-22 campaign.

He also continued his scorching start from beyond the arc and is now 8-of-13 (61.5 percent) from deep on the season.

It wasn't a one-man effort, as Te'Jon Lucas (12 points, three assists and two rebounds), Fousseyni Traore (10 points, six rebounds and two blocks) and Spencer Johnson (10 points, three assists and three rebounds) scored in double figures for the victors.

BYU is now 3-0 and has a marquee win on its resume that will surely resonate to Selection Sunday. It will look to build on this effort when it takes on Central Methodist in Saturday's matchup.

The Cougars also have notable nonconference games remaining against Utah and Creighton and look capable of amassing an impressive resume long before they face the top-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs in WCC play.

As for the 2-1 Ducks, they will look to bounce back on Monday against Chaminade.