2026 NBA Draft potential No. 1 pick reshaping NIL, basketball: Meet AJ Dybantsa

BROCKTON, Mass.

The first time AJ Dybantsa got paid for basketball, he didnt want the money.

When the nations top recruit was named Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year as a high school freshman, it came with a cash prize: $1,000.

That was a lot of money for a 14-year-old who insists he didnt even get good at basketball until a year before.

Advertisement For a teenager, that can go toward video games, shoes or even his future.

But Dybantsa didnt want it for himself.

Instead, he thought about Brazzaville.

He first visited his father Aces hometown, the capital of Congo, when he was 4.

Ace and his wife, Chelsea, used the trip to give their son perspective on their life back in Brockton and the importance of giving back to the community.

So, when the Gatorade check arrived, Dybantsa didnt know what to do with it.

Keeping it didnt feel right.

Do it for your heart, Ace told his son.

Dont take the money.

That will come later.

Ever since then, the 17-year-old Dybantsa has done things differently.

Dont take anything for granted, Dybantsa told The Athletic recently.

People are less fortunate and dont have what we have.

If I continue this route, Im going to get a lot more money than that.

So, I might as well just donate (that check) back to the community.

Name, image and likeness (NIL) rights have transformed American amateur sports, and Dybantsa has been Poseidon riding this financial wave.

He was the third male basketball player to sign a sneaker deal with Nike while still playing in high school and then became the newest face of Red Bull soon thereafter.

Dybantsa rose toward the top of his class at St.

Sebastians, a Boston-area school, and then became the hottest teenage free agent in the sport when he signed lucrative deals with Prolific Prep (Calif.) as a junior and then Utah Prep as a senior.

Ace had a plan for his kids, AJ, Jasmyn and Samarra, before they were even born, getting a job as a police officer at Boston University so they could get free tuition.

But when they turned out to be promising athletes, their plans changed.

AJ, when he was in sixth grade, he said, Dad, Im not going to BU, Ace recalled with a laugh.

I said, God dammit! Advertisement AJ expected to use the majority of this season to study all his college options and make a decision before March Madness.

He had blue bloods Kansas and North Carolina in his final four, but Alabama and BYU were right there with them.

Then, just before Thanksgiving, Dybantsa told his parents it was time.

He was ready to commit after catching a BYU game in person Nov.

16 .

Dybantsa will likely arrive in Provo, Utah, as the presumptive No.

1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, unequivocally the biggest star in college basketball for a year.

Hes what the NBA is looking for, said a NBA front-office executive, who was granted anonymity so they could speak freely.

Wings with legitimate size that understand the game, can create offense and then, in theory, can guard multiple guys.

When Dybantsa donated the Gatorade check to the local Boys & Girls Club as a high school freshman, he presumed that money coming later would be once he shook NBA commissioner Adam Silvers hand on draft night.

But NIL exploded overnight, and Dybantsa was the star of the bidding war that has defined this new era of college basketball.

The irony was he had no idea how much he was making.

Aces job was to handle the business side; AJs job was books and ball.

People just gonna talk, but I (didnt) even know how much Im getting.

They just tell my dad all of that, Dybantsa said.

Im trying to make it to the NBA, so wherever they can get me the fastest there with the best development, theres a whole lot of pillars that come with it.

Moneys going to come if I do the work, so Im not worried about the money in a year.

Aint no Plan B One day early in Dybantsas junior season, he was towering over a group of elementary school students while visiting a class in his hometown.

The children are in awe of this gigantic kid who isnt that much older than them.

Advertisement Most of them dont exactly know who he is, but they know he is somebody.

Dybantsa used to be the one looking up to people, but now they look up to him.

Its a good feeling.

Basketball was funner when there was nothing going on when we were all 10 years old, Dybantsa said.

Nobody got skill, everybodys the same.

It was way more fun.

But now people judge you for who you are.

The same people who hate on you are the same people in the stands trying to ask for a picture.

The games still fun, but its different now.

Once hes walking back to his dads car, the dynamic shifts back to normal.

Ace tells AJ he needs to go home, do his homework and make some lunch.

He has to clean his room, even if he only visits for a few days a month.

I tell AJ all the time, you may be No.

1 in the country, but in my house, you aint No.

1, Ace says with a big smile.

When the coach yells at him, I say, AJ, I love you, dont I? He says, Yes, you do.

When the coach yells at you, he loves you.

He wants you to correct what youre doing wrong.

Aces favorite stories to recall are of all the times he called his sons coaches and told them to bench his ass because AJ did not uphold his parents lofty standards.

In sixth grade, AJ didnt make the honor roll.

Ace told the coach they were driving to New Jersey for a tournament, but his son was not playing in either of their games.

The coach looked at me and said, Youre really gonna drive six hours? Ace said.

I told him, You heard what I said.

When they arrived at the gym, Dybantsa went to warm up just as he always does, but then his coach approached and whispered something in his ear.

Dybantsa spent the game watching from the sideline.

But for the second game, the coach decided the punishment was enough.

Lesson learned, at least by his standard.

But not Aces.

So, on the drive home, I (told AJ), Next time, I wont even bother bringing you to the tournament, Ace said.

Ever since then, honor roll.

The younger Dybantsa brings up the phrase sugarcoating often.

He is criticized by his dad every day, so criticism from his coaches and the public doesnt phase him.

If you get sugarcoated your whole life, you aint ever gonna get better, Dybantsa said.

(My dad) being tough on me and my sisters has impacted us in a way.

Everybody wants something handed to them, but we know life is not gonna work like that.

Advertisement He has an aversion to sweets now.

Tell him like it is, and he can work with that.

Ask anyone who has been around Dybantsa about what makes him special, and it will take a while before you hear about his game.

AJ is the total package on and off the floor, said Ryan Bernardi, his coach at Prolific Prep.

He is extremely respectful, hes charismatic, great personality.

...

I believe these traits were instilled in him by his parents.

Passing always came naturally to Dybantsa, as he claims that hes just now learning how to be a true scorer.

Bernardi and Ace were constantly on him for not being aggressive enough in pursuing his shot while at Prolific.

The younger Dybantsa always maintains the last thing he wants is to be known as a ball hog.

My mindset will never be just scoring.

Im always going to pass, Dybantsa said.

Theres never going to be a game where I have zero assists.

I like making sure that everybody eats.

What makes Dybantsa such a tantalizing prospect is that he is already such a complete player, a former center turned playmaking wing.

His blend of balance, IQ, skill and explosiveness make him one of the most promising players to enter college this century.

Dybantsa was measured during his September visit to Kansas at 6-foot-8 1/2 in socks with a 7-1 wingspan, according to Ace.

His height is up half an inch from the beginning of the year.

Hes a gazelle attacking the rim and can pull up over anyone from every spot on the floor, levitating to a height where contests are merely suggestions that luck should intervene on the defenses behalf.

Dybantsas passing reads out of pick-and-rolls are some of the best at his position.

Hes a brick wall on defense, flipping his hips to steer drivers more smoothly than players half his size.

There is much room for improvement, but the holes in his game are measured at a molecular level.

When Boston-area skill trainer Brandon Ball first started shaping Dybantsas game, most of his pupils worked out twice a day during the summer.

But Dybantsa, then 14, was different.

It reminded Ball of his star client Terrence Clarke, who was one of the top players in the nation at the time, before dying in a car accident.

Advertisement Dybantsa would arrive at the gym at 6 a.m., and they would work on building his skill set.

He would lift weights at 9 a.m.

and then return to the gym to work on his jumper at noon.

He would have a game at 6 p.m., which should be the end of it.

But no, one more workout on the floor postgame.

Most kids cant do three times a day, but he has great body language at every single stop, Ball said.

He understood the mission early, and Terrence was the same way.

The kids work ethic is different.

Most kids that age have lives outside the gym.

Not Dybantsa.

He proudly claims he doesnt do anything outside of ball and school.

Ask him what his hobbies are, theyre basketball and basketball.

Theres a reason BYUs more buttoned-up campus culture wasnt a deterrent for him.

Theres a commonality to most players who maximize their careers in the NBA.

They were the ones who were getting in extra work while their peers were playing video games or going to the movies.

They were taught something on the court once and then can do it an hour later as if theyve known it their whole life.

As Dybantsa grew and quickly became one of the best players in the country, it cemented his unwavering belief that basketball was going to be his future, not that anyone who knew him was questioning it at that point.

My life motto is Aint no Plan B.

I plan who Im supposed to be, Dybantsa said.

People always ask me if I have a Plan B.

Nah, I dont.

Prince of the NIL revolution A year ago, Dybantsa had never heard of Utah Prep.

Few people had.

Its a reclamation project of a defunct school that relocated to Hurricane, Utah, but its not pronounced hurricane .

Ask a local to explain its Scouse roots for you to understand.

Shortly after joining a star-studded roster at Prolific Prep, an Adidas school, Dybantsa signed a deal with Nike that ends before his college career begins.

Now that NIL has made every high school offseason a free-agency period, Prolific knew there was a good chance Dybantsa was heading off to a Nike program for his senior year.

Enter Utah Prep.

Advertisement For everyone involved, this was a first of its kind, Bernardi said.

A new precedent had been set, and we are all trying to figure it out as it goes.

I think the mindset of Whats your offer has been the biggest change and you have to make quicker decisions.

BYU donors facilitated an April visit to the school for Ace and Chelsea before they took a trip down to Provo to see the colleges campus.

That was when they first met incoming BYU coach Kevin Young, who was then the top assistant for the Phoenix Suns but traveled out of Arizona in the middle of a playoff series to host the visit.

Utah Prep reportedly offered Ace $600,000 and an ownership stake in the fledgling program, according to the Salt Lake Tribune .

Done deal.

AJ visited, saw the mountains in the distance and signed up for the move.

There was nothing else to do there, which is just how he liked it.

When Dybantsa was asked why he didnt attend one of the iconic high school programs like Montverde Academy in Florida which reportedly offered $1 million for AJs senior season he explained how he wanted to do things differently.

Montverde, we can use them as an example, Im trying to show people you dont have to go to a school like that to accomplish certain things, AJ said.

Theyre a great school, and theyve got the most league guys from high school.

So, theres no knock going there.

But you dont have to go to a school like that.

Just about every major NBA agent recruited AJ, but Ace decided to continue to manage his career while bringing on Shaquille ONeals former agent, Leonard Armato, as an adviser.

Ace negotiates offers, goes to Armato for his input, comes to AJ for his decision, and a choice is then made.

Agencies have been capitalizing on the NIL gold rush but often charge fees upwards of 20 percent, significantly more than their cut on NBA contracts.

Ace has become a master schmooze and thrives in this new gig.

Advertisement Reports have pegged Dybantsas NIL package to be worth around $7 million, though people with knowledge of the negotiations said the amount coming directly from BYUs NIL collective is closer to $5 million.

In the early stages of the NIL era, there is some ambiguity as to what defines an actual deal with the school.

The NCAA does not directly regulate NIL as the market has been shaped by court decisions over the past several years.

The proposed House v.

NCAA settlement in October has cleared the way for a revenue-sharing model from the schools to the players that could go into effect as soon as July 2025.

But the players are not employees and theres no union, so there is no collective bargaining to establish an agreed-upon system.

Dybantsas role in the recruitment was to get the answers he needed for his career.

He asked coaches for their vision of building an offense through him and how he would bring winning to their team.

He didnt just want to know how the head coach operates, but what his recovery and nutritional program would look like.

He wants to be a pro before hes technically a pro.

The call that sealed the deal was from Kevin Durant, who played for Young in Phoenix.

All Dybantsa wanted was to emulate Durants path to greatness, so he was sold on Young being his guide.

You dont want to just sign with somebody.

You want to be partners with them, Dybantsa said.

Theres a lot more to an offer than just money.

People only see the money part of it, but its not just about money.

In the late stages of his recruitment, AJ and Young were speaking directly while Ace was handling negotiations with the schools.

In the end, Alabama and North Carolina matched BYUs offer, unbeknownst to AJ.

Even when Dybantsa first informed his father in late November he was ready to commit to BYU, Ace kept the focus on basketball and didnt reveal the price tag.

Ace told his son to think it over while the elder Dybantsa paid one last visit to UNC.

Advertisement When Ace returned, AJ was fully locked in on BYU.

They called the school and signed the paperwork before Ace finally told AJ how much the NIL market determined he was worth.

AJs response? Wow.

Im not gonna change At Dybantsas games, the baseline under the opposing teams basket is lined shoulder to shoulder with every young photographer and videographer trying to break into the big leagues, just like him.

When the teams switch baskets at halftime, there is a mad rush of swinging tripods to get the best spot on the other side of the gym.

The days of walking the streets in solitude are coming to an end.

He is already becoming instantly recognizable.

(Hes) trying to navigate being the main character and understanding how much people look up to him and will follow him, Bernardi said.

I think his consistent vocal presence will be a big key for him as he turns into a great leader.

When he returned to Boston for a game with his new school, Utah Prep, every set of eyes is carefully careening his way.

His aura captures the whole arena now.

Aside from the blinged-out chain around his neck, he still carries himself like nobody is watching.

Im not gonna change.

They might, Dybantsa said.

There are some people I know that become famous and change their whole personality.

They want to have this lavish lifestyle, but I just stick to who I am, and I think people mess with that.

Dybantsa plans to return to Boston in January to see family, and theyve already scheduled a shoe giveaway to a local high school.

He never comes home empty-handed.

Hell return as one of the highest-paid amateur basketball players in American history.

Ace has been running the show while his son focuses on basketball and being a kid.

Eventually, AJ can build his empire as he climbs the ladder to NBA stardom.

Advertisement Getting to the big stage isnt the hard part.

Separating yourself is.

Ace knows he wont have much luck telling a nationally renowned college coach to bench his son because he didnt get back on defense.

Those days are over.

Thats why AJ joined a program where hell be treated the same way since he was little.

Ace has no choice but to give it a break and trust his son is ready, as long as AJ still cleans his room when he comes home.

Some things might never change.

Hes probably going to correct me, but hes not going to be yelling at me, AJ said.

Well ...

he might.

(Illustration: Meech Robinson / The Athletic ; top photos: Barry Chin / The Boston Globe via Getty Images; Jim Poorten, Altan Gocher, Hans Lucas, Ezra Shaw / Getty Images).

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