2025 Recruiting Targets?

[HooperScooper]

His dad is very involved, one of the interviews from last weekend he said his dad is handling all the communication with schools right now and once he decides cuts down his list AJ will start talking to the coaches

After the game, ZAGSBLOG.com caught up with Dybantsa’s father, “Ace” Dybantsa, to discuss the move from Prolific Prep to Utah Prep. Ace said last year when Dybantsa went to Prolific, they wanted them to sign for two years.

“I was like, ‘nah, it’s one year and we’ll see what happens,'” Ace said. “So the year came up, we fulfilled our commitment. Time to go.”

High school players "sign" with high schools?

No. 1 prospect AJ Dybantsa, his father, break down move from Prolific Prep to Utah Prep | Zagsblog

By SAM LANCE KANSAS CITY — AJ […]

www.zagsblog.com

 

[awy]

utah seems to have deep pockets for hoops.

 

[bjc42]

After the game, ZAGSBLOG.com caught up with Dybantsa’s father, “Ace” Dybantsa, to discuss the move from Prolific Prep to Utah Prep. Ace said last year when Dybantsa went to Prolific, they wanted them to sign for two years.

“I was like, ‘nah, it’s one year and we’ll see what happens,'” Ace said. “So the year came up, we fulfilled our commitment. Time to go.”

High school players "sign" with high schools?

No. 1 prospect AJ Dybantsa, his father, break down move from Prolific Prep to Utah Prep | Zagsblog

By SAM LANCE KANSAS CITY — AJ […]

www.zagsblog.com

I'm not convinced that these prep schools actually are schools, more just basketball academies. But I haven't heard much about signing lol

 

[superjohn]

Yeah that’s a good point. AAU is mostly a ball dominant showcase so it’s nice to find guys who score in the halfcourt without having the ball in their hands constantly.

22 points and 20 points for Jemison in Expressions two wins today.

 

[auror]

Probably more like signing a financial aid/scholarship document is what he meant.

 

[HooperScooper]

22 points and 20 points for Jemison in Expressions two wins today.

London Jemison, F, Expressions Elite- Currently ranked No. 58 in the class of 2025, Jemison is another guy who has had an impressive spring and is angling for a bump in the rankings. Pushing 6-foot-8 he's a long and rangy forward who is probably a natural four man but is looking more and more like he can play long stretches on the wing. On Friday he was good for 16 points, five rebounds and made a trio of threes. He currently holds offers from Notre Dame, Providence, Syracuse, Villanova, Virginia, Xavier and several others.

Top-ranked AJ Dybantsa's buzzer-beater highlights friday night action at the EYBL

No. 1 ranked AJ Dybantsa came up big when most needed on Friday night and was one of many standouts on the opening night of Nike's EYBL stop in Kansas City.

247sports.com

 

[Dabutlerdidit]

Any chance Kian Anthony visits UConn ?

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

x.com

x.com

Potential visit.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

I just found out the Perry HS down the street from my community.is a powerhouse.and defending state open Div champs They lost some good guys but still have 6’8” .
Koa Peat 2025 who is a 5 star . He comes from a spectacular athletic family
I think Bobby Hurley is recruiting him I will try to get to a game this year.

 

[Fan1978]

Any chance Kian Anthony visits UConn ?

Yes when Syracuse schedules a road ass whooping at UConn

 

[Ricker]

Using today's 24/7 composite, so far the watch list seems to be:

5 Stars
#1 AJ Dybantsa 6'9 200lb F from Mass playing for Utah Prep / Oakland Soldiers
#6 Meleek Thomas 6'4 175lb SG from PA playing for New Heights AAU (shooter & breakdown driver)
#9 Darius Acuff 6'3 180lb PG playing at IMG & AAU The Family
#12 Trey McKenney 6'4 225lb from Flint Mich & AAU The Family
#20 Dwayne Aristode 6'7 185lb F from the Netherlands playing at Brewster & Expressions Elite AAU
#23 Niko Bundalo 6'11 195lb F from Ohio & Adidas circuit (outside shooting & ball handling skills)

4 Stars
#39 Kiyan Anthony 6'5 185lb 2G LI Lutheran
#61 London Jemison 6'8 185lb F CT St Thomas More & Expressions Elite
#80 Badara Diakite 6'9 182lb C CT South Kent & New Heights / also Albany some games
#101 Jaylen Harrell 6'5 210lb SF/2G Mass & Expressions Elite (deep shooter)
#104 Preston Fowler 6'7 195lb F Bolton CT playing for Brewster & New Heights (deep shooter)
#108 Braylon Mullins 6'5 180lb SG from Ind playing Adidas circuit I think

3 Stars
#154 Jacob Ross 6'5 185lb SF LI Lutheran

I think Mullins is the only known scheduled visit so far on 6/24 but reading his thread on the boneyard, he may be coming to make mayo, bread, or other popular food items

 

[awy]

AJ taking a visit to BYU. probably significant due to a variety of factors.

 

[Huskyforlife]

AJ taking a visit to BYU. probably significant due to a variety of factors.

The Utah Prep stuff probably isn't coincidental.

Also for confused people, supposedly BYU has a huge bag right now, something about their new coach and NBA connections.

 

[auror]

The Utah Prep stuff probably isn't coincidental.

Also for confused people, supposedly BYU has a huge bag right now, something about their new coach and NBA connections.

Their new coach Kevin Young worked for the Phoenix Suns and was considered on the fast track for getting an NBA head coaching job (he was the highest paid assistant in the league and had been a finalist for a few jobs, including the Jazz in 2022). He's legitimately directly related to Brigham Young (and Steve Young). The Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith is a BYU alum (and billionaire chairman of Qualtrics) and his Dad is a professor at BYU. New coach Kevin's brother is a pretty high up executive at Ryan's company, Qualtrics. Kevin's other brother Justin is a national basketball recruiting analyst that was with Rivals for a while.

Ryan Smith is essentially consolidating and supporting all Utah sports. He bought the Jazz, the Utah MLS team, a Utah NWSL soccer team, and bought and is moving the Phoenix NHL team to Utah all pretty much within the last 5 years. He's also dropping heavy bags for BYU basketball in the NIL era.

He's like what Tilman Fertitta is to Houston.

 

[TheChamps990411]

And that mind set is why Rudy never played to his immense potential. Feel free to dislike my comment.

 

[NJHusky]

Their new coach Kevin Young worked for the Phoenix Suns and was considered on the fast track for getting an NBA head coaching job (he was the highest paid assistant in the league and had been a finalist for a few jobs, including the Jazz in 2022). He's legitimately directly related to Brigham Young (and Steve Young). The Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith is a BYU alum (and billionaire chairman of Qualtrics) and his Dad is a professor at BYU. New coach Kevin's brother is a pretty high up executive at Ryan's company, Qualtrics. Kevin's other brother Justin is a national basketball recruiting analyst that was with Rivals for a while.

Ryan Smith is essentially consolidating and supporting all Utah sports. He bought the Jazz, the Utah MLS team, a Utah NWSL soccer team, and bought and is moving the Phoenix NHL team to Utah all pretty much within the last 5 years. He's also dropping heavy bags for BYU basketball in the NIL era.

He's like what Tilman Fertitta is to Houston.

Thx for the info. I never heard of the company

 

[uconnfan68]

The Utah Prep stuff probably isn't coincidental.

Also for confused people, supposedly BYU has a huge bag right now, something about their new coach and NBA connections.

And they tithe.

 

[huskiesouth]

Using today's 24/7 composite, so far the watch list seems to be:

5 Stars
#1 AJ Dybantsa 6'9 200lb F from Mass playing for Utah Prep / Oakland Soldiers
#6 Meleek Thomas 6'4 175lb SG from PA playing for New Heights AAU (shooter & breakdown driver)
#9 Darius Acuff 6'3 180lb PG playing at IMG & AAU The Family
#12 Trey McKenney 6'4 225lb from Flint Mich & AAU The Family
#20 Dwayne Aristode 6'7 185lb F from the Netherlands playing at Brewster & Expressions Elite AAU
#23 Niko Bundalo 6'11 195lb F from Ohio & Adidas circuit (outside shooting & ball handling skills)

4 Stars
#39 Kiyan Anthony 6'5 185lb 2G LI Lutheran
#61 London Jemison 6'8 185lb F CT St Thomas More & Expressions Elite
#80 Badara Diakite 6'9 182lb C CT South Kent & New Heights / also Albany some games
#101 Jaylen Harrell 6'5 210lb SF/2G Mass & Expressions Elite (deep shooter)
#104 Preston Fowler 6'7 195lb F Bolton CT playing for Brewster & New Heights (deep shooter)
#108 Braylon Mullins 6'5 180lb SG from Ind playing Adidas circuit I think

3 Stars
#154 Jacob Ross 6'5 185lb SF LI Lutheran

I think Mullins is the only known scheduled visit so far on 6/24 but reading his thread on the boneyard, he may be coming to make mayo, bread, or other popular food items

 

[HooperScooper]

The Utah Prep stuff probably isn't coincidental.

Also for confused people, supposedly BYU has a huge bag right now, something about their new coach and NBA connections.

Obviously there could be a good explanation, but doesn't it seem strange that the parents are sending their son to a high school 2000+ miles from home that he's never visited?

"We're going to be in Utah this weekend to visit Utah Prep," the elder Dybantsa told 247Sports.com. "My wife and I went there last month, this will be AJ's first time in the great state of Utah. While we're there why not visit BYU?"

No. 1 ranked AJ Dybantsa will make unofficial visit to BYU

The nation's top ranked player in the class of 2025 will take an unofficial visit to BYU this weekend his father confirms to 247Sports.

247sports.com

 

[Huskyforlife]

Their new coach Kevin Young worked for the Phoenix Suns and was considered on the fast track for getting an NBA head coaching job (he was the highest paid assistant in the league and had been a finalist for a few jobs, including the Jazz in 2022). He's legitimately directly related to Brigham Young (and Steve Young). The Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith is a BYU alum (and billionaire chairman of Qualtrics) and his Dad is a professor at BYU. New coach Kevin's brother is a pretty high up executive at Ryan's company, Qualtrics. Kevin's other brother Justin is a national basketball recruiting analyst that was with Rivals for a while.

Ryan Smith is essentially consolidating and supporting all Utah sports. He bought the Jazz, the Utah MLS team, a Utah NWSL soccer team, and bought and is moving the Phoenix NHL team to Utah all pretty much within the last 5 years. He's also dropping heavy bags for BYU basketball in the NIL era.

He's like what Tilman Fertitta is to Houston.

Obviously there could be a good explanation, but doesn't it seem strange that the parents are sending their son to a high school 2000+ miles from home that he's never visited?

"We're going to be in Utah this weekend to visit Utah Prep," the elder Dybantsa told 247Sports.com. "My wife and I went there last month, this will be AJ's first time in the great state of Utah. While we're there why not visit BYU?"

No. 1 ranked AJ Dybantsa will make unofficial visit to BYU

The nation's top ranked player in the class of 2025 will take an unofficial visit to BYU this weekend his father confirms to 247Sports.

247sports.com

The above post is a great explanation i wasn’t willing to type out. BYU is absolutely loaded right now, they will probably beat any NIL offer for a kid they really want. It’s just a matter of the kids priorities, and I don’t think Dybantsa is trying to cover up what priority one is.

Utah prep is in its second year of existence btw, it’s seeming less and less like a coincidence he’s spending a year there before college.

 

[bjc42]

The above post is a great explanation i wasn’t willing to type out. BYU is absolutely loaded right now, they will probably beat any NIL offer for a kid they really want. It’s just a matter of the kids priorities, and I don’t think Dybantsa is trying to cover up what priority one is.

Utah prep is in its second year of existence btw, it’s seeming less and less like a coincidence he’s spending a year there before college.

I get the nil idea, but why byu? I am willing to bet plenty of other programs could put up a similar bag (think Kentucky, Duke, kansas, bama, etc. ) There has to be something other than just pure money if he does chose byu.

 

[Dabutlerdidit]

Our proven, winning culture is self-screening. It will attract the players who are supposed to be here. So whatever happens with the Utah thing will sort itself out.

 

[bjc42]

Our proven, winning culture is self-screening. It will attract the players who are supposed to be here. So whatever happens with the Utah thing will sort itself out.

I feel like many of us on the BY forget this, myself included. we see someone like dybansta and want him just do to his #1 ranking, but we have to keep in mind the culture fit. at the end of the day, we want people who fit the mold and want to completely buy in. think Ross for example. he was a highly talented recruit out of high school, barely played as a freshman, and didn't transfer out with all the talent brought in. it's that team-first, winning mentality that the staff is looking for.

 

[awy]

I get the nil idea, but why byu? I am willing to bet plenty of other programs could put up a similar bag (think Kentucky, Duke, kansas, bama, etc. ) There has to be something other than just pure money if he does chose byu.

they have nba level coaching, and aj's dad seems big on the discipline and single track focus thing which makes BYU less of a problem culturally than it is for other kids.

 

[bigknight3]

And that mind set is why Rudy never played to his immense potential. Feel free to dislike my comment.

I had the same thought.