A.J. Dybantsa, No. 1 2025 CBB Prospect, Names Top 7 Schools Including Kansas, UNC | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

Top Class of 2025 prospect A.J. Dybantsa will choose between Alabama, Auburn, Baylor, BYU, Kansas, Kansas State or North Carolina when making his college commitment this winter, he told ESPN’s Paul Biancardi.

Dybantsa is prioritizing schools whose coaches have spoken with his father, Anicet “Ace” Dybantsa, he told Biancardi.

The 6-foot-9 wing already visited Auburn and plans to visit the other six schools this fall, per Biancardi.

Dybantsa is ranked No. 1 among 2025 recruits by 247Sports. He is considered as an early candidate for the top pick of the 2026 NBA draft.

Dybantsa also went on a Zoom call with Kentucky and visited USC, neither of which made his list of final seven schools, per On3’s Jack Pilgrim and 247Sports’ Travis Branham.

After visiting Auburn in March, the high school small forward told On3’s Jeffrey Lee he was interested in playing for a program that could help develop him into a guard in college.

“They were saying that if I came here, they would play me a lot at the wing, the 2-guard,” Dybantsa told Lee. “I’d be a scorer and a playmaker. That’s what I’m trying to do at the next level, so that’s why I’m considering (Auburn).”

Dybantsa also told Branham that the opportunity to play under Bruce Pearl, who he said “produces a lot of guards for the NBA,” was part of the reason he was considering Auburn.

He also has a connection to Alabama assistant coach Preston Murphy, who coached him in EYBL, Sam Lance reported for ZAGSBLOG.

Dybantsa is additionaly considering staying in Utah, where he will play his final high school season at Utah Prep, by commiting to BYU. He told KSL Sports’ Mitch Harper that he was impressed by head coach Kevin Young’s background coaching in the NBA with the Phoenix Suns and Philadelphia 76ers.

UNC could look to draw in Dybantsa by demonstrating the program’s development skills with five-star prospects Drake Powell and Ian Jackson during the upcoming season. Meanwhile, Kansas State could promise significant NIL opportunities after offering a record $2 million deal to Illinois transfer Coleman Hawkins earlier this summer (h/t Shams Charania.)

Whichever school manages to land Dybantsa is expected to receive an instant boost on both offense and defense for the 2025-26 season. The final decision as to which program he will join could come down to his father, whom Dybantsa has said multiple times will have influence over his decision.