On Tuesday, a major update in the recruitment of 2025 five-star A.J. Dybantsa occurred regarding the timeline for his decision.
He was originally thought to be announcing his commitment in February, but according to multiple reports, the timeline appears to have shifted forward to November or December.
Representatives from 247Sports and On3 confirmed the report in various articles, which leads many to wonder which team has emerged as the primary destination.
Dybantsa cut his list down to seven remaining teams this summer, with the likes of Alabama, Auburn, Baylor, BYU, Kansas, Kansas State, and North Carolina all included. In weeks past, the Dybtansa family has commented on each Big 12 team included in the recruitment, including BYU, Kansas State, and Kansas.
“They believe I can have as good of a season or better than Ja’Kobe Walter,” Dybantsa said on Baylor. “The play style is similar. Scott Drew and John Jakus came to Prolific Prep. Jakus is now the head coach at FAU. I watched Baylor growing up. They had great success with Jared Butler, Davion Mitchell, and recently Keyonte George.”
“After my unofficial visit and conversations with Coach [Kevin Young], he can bring me in and play me like a pro with his knowledge of the NBA with the Suns and taking it to BYU,” Dybantsa said about BYU. “He also mentioned he coached Joel Embiid. He knows what he’s talking about. It’s a big campus and facility.”
“When I look at their history, they also have a track record of guys in my position in the NBA,” Dybantsa said about Kansas. “I talked to Bill Self and coach Kurtis Townsend. Coach Townsend has come to Prolific Prep a few times. They had Andrew Wiggins, Kelly Oubre, and Josh Jackson. They have had great runs of success. They say it’s loud in there.”
“I talked with Jerome Tang,” Dybantsa said about Kansas State. “He told me his guys play with a lot of freedom, but it’s also in a system that is geared toward winning. “
In addition to the quote from A.J., Dybantsa’s father, Ace, spoke about K-State Basketball, saying, “Tang went to Istanbul, Turkey, to see A.J. I like the fact he understands A.J. is a good decision-maker, an extension of the coaching staff. He will allow A.J. to play to his strength. I have a good feel for people, and I trust Coach Tang.”
While the four Big 12 schools will still have to fight off some impressive programs to land the nation’s best player, should Dybantsa join the league as a Bear, Cougar, Jayhawk, or Wildcat, the Big 12 Conference will have yet another bright new star to watch.
