Damn! He got more than that?!In his first year as BYU’s head coach, Kevin Young flipped the script. The Cougars are balling out—26 wins, a trip to the Big 12 Championship game, and two NCAA Tournament victories. That alone would’ve turned heads. But then came the shocker: BYU landed a commitment from the number one recruit in the 2025 class—A.J. Dybantsa. That move? It rocked the college basketball world.

Back in December 2024, Dybantsa, a 6-foot-9 athletic marvel with NBA-ready polish, made his commitment live on ESPN’s First Take. The basketball world braced for the usual suspects—Duke, Kansas. Instead, he picked BYU. Provo, Utah. Soon enough, social media was abuzz. And no, it wasn’t just about a simple signing. 

Reports stated that Dybantsa had secured a $7 million NIL deal to choose BYU. For some, that was the only way this made sense. But what does the young hooper have to say? At the McDonald’s All-American Game, a fan straight-up asked A.J. about the deal, and the star forward was quick to dismiss any claim. “I didn’t get that. That’s a false rumor.” 

So, how much did Dybantsa actually land?

According to CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander, the “asking price” for Dybantsa was around $5 million—and multiple schools were willing to meet it. Some insiders even said the eventual deal was the biggest NIL package in college basketball history. But A.J.’s camp says otherwise. Leonard Armato, his business advisor, told CBS that the decision wasn’t about cash—it was about the whole picture. “The money for every school was the same,” Armato said. “This wasn’t just about dollars. It was about culture, comfort, and what’s best for the family and his basketball future.”

Dybantsa has been living in Utah for a while now, playing at Utah Prep in Hurricane. He’s not a stranger to the state or the community. And BYU isn’t just building momentum—they’re booming with a real NBA pipeline in the works under Young. Add in some major local connections—like Ryan Smith, the billionaire owner of the Utah Jazz, and Danny Ainge, a BYU legend who’s tight with the program—and suddenly, BYU doesn’t seem like such a far-fetched landing spot after all.

Jay Bilas even said it bluntly: “AJ Dybantsa is not a player that BYU would’ve had a shot at before NIL. Now? They’re in the game.”

Whether it’s $7 million or something far less, one thing is clear—A.J. Dybantsa is all-in on BYU. And after putting up 17 points on 58% shooting in the McDonald’s All-American Game, he’s already proving that he’s not just hype.

But even with A.J. putting the $7 million rumor to rest, the skepticism hasn’t exactly vanished. Fans across social media still aren’t buying it. Some think the number might be inflated, sure—but completely false? That’s a stretch for a lot of folks.

AJ Dybantsa Says No to $7M Rumor—But Fans Aren’t Letting It Go

Even after A.J. Dybantsa publicly denied the swirling NIL rumor, the internet wasn’t ready to let it go. For context, Dybantsa already has a reported NIL valuation of $3.8 million (per On3) and signed a major endorsement deal with Red Bull back in October—making him the highest-paid high school player in the country. So when he said, “That’s a false rumor,” fans weren’t exactly nodding in agreement.

One fan fired off, “Kid feeling the heat. I guarantee you he got $7 million.” 

Another fan went even further, joking, “Fine $6.9 mill.” At the time of his commitment, Dybantsa was ranked No.1 by all the big four recruiting ranking sites: ESPN, Rivals, 247sports, and On3. He had offers from the likes of Kansas, North Carolina and Alabama, and some reportedly with a $5 million deal attached. So fans believe one had to have an upper hand monetarily to win this race. 

“Damn! He got more than that?!” added another. When a blue-blooded program extends an invitation, you consider. Kansas and the Tar Heels may have seen a recent dip, but one has Bill Self at the helm and the other was recently estimated to be the most valued team. For a prospect like to pick BYU over these, a program that hasn’t yet secured a championship title or made it past Elite Eight, fans are convinced there is more to the story behind the scenes. 

“I doubt that. Nobody wants to go to BYU, you’d have to pay me $7 million to go there as well,” a comment read. Fans’ speculations aren’t all stretched considering blue-blooded programs have always been the way to go for top prospects. But Dybantsa had his reasons. Historical significance did not matter to the 18-year-old. He’d rather stay closer home and have an opportunity to etch history. But regardless of what the case is with his NIL, some do believe the young hooper would be deserving of the sum.

“He’s a great player and if someone wants to pay him that, then that’s their problem. I’ve never heard a bad word about this kid…” one wrote. The Athletic writes that Dybantsa is projected to be the next big thing in the NBA behind Victor Wembenyama and calls him the most complete high school player since LeBron James. Then with his averages of 22.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists, shooting 51.9% from the floor, you get where the fan is coming from.

So while AJ might be focused on hoops, the court of public opinion is still locked in on the bag—and they’re not letting go of that number anytime soon.