AJ Dybansta has made a decision! The No. 1 prospect in high school basketball had his pick of Alabama, North Carolina, Kansas, and BYU. And the five-star recruit has picked the BYU Cougars, telling ESPN it was because the whole coaching staff was coming down from the NBA. But some fans are not liking the decision, claiming it has more to do with NIL money.

Currently valued at $2.8 million by On3, the site also claimed his roster value combined with NIL will give him a $147k boost. But for the player himself, it all had to do with the new coach Kevin Young.

“At BYU, the whole staff from the head coach on down came from the NBA,” Dybantsa told ESPN. “Head coach Kevin Young coached my favorite player in KD (Kevin Durant), and coached Devin Booker. Both had a lot of good things to say about him. We watched clips of both.”

However, in an interview with Stephen A. Smith this morning, the broadcaster suggested that Dybansta should have picked North Carolina. The simple reason being the rivalry between NC and Duke. But the Utah Prep Academy senior responded cheekily, “Who said I can’t play Duke at BYU?”

Nevertheless, it’s not sitting right with some fans.

Fans accuse AJ Dybansta of chasing after financial security more than good basketball

With this decision, AJ Dybansta gets to stay in Utah and chase after his NBA dream with a coach who has been part of some of his favorite players’ journeys. Kevin Young had flown to meet the 17-year-old’s parents during the NBA playoffs last spring, back when he was still coaching the Phoenix Suns, and then met with the player himself in June.

It seems like the final official visit to the Brigham Young University campus in Provo, Utah was made in October when Dybansta finalized his decision. “Coach Young’s NBA background played a big factor in my decision,” Dybantsa said. “He came from the NBA. He coached NBA players. You cannot get any closer to where I want to be.”

But some are only seeing the financial aspect of it as one fan asked, “I wonder how much he got paid.” Another declared, “money grab.” One of the NCAA followers also said, “Money runs deep at BYU lol.” 

While the school has yet to reveal any details about his NIL deal, they did say, “As the official NIL collective of BYU Athletics, we are glad to play a role in AJ’s NIL deal while he’s with the program. The collective’s efforts are indeed collective. We are thankful for the 875 donors from more than 30 different states who have provided support to more than 300 BYU student-athletes across 13 teams. The collective has received major gifts from 32 alumni. We are grateful for the unprecedented ecosystem of BYU. The entrepreneurial DNA of Cougar Nation is unrivaled.”

One basketball insider also reported, “I’m told AJ Dybantsa’s NIL number was close to $7 million,” making some wonder if that was Dybansta’s asking price for the school. One fan made it clear what they thought, “3 Letters…. N I L” 

Just last month, Dybansta signed a massive deal with Nike reportedly worth over $4 million, for someone who has not even stepped foot on a college campus yet. Already one of the highest-earning athletes in high school, it’s no wonder fans are accusing him of going after more.

“Buddys probably a millionaire now” one suggested, while another said, “Glad to know he doesn’t care about winning and is about the money”

While stating that this was a “tough” decision, the Utah Prep senior said that each school visit made him want to choose that college. It should be noted that Dybansta was originally a No. 1 prospect in the 2026 class before reclassifying to 2025.

Whatever his reasons for choosing BYU, Dybansta’s skill at multiple positions makes him a big sell. Whether or not he can succeed as a Cougar and help the team win from next season on, only time will tell.