Cooper Flagg has long been hailed as the standout of his class, a defensive wizard with a game that leaves little to critique. But even as he towers over his peers, AJ Dybantsa, the 17-year-old freshman phenom, has emerged as a serious challenger to his throne. With a dynamic scoring arsenal and sky-high potential, Dybantsa is proving that Flagg’s dominance may not be as unshakable as once thought, sparking a rivalry that could define the next era of basketball.

On a recent episode of the Club 520 podcast, co-host Jeff Teague posed a thought-provoking question: “Well, as for a number one pick, you’d take a role player?” Co-host B Hen weighed in, saying, “If I need him at five, if that’s what my team needs. If I’m like in that rebuilding stage, give me, I wanna put the ball on AJ’s hand right away. He more dynamic than Cooper Flagg. Cooper Flagg just does everything well.”

DJ Wells chimed in, agreeing with AJ’s offensive edge “I think AJ’s better at offense. He got more of his back. He can probably score a lot sooner and more frequently in the NBA than Cooper will.” This recurring theme underscores why Dybantsa is pulling ahead, both on and off the court.

Currently, Flagg holds a $2.7 million NIL valuation, thanks to lucrative deals with Gatorade and New Balance. That’s an impressive figure for any athlete, let alone a college freshman. But Dybantsa, with his staggering $2.8 million valuation, although just $100k more than Flagg, is rewriting the playbook.

His historic $4 million Nike deal has placed him in a league of his own, making him one of the most marketable young athletes ever. Reflecting on the partnership on the Podcast P with Paul George, Dybantsa said, “I mean, it was big. They brought it to my attention, me and my dad, and I was like, ‘Yo, it’s Nike.’ Like opportunity like this… I got to sign with Nike.”

But Nike was just the beginning. As Dybantsa continues to break records and redefine expectations, his growing list of partnerships and staggering NIL valuations are forcing basketball fans and scouts alike to ask: Is this the future of basketball dominance unfolding before our eyes?

AJ Dybantsa: Red Bull wings and a $5M college court revolution

The high schooler’s marketability doesn’t stop at Nike. He became the first male athlete to partner with Red Bull, describing the collaboration as “a great partnership… The platform that they have, and I think we fit right in with each other. So it’s gonna be good.”

The buzz surrounding him only grew when powerhouse programs like BYU, North Carolina, and Alabama reportedly agreed to meet his $5 million NIL asking price, a historic figure for any recruit.

What makes Dybantsa so special? Standing at 6’9” with the ability to score from anywhere, he’s a matchup nightmare. His reclassification to the 2025 recruiting class didn’t slow him down, cementing his status as the No. 1 player in his class. BYU’s ability to land him speaks volumes about his value—not just as an athlete but as a game-changer for a program looking to rebuild.

Flagg, by comparison, finds himself in a unique position. As Teague described, he’s like “Andre Karolinko… a really good defender,” but he lacks the offensive flash that garners attention in an era obsessed with highlight reels. While Flagg’s defensive skills are elite, his quieter, all-around game doesn’t capture the imagination—or NIL dollars—like Dybantsa’s high-scoring theatrics.

As the two phenoms chart their paths, one thing is clear: Dybantsa’s $100K NIL edge is about more than money—it’s a validation of his potential as a transformative talent. Meanwhile, Flagg, a stalwart in his own right, continues to embody the grit and skill that form the backbone of championship teams. Whether that will be enough to shift the narrative remains to be seen.