AJ Dybantsa holds on to the No. 1 spot in updated 2025 On3 150

On3 released its most recent update of the 2025 On3 150 rankings on Monday, and AJ Dybantsa remains atop the list. Dybantsa re-classified into the 2025 class in October and he immediately settled into the No. 1 spot for this cycle, where he has remained since.

Dybantsa, a 6-foot-8 wing, recently announced he would transfer to play his senior season at Hurricane (UT) Utah Prep. He is currently one of eleven five-star prospects in the 2025 class ranking update. He is one of seven Five-Star Plus+ prospects in the 2025 On3 Industry Ranking. The Five-Star Plus+ is an indicator that the player is rated as a five-star prospect across all four major recruiting websites.

The conversation for the No. 1 player in this class came down to two players. Dybantsa and No. 2 ranked Cameron Boozer. Boozer, the son of former NBA all-star and USA Olympic gold medalist Carlos Boozer, is currently leading Nike’s EYBL Circuit in both scoring and rebounding. In fact, the 6-foot-8 power forward is embarking on his senior year of one of the most productive high school careers we have seen over the past decade.

As Boozer wraps up his junior year of high school, the Fort Lauderdale (FL) Christopher Columbus High forward has won three state championships, two Nike Peach Jam championships, and a FIBA gold medal. Winning has simply followed Boozer around. And that is a large reason why he is in this conversation for the No. 1 overall player in the 2025 class. The production that leads to wins.

However, at On3 we have never shied away from transparency in our rankings process. At the end of the day, we are ranking toward NBA Draft night. At this point in the process, as we wrap up this cycle’s junior year of high school, Dybantsa’s attainable ceiling is simply too high to ignore. That is why, after discussion, he remains No. 1 in the 2025 On3 150.

Let’s discuss the thought process behind making AJ Dybantsa On3’s No. 1 player at this point in the 2025 cycle.

Dybantsa’s continued production at the highest levels

While AJ Dybantsa’s ceiling is as high as any player in high school basketball, the 6-foot-8 wing is already producing numbers, consistently, at the highest levels he is capable of playing. In fact, it seems that when the viewing lights are the brightest, Dybantsa shows up with top-notch performances.

Dybantsa has a soft scoring touch with length and natural explosive pop. That makes him difficult to guard for many as he can shoot over most at his position or get by most his size. With that said, over the years, we have seen continued growth in the maturity of Dybantsa’s scoring bag.

Throughout the high school season at Napa (CA) Prolific Prep, Dybantsa showed the ability to get into his shot within two and three dribbles. Whether that is with a pull-up jump shot, a straight-line drive at the rim, or a catch-and-shoot three, Dybantsa proved to be an efficient scorer.

The Five-Star Plus+ wing earned MVP honors of the Grind Session, one of the top prep leagues in the country, for the 2023-24 high school season. MaxPreps tells us that he averaged a polished 21.1 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game.

Fast-forward to this travel season. He is playing on the Nike EYBL Circuit with the 14-1 Oakland Soldiers program. He has provided a little bit of a different scoring presence. Dybantsa is doing a lot off the bounce, getting downhill and attacking defenses. Through the 15 games played, Synergy has Dybantsa averaging 22.2 points on 50.2 percent shooting from the field on 14.2 attempts, 38.0 percent from three on 3.3 attempts, and 80.0 percent from the line on 8.3 attempts per game.

Whether he is playing in the up-tempo style of the USA Basketball Junior National Team, the half-court style of Prolific Prep in the Grind Session, or the aggressive downhill style with the Oakland Soldiers, Dybantsa has continued to show a diverse scoring package. With still room to grow, he is able to self-create, score efficiently, and get to the line.

A sneaky part of Dybantsa’s game is his passing. While he will not be misconstrued as a point guard anytime soon, he is able to make reads in the halfcourt and deliver on target to create advantages when defenses are keyed in on him. Dybantsa averaged 3.5 assists during the high school season, he also averaged 3.8 assists last summer during the U16 FIBA Americas championships. While he is a skilled scorer, he is also a willing – and able – distributor.

The archetype and physical tools

As we have already discussed AJ Dybantsa’s ability to put the ball on the floor and create an offensive advantage, and what makes that so attractive is the natural physical tools that he possesses. Dybantsa is listed across the board at 6-foot-8 or 6-foot-9, already above-average size for a wing at the highest levels of basketball.

Dybantsa’s wing span is listed anywhere from 6-foot-11 to 7-foot-1. Either way, at his height, he is carrying a plus wing span. He is also an explosive and twitchy athlete. While he does not show that side of his game often, it plays a large part in his ability to get downhill and to the rim or to his spots for the pull-up jump shot.

He will need to continue adding strength to his base and core. Ultimately this should only enhance his footwork that he will continue to tighten with game reps. As he continues to add weight to his upper body and torso, it will only enhance his ability to go toward the rim and absorb contact. Dybantsa has a projectable frame that should be able to add weight without losing much – if any – athleticism.

Already with his unique size, length, and athletic makeup, Dybantsa is able to shoot over most players who are as athletic as him and dribble past players who are high size.

Looking forward and projecting AJ Dybantsa

Successful players, at the highest levels of basketball, are unique. They possess physical tools that not many have, athletic tools that not many have, and skills that not many have. That is why the pool of NBA players in the history of the game is less than 5,000. While there are always outliers, most NBA players have positional size, athleticism, and skill.

What makes a player unique is when you are able to combine all three of those attributes into one. While every player’s developmental patterns are different, there are certain indicators that you look for as players continue to grow and age. With On3 projecting toward the NBA draft, the younger a player is the more variance is available toward the ultimate goal.

AJ Dybantsa checks the positional size box, already entering his senior year of high school. The average height in the NBA for a small forward is 6-foot-6, and some change. The average height for starting small forwards in this season’s NBA playoffs is 6-foot-6.7.

The shooting is valued in today’s game, but so is the creation. An ability to score in a variety of ways whether self-creation or while spacing off the catch, allows for usage versatility. The processing and distribution make things interesting. And the size, length, and twitchy athleticism at least show upside or adequacy on the defensive end.

A look across today’s NBA landscape and we see that high-priced value being placed on wings. Ten of the 20 highest-played players in the league are considered wings. A look at the 2024 NBA Finals and it will feature wings like Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Luka Doncic. AJ Dybantsa still has some things to clean up in his game with the necessary development in front of him. However, a look at potential archetype outcomes fit directly in line with what is valued at the highest levels of basketball.