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Top 2026 prospect AJ Dybantsa talks offers and recruitment

On3 imageby:Jamie Shaw•06/03/23•

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Five-Star Plus+ small forward AJ Dybantsa (photo credit - USA Basketball)

AJ Dybantsa is tracking as one of the top players in the class of 2026. The 6-foot-8 Needham (MA) St. Sebastian’s School wing was recently selected to the USA Basketball u16 National Team set to compete in June’s FIBA Americas Championship.

“I’m a playmaker first,” Dybantsa told On3. “I can get to the rim, do a little bit of everything on offense, whatever the coach needs me to do. I watch a lot of two-way guys in the league, like Paul George and Jayson Tatum. Long, athletic guys who have a versatile game.”

Playing up two age groups with the Expressions program on Nike’s EYBL 17u Circuit, he is averaging 17.1 points, and 3.6 assists on 52.7 percent from the field. On3 caught up with AJ Dybantsa at the USA Basketball u16 Training Camp to talk about his game and the early stages of his recruitment.

Dybantsa talks recruitment

“All my offers came after session one of the EYBL; I got six,” Dybantsa said. “Alabama, Georgetown, Providence, Georgia Tech, Washington, and UConn.”

Alabama: “Brandon Miller is a top-three pick, in my opinion. I don’t know much about the program, I’ll need to go down on a visit, but I’ve heard those similarities.”

Washington: “I know Coach Ben Lee from Marquee, a good program over there on the West Coast.”

Georgetown: “I met Coach (Ed) Cooley at one of my games this year. Obviously, my guy Kayvaun (Mulready) is going there.”

Providence: “I’ve been to a game there, but that was obviously with the old staff, so we’ll see what the new staff will do.”

Georgia Tech: “Coach (Damon) Stoudamire is a former league player. They have a great program with a good development process.”

UConn: “Alex Karaban goes there; he’s from the Expressions program. They won a national championship this year.”

In his words

“I want to play in the league, but I told my mom that I’m going to college,” Dybantsa said, “So that is the plan right now.

“I want to play for a coach who isn’t going to sugarcoat anything with me. A coach who will give us the freedom to make plays, but within a controlled system.”