Gatorade State Participant of the Yr in Massachusetts as a freshman. Gold medalist with the USA U16 staff in Mexico. Chief in factors per recreation (25.8) throughout the EYBL Peach Jam, whereas taking part in up. Nike NIL deal. No. 1 participant within the Class of 2025. AJ Dybantsa.
“Playmaker first, two-way participant,” Dybantsa says of his private scouting report. “Protection and offense, can perform a little little bit of the whole lot: rebound, rating, cross, end. Only a staff participant general, and unselfish.”
We’ve been following AJ since he was a lanky eighth-grader hailing from Brockton, MA, documenting his meteoric rise over the previous few years. And regardless of reclassifying in October, Dybantsa clearly stays probably the greatest prospects within the nation. Please, infer for your self. With an unrelenting motor and shot-making skill matched by an equally eccentric character, it was a no brainer that the most effective participant in his class is taking the pen to assist formally relaunch our historic Basketball Diary.
However extra on that later. That is now. And now could be Dybantsa’s time. He staked that declare not too way back.
“Once I was in third grade, I had the dream of going to the NBA, however it wasn’t actually practical till Covid yr. That’s after I began taking it loopy severe,” Dybantsa says. “There have been no gyms obtainable and I discovered myself simply understanding exterior each day. I simply took off. That’s when the rankings began coming, that’s when the eye began coming and I used to be like, This may very well be a actuality.”
After dominating the native New England competitors as a freshman—posting 19.1 factors, 9.6 rebounds and a pair of.5 blocks a contest—actuality set in additional this previous June when Dybantsa elected to switch to nationwide powerhouse Prolific Prep. The elevated competitors plus shifting in with a bunch household—on prime of residing on the alternative coast as your instant household—could be a troublesome transition for any teenager.
“Probably the most difficult half [about being AJ] is simply individuals forgetting that I’m a child,” Dybantsa tells SLAM. “Like, I’m 17 years previous, I’ve a life exterior of basketball. However they only see the web facet of me so they only assume the whole lot’s flowers and butterflies, when it’s actually not.”
Whereas Dybantsa finds his footing, he leans on the life classes and work ethic instilled in him by his Congolese father and Jamaican mom. “Nothing’s given to you, the whole lot is earned,” he says of his mother and father’ reminders. “It was large for me in my life growth.”
Schools are swarming, the League’s already inside view and he simply signed on the dotted line with The Swoosh. SLAM has been masking highschool hoopers for a minute (30 years, tbh!) and we will say with confidence, the following modern-day highschool celebrity is right here, and his identify is AJ Dybantsa.
Portraits by Marcus Stevens.
