Even with being selective, AJ Dybantsa is winning big in the name, image, and likeness (NIL) arena.
The Brigham Young University (BYU) Cougars basketball player is not only the highest-ranking high school player on the court, he is also the top earner in college basketball — and he hasn’t even officially jumpstarted his college freshman year, notes Athlon Sports. A new graduate of Utah Prep Academy, he will begin representing BYU officially for the 2025-26 college basketball season.
Dybantsa has deals that include Red Bull, which is historic. According to Out2Win, it is the first time Red Bull has signed a male basketball athlete to an NIL deal.
“I think it was a great partnership because it’ll be beneficial for the both of us with the platform that they have,” Dybantsa said on “The Youngins Sports Podcast.” “I think we fit right in with each other, so it’s going to be good. It’s going to be special.”
He later added, “What they had to offer was second-to-none. It was good. It was no really wrongs. I’m smart with it, me and my parents are really smart with it, we don’t want to take every deal. But, the smart ones we gotta take.”
Signing To Nike
Dybantsa is also signed to Nike, with a deal reportedly valued at more than $4 million, according to Sports Illustrated.
“Joining the Nike basketball family is huge. When I was asked, it was a no-brainer… Growing up, watching people that inspired me to wear Nike — to now being part of the same team is an opportunity I don’t take for granted. I can’t wait to see what we can mix up on and off the court,” he said of Nike to Sports Illustrated.
What’s more, Dybantsa is BYU’s first 5-star recruit. So, it should come to no surprise he was reportedly given an NIL package from the school valued at nearly $5 million, as AFROTECH™ previously told you.
It is evident that Dybantsa is building a legacy long before his first tip-off in a BYU jersey.
His current NIL valuation sits at $4.1 million, per On3.
