BYU Reacts to Big AJ Dybantsa Announcement on Friday
Similar to the hype that surrounded Duke Blue Devils star and soon-to-be No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg coming out of high school as the top-ranked prospect in the Class of 2024, AJ Dybantsa is generating similar buzz as the No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2025.
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Dybantsa, a native of Brockton, Massachusetts, made headlines with his bold decision to commit to BYU and head coach Kevin Young—who brings NBA-level experience—over powerhouse programs like Alabama, North Carolina, and Kansas.
Currently projected as the early favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Dybantsa received more big news on Friday.
He was officially named to the United States U19 Men's National Team, which will compete for its ninth gold medal at the FIBA World Cup from June 28 to July 6 in Lausanne, Switzerland.
BYU celebrated the news by posting a graphic of Dybantsa with the caption, 'USA U19 NATIONAL TEAM.'
BYU fans reacted to the news:
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"Was there ever any doubt? They should change the name of the team to the U19 AJs," a fan said.
"LET'S GO!!" Another fan posted.
Someone else added, "Captain America kinda a hard nickname [not gonna lie]."
One more fan commented, "Easy gold."
BYU Cougars signee AJ Dybantsa (3).Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Dybantsa will be joined by several other top prospects in the country, including Mikel Brown Jr., Caleb Holt, Jasper Johnson, Morez Johnson Jr., and Brandon McCoy Jr., among others, as the final roster was rounded out this week.
The team will be led by Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd, with Texas Tech's Grant McCasland and Micah Shrewsberry serving as assistant coaches.
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Team USA will open its FIBA U19 World Cup campaign on June 28, facing the Australian U19 National Team at 11:15 a.m. ET.
Related: Jon Scheyer Breaks Silence on Cooper Flagg Likely Going No. 1 to Mavericks in NBA Draft
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 20, 2025, where it first appeared.
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