AJ Dybantsa Reveals LeBron James Workouts And Mamba Motivation
AJ Dybantsa Reveals LeBron James Workouts And Mamba Motivation originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
For AJ Dybantsa, his future aspirations are pretty cut and dry. He'll spend the next year at BYU under the guidance of Kevin Young before making a leap to the NBA. That's the plan currently being implemented and will be fun to watch.
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The top incoming basketball recruit recently made the cover of Men's Health with a feature piece as part of the top athletes in the high school class of 2025. Dybantsa shared insight about his future and how he's being groomed as the next NBA star. An amazing factor about him comes after he reclassified up a year to attend BYU early.
Dybantsa's game—a mix of above-the-rim finishing, midrange shot making, and elastic defense—is already at a pro level. 'I've worked out with Bron,' Dybantsa drops casually, referring to NBA ironman LeBron James. 'I've worked out with a lot of the top guys. I wish I had the chance to work out with Kobe.' He cites Bryant's Mamba mentality as an inspiration and wears Nike Kobe 5s.
If there is one player who fits the mold of the NBA's next generation, Dybantsa has got next. Kobe left us all prematurely, but his top-notch approach still lives on through one of AJ's mentors, Kevin Durant, who is another player helping guide Dybantsa's career. The newest member of the Houston Rockets had Young as an assistant coach during their time together with the Phoenix Suns.
Related: BYU phenom AJ Dybantsa shows off Nike 'Air Bakin' KD18 player edition
It was widely reported BYU offered Dybansta a $5 million NIL package, but money wasn't the deciding factor. The culture with Young's NBA-ready system spoke volumes to the nation's top talent, leaving him blown away by the direction the Cougars were headed in. Dybantsa also gained deals with Red Bull and Nike before stepping foot on campus. But said he hasn't gotten to the point of splurging yet. Even though, he recently took the title as college basketball's top NIL earner.
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There's no doubt that Dybantsa will be one of the most electrifying players to watch next season.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
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