Is AJ Dybantsa going to Kansas State? A look at No. 1 recruit’s recruitment process

AJ Dybantsa, the consensus top recruit in the 2025 class, turned the attention of college basketball enthusiasts with his highly anticipated recruitment visits. Standing at an impressive 6-foot-9 with a seven-foot wingspan, Dybantsa has garnered national recognition for his physical prowess and refined skill set.

He's trimmed his list of potential college destinations to seven, which includes Kansas, Kansas State, North Carolina, Alabama, Auburn, Baylor, and BYU. His scheduled visits reflect the significance of each program. Kansas is set to host him from September 6-8, Kansas State from August 30 to September 1 and North Carolina from September 20-22.

Notably, AJ Dybantsa will be in Kansas for the football season opener against UT-Martin, and later, in Manhattan, when Kansas State faces Oklahoma State in a crucial Big 12 matchup. Kansas State, in particular, has a unique factor in its favor—Dybantsa’s father, Ace, an ardent fan of the iconic rap group Wu-Tang Clan.

The elder Dybantsa is reportedly intrigued by Kansas State head coach Jerome Tang, partly because of the shared surname.

"First off, I like the name. I’m a big Wu-Tang fan," Ace Dybantsa told Zagsblog. "He just told me A.J. is going to play freely and have a good team around him. And I kind of like what he was saying. So we’re going to give them a look.”

BYU leads the race for top recruit AJ Dybantsa as UNC faces tough competition

As the recruitment process for AJ Dybantsa intensifies, the North Carolina Tar Heels have made it to his updated list. Despite securing a visit from Dybantsa this fall, UNC and other elite programs face a challenging road ahead to land the talented player.

According to a recent Rivals Roundtable, Rob Cassidy and Jason Jordan weighed in on the current state of Dybantsa’s recruitment. Cassidy noted:

“I’ll take the Cougars. Things seem to be falling into place over there,” indicating that BYU has emerged as the frontrunner.

"There is real and serious mutual interest between Kevin Young’s program and the No. 1 prospect in the 2025 Rivals150, and I become more convinced the Cougars can close the deal by the week. There’s a long way to go in the Dybantsa sweepstakes and I’m sure another viable option will emerge down the road, but BYU is the clear leader in the clubhouse for the time being."

AJ Dybantsa excels as both a guard and forward. His performance on the court is impressive, with an average of 13.9 points per game across 13 national team appearances. He boasts a 60.2% field goal percentage, coupled with contributions of 3.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.8 steals per game.