"Basketball was funner when there was nothing going on": BYU signee AJ Dybantsa reflects on the pressures of stardom

BYU Cougars signee AJ Dybantsa has said that basketball was more fun as a child because he was just another kid from the neighborhood, and no one judged him.

Dybantsa is one of the most popular basketball prospects in the world, with the Utah Prep small forward ranked No. 1 in the high school basketball class of 2025.

However, while he loves the feeling of being known, the pressure of living up to expectations has seemingly taken its toll.

“It’s a good feeling. Basketball was funner when there was nothing going on when we were all 10 years old,” Dybantsa told the New York Times on Monday.

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“Nobody got skill, everybody’s the same. It was way more fun. But now people judge you for who you are. The same people who hate on you are the same people in the stands trying to ask for a picture. The game’s still fun, but it’s different now," Dybantsa added.

AJ Dybantsa’s profile is on the rise

Despite saying his popularity has taken a little bit of enjoyment out of the game, Dybantsa’s profile keeps rising. The 6-foot-9 forward is one of the most popular high school basketball stars on Instagram with over 300K followers.

The Brockton, Massachusetts native also has almost 200k followers on TikTok and another 10k on X.

Dybantsa is a brand ambassador for energy drink manufacturer Red Bull. He was at the Las Vegas Grand Prix last month to support the team.

The Utah Prep forward also has an NIL deal with American sportswear giants Nike, with the deal reportedly worth millions of dollars.

Dybantsa also signed one of the biggest NIL deals in high school basketball history after committing to the BYU Cougars and signing on Nov. 13. Dybantsa reportedly signed a $7 million NIL deal to play at BYU, including a $5 million base.