At just 17, the 6-foot-9 small forward from Utah Prep, AJ Dybantsa, has etched his name in history. His glory moment came on Tuesday when the young gun struck an NIL deal with Red Bull, a world-renowned energy drink maker.
Dybantsa became the only men's basketball player to have a partnership with the energy drink maker. But that's not all; the deal significantly boosts his NIL ranking as well, pushing his valuation to a whopping $1.9 million, thrilling his fans.
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On an Instagram post by Bleacher Report Hoops that featured parts of an interview between AJ Dybantsa and Jordan Richard, fans expressed their happiness over the collaboration.
One fan said:
“Don't drink. The drinks and you, good young king.”
“Red Bull Gon have bro dunking off Mount Everest,” another fan quipped, referring to the gush of energy Red Bull provides.
One user offered words of caution, subtly suggesting to don't let the deal go over his head:
"Energy drinks and athletes don’t mix.”
However, one fan added that the No. 1 recruit in 2025 has got a good support system of family and friends around him, keeping him focused:
“He got a good village around him.”
Echoing the same sentiments, another fan added:
“Family appreciate y’all. Always love man, love what y’all doing.”
Beyond the excitement of the historic deal, fans were captivated by the young player's composed and strategic demeanor as well.
One fan expressed:
"Love this kid's whole attitude.”
Another playfully added:
"Getting money from everywhere, lol.”
Interestingly, the young small forward has been quite selective when picking deals. Prior to his Red Bull partnership, he had only one brand deal, and that was with Nike. However, Dybantsa's latest collaboration puts him way ahead of other big names in high school basketball.
AJ Dybantsa surpasses Bryce James and Cameron Boozer in NIL valuation
Dybantsa has another win with his deal with Red Bull. His new deal puts him ahead of some of the most talked-about names in high school basketball.
With his $1.9 million valuation, AJ Dybantsa has outdone the six-foot-six shooting guard from Sierra Canyon, Bryce James. While Dybantsa’s ranking saw a radical upward jump, Bryce's NIL valuation has stagnated at $1.3 million. He only saw a minor increase of $125K in September.
Likewise, Cameron Boozer, the son of legendary Carlos Boozer, saw a massive jump in NIL valuation following his commitment to Duke University. His NIL value increased from $607k to a whopping $1.6 in a matter of days, but AJ Dybantsa still beats him by a margin.
Given his talent and exceptional basketball skills, he's sure to add more to his NIL value in the coming days.
