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AJ Dybantsa, the No.1 prospect in the 2025 high school basketball class, spoke highly of his Utah Prep teammate and future BYU teammate Xavion Staton on Thursday. Dybantsa talked about what it's like to play with the 6-foot-10 center on the BYUtv Sports Nation's YouTube page.
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“It’s good definitely," Dybantsa said (Timestamp: 4:05). "Since we are going to be there next year. Everything is better when you build something earlier, so when we start practicing next year, we will already know what type of spots. I already know what lobs he likes. Now, I’m not a good lob passer, so I’m usually catching them.”
When asked what Staton is like as a teammate, Dybantsa called the 7-foot center funny.
“Yeah, he’s surprisingly funny," Dybantsa said. "Like, you wouldn’t think it, but he’s surprisingly funny. He’s never not smiling. He’s very smart outside of basketball.”
Dybantsa also talked about how happy he is to work under Keith Smart, who is now the Utah Prep coach. The 6-9 small forward believes this will help him get ready for BYU and potentially the NBA, considering Smart once coached in the league.
“I mean, it’s great," Dybantsa said. "I mean, one of the why I picked BYU is because of NBA experience. So, I mean, now I’m just getting it even a year earlier before BYU."
Dybantsa is in top groove as he enters his final months at Utah
AJ Dybantsa may be entering his final weeks at Utah Prep, but he has been balling out in recent games. The Class of 2025's No. 1 prospect recently scored a game-high game-high 25 points in Utah Prep’s 60-74 loss to Montverde Academy.
That performance came after he recorded 41 points, eight rebounds, four assists and one block in a 99-71 win against Western Reserve on Jan. 11. He also dropped 31 points with a dislocated right pinky finger in Utah Prep’s 78-73 win over the Patrick School a day earlier.
Dybantsa will hope to continue to build on his strong play when Utah Prep takes on Sagemont on Thursday.
