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AJ Dybantsa has impressed several professional basketball players, many of whom have dubbed the Utah Prep star the genuine deal. As it turns out, veteran NBA center Shaquille O'Neal is among those who have been wowed by the five-star small forward.
He shared some of Dybantsa's highlights from Utah Prep's trip to New Jersey for the Iverson Classic on Monday.
O'Neal is not just an NBA legend and a host of Inside the NBA, but he is also the president of basketball for Reebok. His vice president is none other than Philadelphia 76ers legend, Allen Iverson, who runs the Iverson Classic. AJ Dybantsa was the only player that Big Diesel posted about from his VP's event.
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Dybantsa was named the event's Most Outstanding Player, thanks to his two performances during the weekend.
First, he scored 31 points against Kuai Deng and The Patrick School during Utah Prep's 78-73 victory. He then had a dominating 41-point performance against Western Reserve Academy in that 97-71 win during the Lenny Cooke Legends Game. He was named the "G.O.A.T. Player of the Game" during both performances.
The No. 1 ranked prospect from the Class of 2025 has already signed with BYU in November. He chose the school for its NBA-level staff, including its head coach, former Phoenix Suns assistant coach Kevin Young.
However, the school was also rumored to have paid a multi-million dollar NIL deal to get AJ Dybantsa.
AJ Dybantsa has led Utah Prep to a 7-game winning streak
Utah Prep is on a roll, having won seven straight games, including victories over nationally regarded high school teams such as Brewster Academy National and Oak Hill Academy. The victories over those two teams came in Hawaii last month at the Iolani Classic, where Utah Prep won the event.
The team's last defeat came at the hands of Darryn Peterson and Prolific Prep, AJ Dybantsa's former school, on Dec. 8. However since then, Utah Prep has defeated one strong opponent after another, including the school's Hoophall debut against Oak Cliff Faith Family. The Athletes' biggest challenge in the schedule would be reigning national champion Montverde Academy on Sunday.
