All Tar Heels

No. 1 Recruit Poses With UNC Basketball Legend in Smith Center

From a UNC basketball tour to time at the UNC football game, premier prep AJ Dybantsa is taking in the scenes in Chapel Hill.

Matt Giles

UNC basketball recruiting target AJ Dybantsa
UNC basketball recruiting target AJ Dybantsa / Stu Boyd II-The Commercial Appeal / USA TODAY NETWORK
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Prime UNC basketball recruiting target AJ Dybantsa, who stars for Utah Prep and ranks No. 1 overall on the 247Sports 2025 Composite, arrived in Chapel Hill on Friday night for a weekend official visit with fourth-year head coach Hubert Davis and the Tar Heels. It's the 6-foot-9, 210-pound five-star forward's first time on campus.

ALSO READ: Dual-Sport Standout Transfers Back Home, Wears UNC Logo

On Saturday morning, courtesy of the following post from 247Sports' Eric Bossi, pictures surfaced on social media from Dybantsa's time on Roy Williams Court in the Tar Heels' Dean E. Smith Center. He's alongside his family, and the photos include one of them with Davis and another of him standing next to UNC basketball treasure Armando Bacot:

In addition to those pictures, Dybantsa advertised his presence in Chapel Hill by posting a photo of his view from the bench watching a UNC basketball workout in the Smith Center.

And Dybantsa will likely make an appearance in Kenan Stadium during the UNC football team's Saturday afternoon home game against James Madison, as the Tar Heels look to improve to 4-0 in consecutive seasons for the first time since the program did so three years in a row in 1979-81.

He's the first composite No. 1 recruit to visit the Tar Heels in the Hubert Davis era and the program's first such visitor in over a decade.

Dybantsa, whose recruitment is unlikely to end before February, is down to seven finalists: UNC, Auburn, Alabama, Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, and BYU. The projected one-and-one lottery pick recently visited Kansas and Kansas State, and his upcoming slate includes trips to Alabama, Baylor, and BYU.

ALSO READ: Brother of UNC Legend Armando Bacot Reports First Offer

Stay tuned to North Carolina Tar Heels On SI for more UNC basketball recruiting news.

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, Duke Blue Devils on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining UNC on SI in 2023, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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