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UNC Basketball Recruiting: AJ Dybantsa Prepares to Narrow Things Down

The top-ranked 2025 UNC basketball target knows what he's looking for in his loaded recruitment.

Matt Giles

UNC basketball recruiting target AJ Dybantsa
UNC basketball recruiting target AJ Dybantsa / Marc Vasconcellos/The Enterprise / USA
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Five-star forward AJ Dybantsa, a 6-foot-9, multifaceted phenom from Massachusetts who recently announced his transfer to Utah Prep following one season at Prolific Prep (Calif.), landed on the UNC basketball wishlist in October and has since received over a dozen other offers. The recent entrants in the race include BYU, where he visited this week, and the Tar Heels' archrival, Duke.

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At No. 1 overall on the 247Sports 2025 Composite and in the midst of a brilliant grassroots campaign, Dybantsa is sure to attract much attention as he potentially enters the homestretch of his recruitment later this summer and into the fall.

And it appears the next move on the 17-year-old's slate is revealing a list of favorites.

"Everybody's in the conversation right now," Dybantsa, whose offer sheet includes every blueblood, told KSL Sports' Mitch Harper following his BYU visit, "and I'll narrow it down in about a month."

Dybantsa noted to Harper that he's looking for three qualities in particular when deciding where to spend what feels certain to be a one-and-done college campaign.

"One is family orientated," he said. "I'm going to be away from my family. Two is the development. Obviously, I want to be a one-and-done. And three is just a winning program.

"I want to be there hopefully for only one year, so winning a national championship is my goal.”

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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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