BYU Looking to Become a Powerhouse in NIL ERA After Signing AJ Dybantsa

BYU might be able to create one of the top teams in the nation if their donors are willing to spend on players like AJ Dybantsa.

Utah Prep's AJ Dybantsa drives to the basket past Highland School defender Chance Perkins during a game at Emmanuel College in Boston on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. / Marc Vasconcellos/The Enterprise / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It was a big week, with top 2025 high school recruit AJ Dybantsa announcing his commitment to BYU.

BYU has found success in the college basketball world over much of the past decade, but this is a massive deal for the Cougars, landing the projected No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA draft.

It isn't every day that BYU gets a player of his caliber. BYU has another five-star on its current roster in Egor Demin, but Dybantsa is a generational type of talent.

Many have suspected that his decision had to be made in large part because of the NIL package BYU was able to offer.

While those numbers are typically never public, insider Jeff Goodman of The Field of 68 said Dybantsa will make "something in the $5 million range," a deal that will certainly go down in history.

BYU has reportedly done well in the NIL space, and Dybantsa was clearly the top target. From the sounds of things, they weren't going to be outbid from any blue blood programs. 

If BYU continues to find the donors they have in Dybantsa's recruitment, it's only fair to suggest they could become a powerhouse.

The Royal Blue, BYU's NIL collective, released a statement thanking its supporters.

"As the official NIL collective of BYU Athletics, we are glad to play a role in AJ's NIL deal while he's with the program. The collective's efforts are indeed collective. We are thankful for the 875 donors from more than 30 different states who have provided support to more than 300 BYU student-athletes across 13 teams. The collective has received major gifts from 32 alumni. We are grateful for the unprecedented ecosystem of BYU. The entrepreneurial DNA of Cougar Nation is unrivaled."

With over 875 donors, who's to say that BYU won't end up being able to compete with Blue Blood programs. If they're willing to pay for someone like Dybantsa, that $5 million could be used on multiple players in future years.

Also, spending $5 million on one player just to have a decent roster elsewhere wouldn't make sense. No college basketball player is good enough to win a national championship, so Dybantsa will need help.

This shows how far college basketball has come since NIL was implemented. Typically, a player like Dybantsa would've ended up at a school like Kansas, UConn, Duke, or elsewhere, but this leveled the playing field for a school with money like BYU.

That's what makes college sports so interesting moving forward.

BYU does things a bit differently than the typical college, but if players want the most money, they might be able to offer that.

There were certainly other factors in his decision, and frankly, no matter where he went, he'll be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA draft. Regarding decisions, the same could be said for many players, but again if BYU keeps raising this type of money, they should be in an excellent position.

However, that doesn't take away from the Cougars making a massive splash and signing the best 2025 prospect in the world.