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"Being able to help is just a good feeling": BYU signee AJ Dybantsa shares his feelings on giving back to the community
BYU signee and No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2025 AJ Dybantsa is well known for his stellar performances on the court for Utah Prep High School. We will see him playing for the Cougars next season after he made his official commitment on Dec. 10 on ESPN’s "First Take."
He also appeared in a Q&A session on Andscape with his father Ace Dybantsa and talked about their relationship, his mentors and more. Dybantsa's mother is from Jamaica and his father is from Congo, and the 6-foot-9 small forward was asked about his time there.
The Brockton, MA native talked about being in Congo, donating his Gatorade Player of the Year check, and giving back to the community:
"When I was 5, we went to Congo and [my dad] gave away pens and pencils. Ever since then I was, like, when I had the chance to get back, I’ve donated my Gatorade Player of the Year check," said AJ Dybantsa.
"I’ve done backpack giveaways, sneaker giveaways, bunch of stuff, Legos, bikes — in the Boston, Brockton area, in Jamaica. It’s good. Kids look up to you, and being able to help is just a good feeling."
He also talked about being grateful after his visit:
"Just to be grateful. Jamaica is a little better than where he’s from [Congo]. Be grateful because those guys don’t have shoes to wear on. They walk outside barefoot. So, you just see where they live, you just got to be grateful for little things," AJ Dybantsa said.
Dybantsa also used to volunteer locally on behalf of Argosy Charter Thompson Middle School. Furthermore, he was also a part of St. Sebastian’s ‘Men With Positive Attitudes’ club, focusing on developing a more inclusive community within the school.
When can we see AJ Dybantsa in the NBA?
The five-star recruit rejected Kansas, Alabama and North Carolina to choose BYU and the other 26 offers he received from top programs across the nation. He also stated that he chose the Cougars because of their staff's NBA connections:
“Kevin Young was an NBA coach, so he is telling me that he will bring a lot of NBA styles and concepts to the program. He told me that he thought he would be a good coach to help me get to that next level," Dybantsa told Andscape.
AJ Dybantsa will be eligible to play to declare for the NBA Draft in 2026 and his future will be something to keep an eye on.
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