No. 1 recruit AJ Dybantsa led Team USA U17 to gold medal in a 145-65 win against New Zealand

By Aman Sharma

Modified Jul 07, 2024 15:53 GMT

AJ Dybantsa is a top-ranked player in the 2025 high school class. He spearheaded the USA U17 basketball team to a stunning 145-65 victory over New Zealand in the FIBA U17 World Cup semifinals.

This triumph extended the U.S.A.'s perfect record at the U17 World Cup to 50-0, as they thoroughly dominated their opponents, who will debut in the semifinals.

Team USA U17 displayed a formidable defense, accumulating 27 steals, with seven players recording two or more. Brandon McCoy Jr. and Jalen Haralson had six each, Cayden Boozer had four, Jordan Smith Jr. had three, and JJ Mandaquit, Dybantsa and Tyran Stokes had two each.

Offensively, the American team was equally impressive, with nine of the twelve players scoring in double figures. McCoy Jr. and Koa Peat led the charge, each with 19 points, followed closely by Mandaquit and Cameron Boozer, with 18 points each. Stokes contributed 13 points, while Dybantsa, Haralson and Caleb Holt added 11 points, and Chris Cenac chipped in with 10.

Team USA U17 set a new record for a semifinal game by scoring 145 points, surpassing their 120-71 victory over Canada in 2018. Additionally, the 80-point margin of victory set a new semifinal record, eclipsing the previous 51-point win from 2018.

Dybantsa, a member of the U17 national team since June, shone throughout the competition. In his rookie year at St. Sebastian's, he averaged 19.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 2.5 blocks per game. He participated in EYBL Peach Jam, averaging 25.8 ppg and becoming the leading scorer.

AJ Dybantsa: Learning from NBA legends and aiming for the top

AJ Dybantsa, a standout guard for the USA U17 basketball team, is focused on elevating his game by learning from NBA superstars. He averages 14.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.6 steals per game as he leads Team USA into the semifinals.

Winning another gold medal would be a significant achievement for Dybantsa, who already boasts gold from the FIBA U16 AmeriCup 2023. Reflecting on this, he told Fibabasketball.com:

"It will be a blessing. I have already won one so to win two would just be a blessing."

Dybantsa is considered an early favorite for the 2026 NBA draft's No.1 pick. He has trained with NBA icons like Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Steph Curry, Chris Paul, Paul George and Jayson Tatum.

"You want to work out with the best," Dybantsa added. "They gave me different advice because they are different players in different positions."

Dybantsa will transfer to Utah Prep in Hurricane, Utah, for his final high school year, moving from Prolific Prep in San Francisco. His U17 World Cup teammate JJ Mandaquit will also join him.