$4.1 million NIL-valued AJ Dybantsa’s BYU gets first round schedule of the 2025 ESPN Events

AJ Dybantsa will make his ESPN Events Invitational debut in November, as BYU opens the tournament against the Miami Hurricanes on Thanksgiving Day. The matchup was confirmed by college basketball insider Jon Rothstein on Tuesday, and it will take place in Orlando, Florida, with coverage across ESPN Networks.

Jon Rothstein

@JonRothstein

NEWS: BYU will face Miami and Georgetown will play Dayton in the first round of the 2025 ESPN Events Invitational in Orlando, according to a source.

Should the Cougars advance, they will face either Georgetown or Dayton on Nov. 28, aiming for a statement win. BYU will enter the event as favorites, with all three potential second-round opponents ranked below them in preseason projections.

The ESPN Events Invitational has been a fixture on the college basketball calendar since its inaugural edition in 2006. The only gap was in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It featured eight teams guaranteed three games each, with a format determining placements from first to seventh.

However, the tournament will expand significantly this year, featuring 16 teams, 20 games and three separate brackets spread across five days. The format change offers more competition, and also more opportunities for teams to showcase their early-season form.

For Dybantsa, it will be an important first test in his highly anticipated collegiate career. The 6-foot-9 forward reclassified from the 2026 class to join the Cougars early, arriving as the No. 1 prospect in the 2025 recruiting rankings.

Dybantsa, who has a NIL valuation of $4.1 million (according to On3), is widely projected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA draft.

AJ Dybantsa sets sights on national title as BYU targets deeper NCAA Tournament run

Incoming BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa made it clear that his team’s focus is on success in the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

Speaking to SportsCenter NEXT, he said that their only goal is to win a national championship.

“I think the only goal we’ve got in mind is winning a national championship," Dybantsa said in June. "We got to the Sweet 16 last year as a first-year coach (Kevin Young), so I think we only gonna go farther.”

Under Cougars coach Kevin Young, they are coming off an impressive 26-10 (14-6 Big 12) campaign that ended in the Sweet 16.

With momentum on their side, the ESPN Events Invitational could mark the beginning of another deep tournament run.