BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa's Men's Health magazine photoshoot elicits reactions from fans :"Utah Jazz 2026 1st pick"

BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa’s appearance in Men’s Health magazine sparked a wave of excitement among fans, with many already projecting a bright future for the young basketball star. An Instagram post on Friday showed the magazine photoshoot, which featured the 6-foot-9 forward shirtless and holding a basketball.

The Instagram post from AJ Dybantsa, captioned with simple tags for Men’s Health and Red Bull, has already racked up over 5,000 likes within the first hour.

“📷 @menshealthmag @redbullusa,” the caption read.

Fans flooded the comments with fire emojis, admiration and bold predictions about his future in the NBA. A few fans suggested that Dybantsa could be headed to Salt Lake City as the top selection in the 2026 NBA Draft.

“Utah Jazz 2026 1st pick,” one fan commented.

“🔥🔥🔥🔥AJ will be the GOAT,” another fan said.

Other fans went on to praise Dybantsa’s potential. He is regarded as one of the top prospects in college basketball and quickly gained national attention after choosing to play for BYU despite offers from Kansas, North Carolina and Alabama.

“Future number 1 pick stamp 🔥🔥🔥,” a fan said.

“Waiting on your draft 🙌🏻,” another fan commented.

“Go crazy lil bro,” a fan commented.

BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa's Men's Health magazine photoshoot elicits reactions from fans - Image source: Instagram/aj.dybantsa

The Men’s Health feature added to his growing profile. Dybantsa already boasts an NIL valuation of $4.1 million (Per On3), making him one of the most marketable young athletes in college sports.

AJ Dybantsa speaks about the influence of Lebron James and Kobe Bryant on him

AJ Dybantsa looks set to spend the 2025/26 season developing under BYU coach Kevin Young before taking a projected leap to the NBA.

On Friday, the 6-foot-9 small forward graced the cover of Men’s Health as part of a feature on elite high school athletes from the class of 2025. In the interview, Dybantsa opened up about his ambitions, training with NBA icons and how his mindset was inspired by legends of the game.

“I’ve worked out with Bron,” Dybantsa said, referring to LeBron James. “I’ve worked out with a lot of the top guys. I wish I had the chance to work out with Kobe.”

Dybantsa, who often wears Nike Kobe 5s, credited the late Kobe Bryant’s famous Mamba Mentality as a source of motivation. The young forward was also reportedly being mentored by another NBA star, Kevin Durant. The newest Houston Rockets player worked alongside BYU coach Kevin Young during their time together with the Phoenix Suns, further fueling Dybantsa’s development.

The star recruit claimed that it was Young’s NBA-style system and the culture in Provo that won him over. The Cougars’ vision for player development resonated with Dybantsa, convincing him to skip his final year of high school and join BYU early.

With NBA workouts and a clear path ahead, AJ Dybantsa looked ready to live up to the expectations.