AJ Dybantsa: “Yeah, we winning a natty”: BYU fans hyped up as AJ Dybantsa completes first workout with the Cougars

AJ Dybantsa has started preparing for his freshman season at BYU, and Cougars fans are hyped. The No. 1 ESPN recruit was featured in BYU men's basketball's Instagram post on Monday, showing highlights from a recent team workout.

"We are so back," the Instagram caption read.

Fans commented their reactions to seeing Dybantsa on the court for the Cougars. Many shared their high hopes that the team will win the national title next season.

"Yeahh, we winning a natty."

A BYU fan is confident the team will win the national championship

"Natty incoming"

An IG user says the Cougars will win a title

"Natty loading ... ..."

A comment suggests BYU will win a natty soon

Others showed excitement about Dybantsa working out with the team.

"Seeing AJ finally hooping in a BYU jersey just healed my soul."

A fan reacts to seeing Dybantsa in a BYU jersey

"I saw that AJ ➡️Keba alley-oop at the end🔥🔥🔥"

An IG user points out a basketball play featuring Dybantsa

Some used emojis to react to the preseason workout video.

"😍🔥💯"

A comment shows excitement through emojis

"🔥🔥🔥🔥"

"💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼"

Fans share emoji reactions to BYU men's basketball's IG post

What A.J. Dybantsa brings to BYU

Dybantsa comes to BYU as the No. 1 recruit in the 2025 class. The five-star small forward picked the Cougars over his other final four picks Alabama, Kansas, and North Carolina.

The talented recruit will remain in the same state for college, having played the past two seasons of high school basketball at Utah Prep.

Throughout his high school career, he proved himself as an efficient scorer and excellent rebounder with defensive depth. As a senior, he averaged 21.5 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game. The small forward grabbed 9.2 average defensive boards and added 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocks.

High School Basketball: McDonalds All American Boys Game - Source: Imagn

Dybantsa was the 2022-23 Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Massachusetts, having played at Saint Sebastian's that season before transferring to Utah Prep. He added to his accolades when he was selected for the 2025 McDonald's All-American Game. The 6-foot-9 star is the only player in his class with a perfect 247Sports Composite score.

The No. 1 recruit reclassed to come to college early and is projected to be a first-round pick in the 2026 NBA draft. Dybantsa had an asking price of approximately $5 million for his college commitment, but Lonard Armato, Dybantsa's business adviser, assured that the young star's decision didn't come down to pay.

"The money for every [school] was the same," Armato told CBS Sports. "The decision wasn't a money decision as much as it was a culture fit, a decision for the family, basketball, all those things that should be the determining factors.

"There was a certain money threshold, but once you got to that, it was about 'how comfortable do I feel for me as a basketball player and my family.'"

Dybantsa picked BYU for the culture, not the money. The No. 1 recruit will look to make an immediate impact on the Cougars as he begins his college career this fall.

About the author

Lindsey Ware is a college sports journalist at Sportskeeda with over five years of experience working with publications such as The News & Observer, The Daily Tar Heel, Triangle Tribune and Cardiac Cane. She has also worked for Major League Baseball, The Holly Springs Salamanders, The Tri-City Chili Peppers, Tuffy Talk, Super Meteors Basketball, Just Good Network and Living Sport.

Lindsey has a Bachelor’s Degree in Media and Journalism from UNC Chapel Hill. Her education allowed Lindsey to gain experience in sports communication, which she honed in internships. Other than being a storyteller and sports fanatic, Lindsey is also a social media and marketing specialist.

Her favorite college team is UNC, although she grew up a N.C. State fan as both of her parents are Wolfpack alumni. Michael Jordan was a huge deal in North Carolina when Lindsey was growing up, and after a summer spent at UNC’s Sports Journalism Camp back in high school, Lindsey was set on being a Tar Heel.

Lindsey's favorite college coach of all time is Roy Williams. During her time attending UNC Chapel Hill and writing for The Daily Tar Heel, Lindsey was lucky enough to meet and speak with Williams a few times. He was like a celebrity on UNC’s campus and was beloved for his coaching style and success with the Tar Heels, accumulating three NCAA championship titles in 18 years.

When not watching or writing about sports, Lindsey enjoys reading, trying new restaurants and coffee shops, and spending time with my friends, family and dog. She also likes to journal, watch movies and paint.

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Edited by Rajdeep Barman