The AJ Dybantsa era, almost certain to be a single season, has arrived at BYU.
The highly touted recruit makes his college basketball debut on Monday night against Villanova, and it's a season that promises to be a never-ending highlight reel.
It's also very possible that people spend most of the season wondering why Dybantsa ended up at BYU and not somewhere else.
Well, there are some answers to that.
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AJ Dybantsa's BYU choice explained
The speculation all along has been that Dybantsa chose BYU for the NIL money.
His name, image and likeness contract is rumored to be the largest in college basketball history.
Dybantsa was the No. 1 player in the high school class of 2025 by the 247Sports Composite rankings at the time of his commitment, ahead of Duke's Cameron Boozer and Kansas' Darryn Peterson.
The 6-foot-9 superstar said when he committed that he believes the Cougars are the "best development program" for his NBA future.
AJ Dybantsa NIL deal details
The terms of such things aren't released publicly, but a number as high as $7 million has been suggested for what Dybantsa is making this season.
That's what college basketball insider Adam Zagoria reported last December.
The "asking price," insider Matt Norlander added, was $5 million, and he reported that North Carolina and Alabama met that, too.
Dybantsa's business advisor, Leonard Armato, told CBS Sports that money wasn't at the heart of the matter.
"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 also has NIL deals with Red Bull and Nike, according to Armato.
One of BYU's major athletic boosters, Ryan Smith, owns the Utah Jazz and the Utah Mammoth, and BYU alum Danny Ainge reportedly also helped reel in Dybantsa.
AJ Dybantsa's religion
Dybantsa is not a Mormon, according to The Desert News. The publication adds that Dybantsa didn't commit to BYU with any religious considerations in mind.
AJ Dybantsa: one and done?
The expectation is that Dybantsa will indeed spend just one season at BYU before entering the NBA Draft.
The consensus is that there's a big three of current freshman for the top-three picks in the 2026 NBA Draft. Along with Dybantsa, that includes Duke's Cameron Boozer and Kansas' Darryn Peterson.
That trio could form the best top-three of a draft class in a long time, if they live up to the hype.
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