AJ Dybantsa has no regrets about his commitment to BYU. The nation’s top 2025 recruit recently addressed analyst Stephen A. Smith’s past criticism, confidently defending a decision that sent shockwaves through the college basketball world.
Why Is AJ Dybantsa Sticking to His ‘Blue Blood’ Logic?
In a recent “BYUtv Sports Nation” podcast interview, incoming freshman AJ Dybantsa made it clear that he remains unbothered by comments Smith made on First Take back on December 10. When Smith expressed surprise at the commitment and suggested Dybantsa should have chosen a traditional “blue blood” program, the Massachusetts native had a quick reply.
“Yeah, like he’s obviously confused. He was saying I should have went [sic] to a blue blood, but I was trying to say that BYU is a blue blood,” Dybantsa explained during the podcast. “Like, we also wear blue. You consider schools that wear blue as blue bloods, and we also wear blue.”
His response directly mirrored what he told Smith on First Take months ago: “BYU is a blue blood because we also wear blue.” It’s a line of reasoning he is clearly sticking with. Beyond the colorful debate, Dybantsa suggested Smith simply expected him to follow a well-worn path.
“Me and my family aren’t typical people, so we just go the different route,” he added, noting that Smith “thought I was going to go the typical route.”
Does Dybantsa’s Choice Signal a Recruiting Shift?
The exchange with Stephen A. Smith wasn’t an isolated incident. Dybantsa heard similar pushback throughout his recruitment after choosing BYU over powerhouse programs like North Carolina, Kansas, and Alabama.
Smith wasn’t the only one surprised, as BYU had never landed a five-star recruit before Dybantsa, which made his commitment genuinely shocking. His final four schools were Alabama, BYU, Kansas and North Carolina, all programs with rich basketball traditions.
Earlier in his recruitment, his offer list included Duke, Kentucky, UConn, Auburn, Baylor, Arkansas, and USC, among other major programs.
The 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup MVP has consistently shown that he is comfortable with unconventional decisions. He reclassified from the 2026 class to 2025, transferred multiple times during his high school career, and ultimately chose a program building toward national relevance rather than one already there.
MORE: AJ Dybantsa Reveals Lofty Freshman Goals at BYU in Collab With $44.5 Billion Brand
For Dybantsa, the decision came down to development over tradition.
“I couldn’t really pass up an NBA staff, an NBA dietitian, an NBA strength coach, and an NBA analytics. I can’t really pass up on that,” Dybantsa said during his commitment announcement, referring to Coach Kevin Young.
The numbers certainly back up his confidence. Dybantsa just finished a dominant run at the FIBA U19 World Cup, averaging 14.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.3 assists while shooting 84% from the free-throw line as Team USA’s MVP.
His willingness to defend his choice months later shows a player who is entirely comfortable with his decision. Now, the program’s biggest recruit ever seems determined to prove that BYU was the right call all along.
Dybantsa and the Cougars begin the 2025-26 season in several weeks when they take on Villanova in the Hall of Fame Series in Las Vegas on Monday, November 3.
