Bruce Pearl may now be removed from the recruiting grind, but missing out on AJ Dybantsa may still haunt him. The latter’s eye-popping showing at BYU’s recent exhibition game against North Carolina may have reminded the former Auburn head coach of what he missed out on.
The 6’9″ freshman delivered a statement in the tune-up match, scoring 18 points and eight rebounds in a 78-76 win for BYU over North Carolina. Dybantsa led the Cougars in scoring, while Caleb Wilson topped the table for UNC with 22 points and 10 rebounds.
What Did Bruce Pearl Say About AJ Dybantsa?
Back in 2023, when Dybantsa was emerging as the top prospect in the nation, Pearl had made a serious push. Pearl seemingly saw him as the player who could elevate the Tigers back into Final Four contention.
However, Auburn did not make Dybantsa’s list of the top four preferred schools. BYU, Kansas, Alabama, and North Carolina made the shortlist.
After Dybantsa’s impressive performance against UNC, Pearl shared his opinion in an X post, praising the 18-year-old and even predicting a Cooper Flagg-like ceiling for him.
“AJ is the real deal! He and his family took one of only two official visits his junior year to Auburn!” he wrote. “Wonderful young man and family! Disciplined and tough, AJ has a chance to have a Cooper Flagg year for BYU!”
AJ is the real deal! He and his family took one of only two official visits his junior year to Auburn! Wonderful young man and family! Disciplined and tough, AJ has a chance to have a Cooper Flagg year for BYU!@Big12Conference @TNTSportsUS https://t.co/yewPXqtSCW
— Bruce Pearl (@coachbrucepearl) October 25, 2025
This is bound to remind fans how hard Pearl worked to get Dybantsa to Auburn. In fact, the 65-year-old himself expressed regret over losing him back in March this year.
“AJ Dybantsa, that young man is going to BYU, he grew up in Boston… We got in early on him, and he’s got a great family,” Pearl told Dan Patrick on NBC Sports, answering the host’s question on the best player he has missed out on as a recruiter.
“He’s one of the highest-rated players that I’ve ever not gotten. Anthony Edwards, maybe, in Atlanta, would have been another one that we worked on but didn’t get.”
Pearl also praised North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson, stating that he deserves a higher rating given his size and skill. The retired coach called Duke’s Cameron Boozer a “complete stat sheet stuffer” and predicted Boozer to be a potential No. 1 draft pick in 2026.
