Ace Dybantsa quit his job as a Boston University police officer in 2024 after 19 years. Why? It became a full-time job for him to help his son, AJ Dybantsa, become the next No. 1 NBA draft pick. He had to pay full attention to sponsorships, travel, and the media. Ace’s retirement shows how important it is for one of basketball’s best young players.

Ace was honest about what the job is like when he appeared on Y’s Guys’ YouTube channel. “It’s been crazy,” he said. “There’s a lot of traveling and dealing with sponsors and things like that.”

When asked about the weekly time commitment, he was honest: “It’s like a full-time job—that’s why I retired.” He had to choose between watching the clock at Boston University’s campus police office and managing his son’s growing sponsorship obligations.

AJ’s breakout season brought in more than just game-changing performances; it also pushed his NIL valuation to around $4.3 million. Ace couldn’t handle all the sponsorships and his full-time job as a police officer, so he decided to quit and do it all himself. AJ is averaging 20.9 points and shooting 55.5% from the field in nine games. He scored 28 points against Clemson, 22 of which came in the second half. This shows why these deals are needed. You can’t do sponsorship deals, travel, and media work on a part-time basis. Ace had to retire so that AJ could focus on basketball and keep his son’s career going smoothly.

Ace’s decision to quit his job was an excellent investment that is already paying off. This season, AJ has become one of three players in the running for the top overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft. He is up against Kansas’s Darryn Peterson and Duke’s Cameron Boozer.

AJ Dybantsa has strengthened his case to challenge Peterson and Boozer for the top pick. He showed he could come through in the clutch by scoring 28 points against Clemson, 22 of which came in the second half. In nine games, he has scored an average of 20.9 points and shot 55.5%. He stands 6 feet 9 inches tall and has elite physical tools and the ability to score from three levels. Ace needs to be there full-time because of this level of competition.

Not every scout, though, thinks that Dybantsa’s path will be smooth. A coach from another college said that his ability to consistently make three-point shots could be a limit on his professional career.

“It will limit him to some degree how great a player he becomes unless he becomes a great 3-point shooter,” the coach stated. “Throughout his path in basketball, he’s needed a rhythm dribble to make shots from the perimeter, so catch and shoot is an area of improvement for him moving forward in the pros.”

Dybantsa’s current 34.8% mark from distance is good, but the difference between his rhythm-dependent and catch-and-shoot efficiency shows that he needs to work on his technical skills to be successful in the NBA.

BYU’s AJ Dybantsa earns national player of the week honor

When AJ won the Lute Olson National Player of the Week award, the criticism of his shooting didn’t matter anymore. He didn’t just get better; he took over. AJ scored 22 of his 28 points in the second half against Clemson at Madison Square Garden, which helped BYU come back from 22 points down. He had 28 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists, showing that he could take over games when they were important.

AJ scored 26 points, grabbed 8 rebounds, gave 7 assists, and stole 5 balls in a 100–53 blowout against UC Riverside at home. He scored an average of 27 points per game, grabbed 8.5 rebounds, and gave out 6.5 assists every day of the week. These numbers showed scouts exactly why he should be in the running for the top pick: he’s not just a scorer; he’s a complete player.

With AJ at the helm, BYU is now 9-1 and ranked tenth in the country. The award proves that his rise isn’t just luck; it’s real. Each time he plays well, it makes his $4.3 million NIL value and draft position stronger.

As scouts get ready for the draft, AJ has a simple test: keep playing at this level while working on his catch-and-shoot weaknesses. For Ace, the job is still the same: deal with the noise, run the business, and keep his son focused on basketball.

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