Kevin Durant isn’t known for giving out compliments lightly, so when he praised AJ Dybantsa, people took notice. “I was impressed by his size, fluidity, ball-handling, and shooting. He’s built to last 20 years in this league,” Durant said. Dybantsa, a projected top-three pick in the 2026 NBA Draft and likely one-and-done at BYU, is already turning heads well beyond his age.

Where is AJ Dybantsa from, and what is his nationality?

AJ Dybantsa was born on January 29, 2007, in Brockton, Massachusetts, and grew up there, making him an American national. He has represented the US at the international level in the U16, U17, and U19 levels, averaging 14.1 points per game in the national jersey in these tournaments as per FIBA.

AJ also won the gold medal at the 2023 FIBA Americas Championships while scoring 12 points in the gold medal game against Canada. He averaged 13.7 points and 3.7 rebounds through that championship, where Cameron Boozer won the MVP. Immediately next year, Dybantsa improved at the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup. 

The US won the title with Dybantsa averaging 14.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 4.1 assists. He took another step up at the U19 level as he was named MVP of the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup, after helping the United States win its ninth title at the event. He averaged 14.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.3 assists during the tournament.

What Is AJ Dybantsa’s Ethnicity & Religion?

AJ Dybantsa has Congolese and Jamaican roots. AJ Dybantsa’s father, Anicet ‘Ace’ Dybantsa Sr., was born in the Congo but grew up in Paris, while AJ’s mom, Chelsea, is from Jamaica.

“AJ has that rare combination … I call it Jafrican,” Dybantsa Sr jokingly once said. AJ himself also considers Jamaica his second home. Amid the current disaster in the country, Dybantsa wrote, “Jamaica means a lot to me and my family. Hurricane Melissa left thousands without homes or food, and we’re raising funds to help them rebuild.” He also provided a link for fans to donate.

When it comes to religion, Dybantsa is Catholic. However, since he is at BYU, many could assume he is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but he is not. And the reason to join the program? He explicitly stated that his decision to attend BYU was driven by their elite coaching staff.

Which high school did AJ Dybantsa go to?

Dybantsa started his high school career at Saint Sebastian’s School. As a freshman, Dybantsa averaged 19.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 2.5 blocks per contest while shooting 60.8 percent from the field and 41 percent from 3-point range to lead St. Sebastian to the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council Class A title game with a record of 26-2. However, Dybantsa lost to Milton Academy 77-76 in the title game. 

Dybantsa transferred to Prolific Prep in Napa, California, as a sophomore, where he teamed up with the second-ranked player in the 2026 class, Tyran Stokes. He averaged 20.1 points, 2.3 assists, and 7.3 rebounds at Prolific Prep. Dybantsa moved for his final season again, this time to Utah Prep Academy in Hurricane, Utah, for the 2024-25 season.

In his final season at Utah, he averaged 17.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists to become the No. 1-ranked recruit. He became the highest-ranked committed recruit to join BYU in program history. But now, can he leave a big impact on the NBA world?