AJ Dybantsa will get paid a lot of money through NIL to play college basketball at BYU. The No. 1 prospect in the recruiting Class of 2025 is expected to make no less than $4 million for what equates to less than 10 months of work.
The financial payments do not involve The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!
Dybantsa, the top-ranked recruit in college basketball, received scholarship offers from 29 programs. Kansas, USC, Texas, Ole Miss, Illinois, Baylor, Houston and others were in the mix but his decision ultimately came down to BYU, Alabama and UNC. He chose the Cougars over the Tide and the Tar Heels even though his father finessed the lattermost school into some pretty sweet tickets for a huge game.
Money might not be the only reason Dybantsa landed in Provo but it was perhaps the biggest reason. Members of the Utah Jazz brass stepped up financially to help secure the commitment, which cost anywhere between $4-7 million. The 6-foot-9 small forward denied the $7 million price tag so the deal likely hovers closer to $4.5 or $5 million for one single season.
Regardless of the exact numbers that are out there, BYU boosters once vowed to never lose a bidding war even though the school itself says otherwise. AJ Dybantsa is just one of many recent examples!
BYU and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints want to be very clear about the root of the money, no matter how much is being spent. Not one single dollar comes from tithing, which is explained as:
The Bible indicates that God’s people followed the law of tithing anciently; through modern prophets, God restored this law once again to bless His children. To fulfill this commandment, Church members give one-tenth of their income to the Lord through His Church. These funds are used to build up the Church and further the work of the Lord throughout the world […]
Church members give their tithing donations to local leaders. These local leaders transmit tithing funds directly to the headquarters of the Church, where a council determines specific ways to use the sacred funds […]
Tithing funds are always used for the Lord’s purposes—to build and maintain temples and meetinghouses, to sustain missionary work, to educate Church members, and to carry on the work of the Lord throughout the world.
— The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Recruiting does not fall into the category of “the Lord’s purpose.” The Church is not paying AJ Dybantsa. However, he was encouraged by the community to attend a Mormon service and did so on Sunday!
I love this move from the No. 1 recruit. Visitors are always welcome in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as stated on the sign. Dybantsa will be exposed to a completely different community while attending school in Provo. To get acclimated to the environment will allow him to better connect with the community. He will better understand why they are the way they are.
BYU fans are some of the most passionate fans in sports. They are known to be extremely kind. For AJ Dybantsa to make an effort to know their world can only help his brand! They already love him for it.