AJ Dybantsa committed to play college basketball at BYU instead of North Carolina. Even though Duke was not in the mix for the nation’s top-ranked recruit, the Blue Devils still managed to pick up a win over their in-state rival.
The Tar Heels tried to sell Dybantsa on Chapel Hill through a backwards sales pitch.
Kansas State, North Carolina, Kansas, Alabama and BYU were considered to be the five schools with a real chance to land the 6-foot-9, 200-pound small forward. Even though money was considered to be a primary factor in Dybantsa’s decision, that does not appear to be the case.
Per his financial advisor, Leonardo Armato, the Cougars, Crimson Tide and Tar Heels were all willing to meet the $5 million asking price. NIL did not lead Dybantsa to Provo. It was about basketball.
The money for every [school] was the same. The decision wasn’t a money decision as much as it was a culture fit, a decision for the family, basketball, all those things that should be the determining factors. There was a certain money threshold, but once you got to that, it was about ‘how comfortable do I feel for me as a basketball player and my family.’
— Leonardo Armato, via CBS Sports
Dybantsa is also signed with Nike and Red Bull for approximately $1 million combined. However, his deal with the Swoosh will end in June, which will allow him to sign a new shoe deal before he enrolls in college.
North Carolina whiffed on AJ Dybantsa.
This is where UNC comes into the picture. According to Matt Nolander of CBS Sports, the Tar Heels tried to sell Dybantsa on “a vision of being the next all-time scoring superstar, following in the footsteps of Michael Jordan, Vince Carter and Jerry Stackhouse.” In doing so, they also pointed to Zion Williamson and how his value saw a major increase when he chose Duke over Clemson— including a $50 million shoe deal before his first game in the NBA.
Yes, you read that correctly. North Carolina pitched AJ Dybantsa on a player who went to Duke.
“You can be like Zion Williamson, who went to a different school. In fact, he went to the school we hate the most. But you should totally come here though!”
Of course, the Blue Devils could not let the opportunity pass. They took a not-so subtle jab at their rivals on social media. A simple gif of Williamson spoke much louder than words.
— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) December 11, 2024
These kinds of stories are what make college sports so fun. You can’t find this kind of rivalry anywhere else. Duke did not even recruit Dybantsa and yet it still came out on top of North Carolina!