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By Matt Audilet
Contributing Sports Writer
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AJ Dybantsa is one of the top prospects in the upcoming 2026 NBA Draft.
Dybantsa was a Nike sponsored athlete before he even stepped foot on campus for his first and only collegiate season with the BYU Cougars, signing an NIL deal with the sports apparel giant in January 2024. Now as the highly-touted prospect transitions to the professional level, he's updating the terms of his contract.
Dybantsa's NIL deal is transitioning to a pro basketball partnership with Nike, he told ESPN on Wednesday.
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"It means everything," Dybantsa said, via ESPN NBA insider Dave McMenamin. "They've been with me since Day 1. It's been a great partnership and we're looking forward to keep building for the long term."
Dybantsa earned First Team All-American honors in his debut season with BYU, leading the Big 12 conference with 25.5 points per game on 51% shooting from the field. The 6-foot-9 forward also averaged 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game for the Cougars.
The news of Dybantsa's updated partnership with Nike included the reveal of a new signature logo.
"It's some abstract art," Dybantsa said of his logo. "It's like an A and a J. If you keep flipping it, you see it. ... I got a nickname when I was younger ... 'Star Boy.' So, I've always been a star. And the pressure doesn't really phase me. It kind of refines me, like a diamond."
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Dybantsa, who committed to BYU as the No. 1 overall recruit in his class, is projected to go as high as No. 1 in the upcoming NBA draft.
"Ever since the rankings came out in 9th grade, I've been No. 1 [in my class]," Dybantsa said. "I haven't been nothing lower. So, it's definitely a goal of mine to go No. 1."
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