Where is AJ Dybantsa from? Hometown, high school more to know about BYU star’s Massachusetts roots originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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So far, AJ Dybantsa has managed to live up to every ounce of his hype coming out of high school.
Years before he even stepped onto a college court, Dybantsa was viewed as the best potential prospect for the 2026 NBA Draft — something that has held true throughout his 2025-26 season with the BYU Cougars, cementing himself as a star by leading the nation in scoring.
While Dybantsa was long considered the No. 1 prospect in his high school class, he did bounce around a few schools before he landed at BYU.
Here’s everything to know about Dybantsa’s background, including his high school career.
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Where is AJ Dybansta from?
AJ Dybantsa was born in Boston, Massachusetts, then grew up in the Brockton area. The basketball star, who has Congolese and Jamaican heritage, initially played high school ball in the area he grew up in, but as his profile was raised, Dybantsa transferred elsewhere.
Dybansta’s mother, Chelsea, is from Jamaica, while his father, Ace, is from Congo and lived in Grigny, France, including becoming a soccer player before coming to the U.S.
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AJ Dybantsa high school
AJ Dybantsa played for three different schools in high school. First, he emerged as an elite talent at Saint Sebastian’s School in Massachusetts, an all-boys Catholic school. In his freshman season, Dybantsa averaged 19.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.5 blocks per game, leading his team to an appearance in the Class A state championship and winning Massachusetts Boys’ Basketball Gatorade Player of the Year.
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By the end of his freshman season, Dybantsa was already regarded as the No. 1 prospect for the 2026 NBA Draft. In July 2023, On3.com named him the best high school player in the country regardless of class, and college offers were rolling in for the budding star.
As his profile was raised, Dybantsa transferred to Prolific Prep in Napa, California, for his sophomore high school season. Playing for an elite prep basketball program, and joining the second-ranked player in his class, Tyran Stokes, Dybantsa became even more of a sensation.
He announced in October 2023 that he would be reclassifying to the Class of 2025, allowing him to reach the NBA by 2026. Prior to his 2023-24 season at Prolific Prep, Dybantsa also led the Nike Peach Jam in scoring at 25.8 points per game.
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Finally, Dybantsa wrapped up his high school career by transferring again, this time to Utah Prep Academy in Hurricane, Utah, for the 2024-25 season.
It was during that season that Dybantsa announced on ESPN’s “First Take” that he planned to stay in-state, committing to the BYU Cougars as the program’s highest-ranked recruit ever.
AJ Dybantsa announces his commitment to BYU and explains his decision 🔥
“I play like a mix of Tracy McGrady and Shai [Gilgeous-Alexander].” 👀 pic.twitter.com/JIaymkr4Pz
— First Take (@FirstTake) December 10, 2024
Dybantsa’s high school career also included appearances on the U.S. national team, playing in the 2023 FIBA Under-16 Americas Championship in Mexico, the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup in Turkey, and the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup. He helped the United States win gold at all three events.
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