The No. 1 overall high school basketball prospect in America is going to call Utah home for a season. Specifically, Hurricane.
On Friday, it was announced that AJ Dybantsa — the consensus top recruit in the 2025 class — is transferring high schools, moving from Prolific Prep in California to Utah Prep Academy.
Listed at either 6-foot-8 or 6-foot-9, depending on the outlet, and 200 pounds, Dybantsa is one of the most sought after prospects in the country, holding scholarship offers from over 20 notable Division 1 programs, the most recent offer coming from the University of Utah.
Duke, Kansas and Kentucky have all offered Dybantsa, as have the two-time defending champion UConn Huskies, plus North Carolina, Texas, Washington and more.
The Brockton, Massachusetts, native averaged averaged 21.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game as a junior at Prolific Prep this past season and as a freshman two years ago at St. Sebastian’s School in Needham, Massachusetts, Dybantsa was named the Gatorade Player of the Year.
Through 10 games played with the Oakland Soldiers (9-1) this season on Nike’s EYBL circuit, Dybantsa is averaging 23 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists per contest while shooting 54.8% from the field, 39.3% from 3-point range and 81.6% from the free-throw line.
Dybantsa reclassified up to the Class of 2025 in October and is now considered the consensus top prospect for the 2026 NBA draft as a small forward.
Utah Prep, formerly known as RSL Academy, is relocating to Hurricane from Herriman for the 2024-25 season. The Academy is just one of a couple notable prep basketball powerhouses now located in the state, along with Wasatch Academy in Mt. Pleasant.
Another top 10 prospect in the 2025 class — Isiah Harwell — plays for the Tigers, meaning Utah will be the temporary home of two of the most talented prep basketball players in the country. A Pocatello, Idaho, native, Harwell holds scholarship offers from nearly a dozen Division 1 programs currently, including Gonzaga, Houston, North Carolina and UCLA.