The suspense is over
Brockton native A.J. Dybantsa announced on ESPN’s First Take that he will play his college basketball at Brigham Young. The 6-foot-9 swingman opted for Brigham Young over Alabama, Kansas and North Carolina.
Brigham Young had emerged as the favorite in recent days due in large part to new head coach Kevin Young. Young coached in the NBA G League for eight years and recently served as an assistant coach for the 76ers and Suns, where he earned raved reviews from players on both teams, a fact not lost on Dybantsa.
“I mean, a lot stood out on my visit (to Brigham Young), obviously with coach Kevin Young (being there),” Dybantsa said. “My ultimate goal is to get to the NBA and you know he coached one of my favorite players of all-time, Kevin Durant.”
Dybantsa spent his freshman year at St. Sebastian’s where he earned Boston Herald All-Scholastic and Gatorade Player of the Year honors after averaging 19.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.5 blocks a game in leading the Arrows to a 26-2 record and a berth in the NEPSAC Class A championship.
He transferred to Prolific Prep in California, before reclassifying to the Class of 2025 and headed for Utah Prep, where he is averaging more than 17 points and 10 rebounds a game for a team ranked fourth in the latest ESPN national high school rankings.
Dybantsa and his Utah Prep squad recently played against Highland (Virginia) at Emmanuel College where he scored 18 points and grabbed six rebounds in a 79-71 win. Dybantsa spoke about his whirlwind ride with the Herald’s Tom Mulherin.
“(My favorite part is) just traveling, being with my teammates and just making new friends,” he said. “I’ve been to three different schools in three years, so it’s just making connections with people. Being in the hotels with them and having fun with them off the court.”
Dybantsa’s stay at Brigham Young is expected to be a short one. He is considered to be the top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft along with power forward Cameron Boozer (Duke commit) and shooting guard Darryn Peterson (Kansas commit). His father Ace, who joined AJ on the ESPN set, wasted little time in confirming that the goal for his son is to be one-and-done.
After leading his team to a 12-1 overall record and a trip to the MIAA Division I State Championship for the first time in school history, Needham High School’s Doug Kopcso has been selected as the New England Patriots Coach of the Year after leading his team to a 12-1 season and a berth in the Div. 1 state final.
NFL Hall of Fame linebacker Andre Tippett, who presently holds the role of Executive Director of Community Affairs for the New England Patriots, had a meeting with the Rockets on Tuesday at Needham High School. During the meeting, he presented a generous donation of $2,000 to the football program on behalf of the Kraft family and the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation. The acknowledgement pays homage to Kopcso’s commitment to the development of the next generation.
“As someone who’s always appreciated great defense, this Needham team embodies everything we love about the game,” Tippett said. “They play with heart, resilience, and a mindset that no moment this season has been too big for them. Under Coach Kopcso’s leadership, this team has truly risen to greatness. Congratulations on an incredible season, and it’s my honor to present the Patriots Coach of the Year award to Coach Kopcso and the Needham Rockets football team.”