Tag: AJ Dybantsa

AJ Dybantsa is starting his sophomore year of high school, but that age hasn’t prevented him from working out with some of the modern greats of the NBA. According to Adam Zagoria, the 6-foot-8 wing has worked out with LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Chris Paul in recent days.

Dybantsa, who ESPN ranks as the No. 1 player in the class of 2026, was shown doing a post workout led by James in the video tweeted by Zagoria for the New York Times on July 27. In the clip, LeBron walks the athletes through backing down, spinning into position along the baseline, and pulling up for a midrange look.

Here’s some video of LeBron working out today with 2026 @ProlificPrep
star @ADybantsa outside LA

Great news for the James family with Bronny getting released from the hospital.

More on @NYTSports https://t.co/eQqlXWAid0 pic.twitter.com/Nq7YDYvtEr

— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) July 27, 2023

After working out with Durant, Dybantsa told Zagoria that the Phoenix Suns star — who is Dybantsa’s favorite player — gave him advice.

“Stay focused, make the game easier than what it is,”Dybantsa said. “We’re taller than everybody so don’t need to do all that extra dribbling, just one or two dribbles and get to your spot.”

He appears to have had multiple workouts with Paul, a future Hall of Famer who is now on the Golden State Warriors.

Class of 26 ⁦@ProlificPrep⁩ star ⁦@ADybantsa⁩ had a 6 am workout today with Chris Paul

Last week he worked out with KD and LeBron pic.twitter.com/g3fJUtvbRQ

— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) July 31, 2023

Those weren’t the only NBA players Dybantsa has played with in recent weeks. He attended the Jayson Tatum Camp in St. Louis recently, where he participated in drills led by counselors including Tatum, Paul, Bradley Beal, Paolo Banchero, Cam Whitmore and Jett Howard, according to Zagoria.

He’s not done. On Aug. 3, Dybantsa will head to the Steph Curry SC30 Camp.

It’s part of the process for an incoming star sophomore and Peach Jam standout. In his freshman season, Dybantsa was named the 2022-23 Gatorade Massachusetts Boys Basketball Player of the Year. He led St. Sebastian’s School to a 26-2 record and averaged 19.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.5 blocks per game while shooting 60.8% from the field, and 41% from 3, according to Gatorade.

He has since transferred to Prolific Prep, where he will play at one of the elite basketball programs in the country. Dybantsa is a player to keep an eye on, in addition to rising juniors Cooper Flagg and Cameron Boozer and senior Dylan Harper.