AJ Dybantsa upgrades from NIL deal to pro partnership with Nike - ESPN

LOS ANGELES — As AJ Dybantsa is transitioning from college basketball to prepare for the NBA draft, he is also taking the next step in his endorsement deal with Nike.

Dybantsa, who signed a NIL deal with Nike in January 2024, is extending that agreement as pro basketball contract, he told ESPN.

«It means everything,» Dybantsa said. «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.»

The 6-9, 210-pound Dybantsa declared for the draft after a stellar freshman season at Brigham Young University, when he led the nation in scoring with 25.5 points per game on 51%, along with 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Dybantsa has big plans for his NBA career, starting with draft night in June.

«Ever since the rankings came out in 9th grade, I've been No. 1 [in my class],» Dybantsa told ESPN. «I haven't been nothing lower. So, it's definitely a goal of mine to go No. 1.»

He has been working out for the draft in Los Angeles, with the Boston native recently working out with former Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas and basketball trainer, Zack Gonzales, who counts Celtics guard Payton Pritchard among his clients. He said he's carried his Boston background with him during his basketball journey.

«Passion, probably,» Dybantsa said when asked to identify what defines players from Boston. «After a big stop, a big bucket, I tend to scream a lot, flex a lot. I think that's pretty Boston of me.»

He's also done some scouting of his future competition by attending Game 2 of the Los Angeles Lakers' first-round series against the Houston Rockets in person.

«It's definitely physical,» Dybantsa said. «Things get a little more crazy in the playoffs. It's