America woke up on Tuesday to something it had never seen before. The country’s top prep basketball recruit announced on ESPN his intention to play at BYU, choosing the Cougars over Kansas, North Carolina and Alabama.

“I think it shows the trust that people have in Kevin Young and the staff. I think it shows the relevance of BYU as a program as well as an institution and organization. If you can get the No. 1 recruit in the country, you can get anyone.”

— former BYU star Travis Hansen

AJ Dybantsa did not choose BYU because he is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It’s not him. It wasn’t because his father Ace played there. He didn’t. It wasn’t because the Cougars offered the most incentive. They didn’t do that. Dybantsa chose BYU with an eye on the future.

“He wants to be a loner. “He wants to stay here for nine months and prepare for the next step in his career,” former BYU star Travis Hansen told the “Y’s Guys” podcast. “I’m biased, but I think BYU is the best place to develop these men into professional players. There is a reason why Egor Demin is here.”

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Demin, a 6-foot-2 freshman from Moscow, Russia, is a projected lottery pick for next year’s NBA draft. Hansen and Demin’s father Vladimir both played for Real Madrid in Spain. Dybantsa, also 6-9, is considered a good chance to be the top pick in the 2026 draft.

“I think it shows the confidence that people have in Kevin Young and the staff,” said Hansen, who was drafted by Atlanta in 2003 and played seven years in Europe. “I think it shows the relevance of BYU as a program and as an institution and organization. If you can get the No. 1 recruit in the country, you can get anyone.”

Young quickly turned heads when he signed Demin and 6-9 Kanon Catchings, another projected NBA draft pick, in his first recruiting class. The two 18-year-olds started all eight games, including last week in Providence, where they endured a cold spell and combined to make one of 18 shots in an 83-64 loss.

The talented tandem, unparalleled in Provo, will look to bounce back when BYU (6-2) hosts Fresno State (3-6) on Wednesday (7 p.m. MST, ESPN+).

“I think it’s pretty shocking that they’re so good right now,” Hansen said. “If I were a fan, I would enjoy it. I thought, “I can’t believe we have so much talent here,” and let’s see what they can do over the course of the season. It’s early days and the early signs are that these are some pretty incredible kids.”

While Demin and Catchings are busy adjusting to the college game, they are expected to remain at BYU for one season before moving on to the NBA. Young and his staff have made even bigger headlines with their search for successors.

Before Dybantsa’s announcement, Xavion Staton was expected to be the highest-rated newcomer in the program’s history. The 7-foot center from Las Vegas, who is the 29th-best overall recruit in the 2025 class according to 247Sports, signed with the Cougars in November after choosing BYU over Michigan, Stanford and UNLV.

“It just changes. Everything changes,” Hansen said. “When we were there (at BYU), we thought too small to a certain extent. I think Kevin Young is thinking bigger.”

Dave McCann is a sportswriter and columnist for the Deseret News and a play-by-play announcer and show host for BYUtv/ESPN+. He co-hosts “Y’s Guys” on ysguys.com and is the author of the children’s book “C is for Cougar”, available at desertbook.com.