AJ Dybantsa pushing the limits of NIL

Rumors surrounding rising superstar AJ Dybantsa's potential NIL deal indicate the coveted recruit could push NIL payouts to new heights. Many speculate that the potential top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft can get as much as $4.5 million from a Big 12 program.

Dybantsa—ranked No. 1 by 247Sports Rankings and other composite rankings—has expressed interest in Alabama, BYU, Kansas, Kansas State, Baylor and North Carolina. On3 is reporting that his father, Ace, is "running point" on a recruitment package that could start at $3 million and run as high as $4 million, with a source close to BYU telling the outlet that "$4 to $4.5 million is what they are prepared to pay."

Dybantsa is represented by Leonard Armato, who previously represented Shaquille O'Neal and Oscar De La Hoya. However, his father has made clear that his son is unaware of the potential NIL money situations—and he prefers it that way.

“As a matter of fact, AJ doesn’t know how much NIL they’re offering him,” Ace Dybantsa said to On3. “My wife and I decided not to tell him because we don’t want money to be a factor in where he wants to go. … Our advisor, he handles the money for us. To give you an example, let’s say he chose South Carolina, which they have offered. They have $5 million on the table and Kentucky comes, Kentucky has $3 million. AJ wants to go to Kentucky — he’s going to Kentucky.”

Despite the elder Dybantsa's claim, sources close to Auburn and USC have told the outlet that their schools are no longer in contention because they simply don't have enough money to recruit him.

"I do know that the dad from the beginning has been pushing numbers like that," said a source to On3. "He was pushing for $3 million while we were in the mix. The dad basically has said from the get-go that he’s going to the highest bidder."

Money, however, isn't the only thing that should be driving AJ Dybantsa — or any other athlete in contention for an NIL deal. From a business perspective, the elder Dybantsa is absolutely correct in negotiating the highest possible payout for his son. But there are other factors that could impact Dybantsa's future, and those should hold weight despite the massive amounts of money being discussed.

NIL first became a way for college athletes to get paid in 2021 when the first interim policy was implemented by the NCAA. Since then, the concept of the NIL has gained far-reaching acceptance in college athletics, with the NCAA Board of Governors and Division I members adopting a new policy in August 2024 that — among other benefits including increased mental health resources — provides "increased opportunities for student-athletes to receive help with arranging NIL deals," suggesting that the NCAA is not only accepting these deals as part and parcel of the college athletics experience but actively encouraging them among incoming players.

"The NCAA is making changes to deliver more benefits to student-athletes for their academic success and health and well-being," NCAA President Charlie Baker said. "Today's progress was made possible by DI membership committing to these investments and by student-athlete leaders leading the charge for these long overdue changes."

But an NIL deal isn't just about "name, image, and likeness." While legitimate criticisms certainly abound about the program — including the inequitable distribution of funds amongst college athletes — there are also plenty of net positives that go above and beyond the initial handsome payout.

For example, NIL deals allow student-athletes to build their brand. Like it or not, today's athletes cannot simply be "good at ball" — they have to be a business onto themselves, and craft a public-facing persona. This broad-level approach to business allows athletes like Dybantsa to also engage with fans, especially through building a social media presence, which is funded in part by the initial dollars provided in the NIL.

One potential blind spot, however, of NIL deals is the lack of guaranteed education for student-athletes who sign such deals. A combination of school policies and state laws determine the type of deals that athletes can make, which means that there's no one set regulatory body on these types of deals. Some schools require that student-athletes get business advice and/or economics training before signing deals, and some schools prevent student-athletes from signing certain NIL deals (alcohol, for example, is usually a no-go when it comes to NIL deals, for what are perhaps obvious reasons).

So, while athletes like Dybantsa can learn how to wisely invest their money, and make appropriate business deals, there's no guarantee that they will do so...and the results of that failure, as countless professional athletes have demonstrated time and again, can be devastating.

In the long term, NIL deals allow athletes like Dybantsa to prepare for a career off the court or field. No athlete can play forever. So what do they do afterward? Whether they choose to coach, become diversified entertainers (a la Shaq) or commentators, or simply retire from sports altogether, NIL give them the freedom and ability to do this.

Dybantsa's talent on the court is undeniable, and there's no question that he should accept the NIL deal that best serves his short-term and long-term goals. But money should not be the sole deciding factor in his decision, regardless of the best intentions behind those advising him to do so.