What is life like being a multimillionaire college athlete before ever stepping foot on the gridiron or basketball court?
Just ask AJ Dybantsa, the top-ranked prospect in the nation who is set to suit up for the BYU Cougars this upcoming college basketball season. The 6-foot-9, 200-pound forward out of Brocktown, Massachusetts, has burst onto the scene as one of the most heralded prospects in recent memory. Multiple recruiting outlets rank him as the No. 1 recruit in the 2025 class, and he is widely projected to be the top overall pick in next year’s NBA Draft.
But before he suits up for the Cougars this year, Dybantsa has been busy in the always-evolving NIL space, agreeing to multiple brand partnerships and carrying an NIL valuation of more than $4 million, per On3.
Dybantsa made another big splash this past week, signing a multi-year deal with Fanatics Collectibles, one of the company’s most significant NIL partnership deals to date. Fanatics has exclusive collectible partnerships with multiple athletes and welcomed Dybantsa as its newest ambassador in a video clip released on Wednesday.
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The agreement with Fanatics’ memorabilia arm is worth eight figures, according to a source familiar with the deal. The exclusive partnership will be centered around trading cards and memorabilia, including autographs, game-used jerseys, inscriptions and Dybantsa’s inclusion in Fanatics brand marketing campaigns.
According to Fanatics collectibles, Dybantsa will be featured in a number of upcoming products, among them Bowman U NOW – a program that celebrates moments in collegiate sports – and other Bowman offerings.
Dybantsa was already part of Fanatics Collectibles’ McDonald’s All-American Game deal and has reported NIL partnerships with the likes of Red Bull and Nike.
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