BOSTON – During the first game of the NBA Finals on Thursday in Loge 6, in row 8, seat 18 sat a die-hard fan of the Boston Celtics, who must be playing on the same court in two years. Local kid AJ Dybantsa also happened to be there ESPN’s top highschool basketball prospect in the 2025 class. Celtics stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown expect to play against him in the coming years.

“It’s great basketball. I’ve never been to a final match. The energy here is crazy. Boston is playing well, so everything is fine,” Dybantsa told Andscape during halftime of the Celtics’ 107-89 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.

Dybantsa was born on January 29, 2007 in the Boston suburb of Brockton. His father, Anicet Sr., is from Brazzaville, Congo, and his mother, Chelsea, is from Jamaica. Dybantsa was one yr old when Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and the Celtics won their team’s last NBA championship in 2008.

Growing up in New England, the 6-foot-4, 200-pound Dybantsa was obviously a fan of all the local skilled teams, especially the Celtics. He attended Celtics games from a young age.

“I grew up in Brockton as a Celtics fan,” Dybantsa said. “I came to a few games where I got to see Paul Pierce, (Rajon) Rondo and Kevin Garnett. Now I sincerely support my team. I sincerely support the best team.”

Dybantsa was named the 2022 Massachusetts Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year after leading St. Patrick’s Day as a freshman. Sebastian’s School to the NEPSAC Class A State Championship. He moved across the country to play at Prolific Prep in Napa, California, with the No. 2 prospect in the 2026 class, Tyran Stokes, the past two seasons. Dybantsa won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2023 FIBA ​​Americas Under-16 Championship in Mexico and was capped for the world as a junior, scoring a game-high 21 points at the 2024 Nike Hoop Summit.

Dybantsa moved to Preparing for Utah in the small town of Hurricane, Utah during my senior yr of college.

“I visited last week. The campus was great. We are excited…” said Dybantsa. “My dad really handles all of my recruiting and he felt this would be the best chance for me to achieve the goals I wanted to achieve in my senior year.”

Dybantsa said he intends to shorten the list of 30 universities to seven in July, but it surely is unclear when he’ll select one. Dybantsa also has NIL contracts, but doesn’t have an agent despite interest from all the giants of the basketball industry. He said his dad reduced the stress by handling most of the recruiting and other basketball-related matters.

The teenager smiled when asked about his confidence, style and unique skills, and was humble when asked about his top spot in the rankings.

“Personally, I don’t care,” Dybantsa said. “It’s good to be there, but personally I do not care about my position in the rankings. It’s only a number. I’m not there yet (NBA). I’m not where I would like to be yet. There were No. 1s that dropped out…

“I do not know why people can be conceited. “I don’t know why people would think this or that if you haven’t done it yet.”

Dybantsa has already touched NBA stars LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Paul George and Jordan Poole. The 17-year-old recently joined the Atlanta set together with former NBA players Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, Dirk Nowitzki and host Ernie Johnson. But of all his NBA mentors, Dybantsa relied on Tatum and Brown the most.

“Of course I want to get into the league and they are where I want to be,” Dybantsa said. “They play in Boston and I’m from Boston, so I used to be capable of ask them some questions. I’m not very near them, but they were mentors to me. Every time they see me, they tell me to maintain going, that I’ll be (in the NBA) in just a few years and to maintain my head down. Was well.”

Dybantsa took part in the Jayson Tatum Elite Camp 2023 in St. Louis, where advisors included NBA players Tatum, Chris Paul, Bradley Beal and Paolo Banchero and NBA rookies Cam Whitmore and Jett Howard. Dybantsa said he and fellow highschool stars Stokes, Cooper Flagg, Derrion Reid, Cam Scott and VJ Edgecombe defeated Tatum, Beal, Banchero, Whitmore and Howard twice in the fight. Dybantsa said he received suggestions from Tatum on scoring and creating space offensively in the small forward position.

“I’ve known him since he was a little kid,” Tatum told Andscape. “Good family. Good kid. He’s the best player in high school. If he stays on track and keeps working, I’ll be playing against him soon.”

A smiling Dybantsa also told Andscape that he beat Brown “1-0” in head-to-head play. Brown smirked at the thought, saying Dybantsa took the only shot in the so-called one-on-one play after checking the ball.

How good does Brown think Dybantsa may be?

“It depends on whether he is a winger or a striker,” Brown told Andscape. He needs to maintain working on his wing skills and the whole lot can be positive. AJ must proceed working on his game. If he becomes more of a (small forward), I believe he’ll play permanently. He must proceed to work on his football skills.”

Dybantsa is anticipated to participate in the USA Basketball U-17 training camp in Colorado Springs, Colorado, from June 15-22. He also plays for the renowned AAU Oakland Soldiers at Peach Jam in July. Soldiers’ alumni list includes James, 2024 Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Chauncey Billups, 2023 NBA champion Aaron Gordon of the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets star Jalen Green and former NBA players Brandon Jennings, Kendrick Perkins, Chuck Hayes, Leon Powe, Eddie House and Drew Gordon.

“AJ isn’t just trying to play the game. He’s trying to change the game. LeBron James and Aaron Gordon acted the same way,” Oakland Soldiers president Mark Olivier told Andscape. “There are kids who want to alter the game. I hear AJ talking all the time and the way he articulates what he says just shows the truth of how he sees it. He is special.

“AJ and Tyran Stokes have received so much information that it rubs off on the other kids on our team. If you look at how AJ is performing, it turns out that he outperforms everyone. It’s part of his African heritage. He just loves this game. This one is a superstar. He’s a great kid and very mature.”

Many fans recognized Dybantsa during the break of the first match. He thanked every fan who approached him and obliged those that asked to take a photograph. Time will tell what type of NBA player Dybantsa may be, but on tonight the highschool phenom might be cheering on his Celtics in the Finals and dreaming of at some point becoming an NBA champion.

“I just texted my coach that I have to go to the NBA Finals in the next five years,” an excited Dybantsa said. “This is the highest level of basketball. You cannot go any higher. The Hall of Fame is the highest level you may achieve. But in your NBA playing days, the Finals is the highest level you may reach.