Class of 2025 star recruit AJ Dybantsa, the No. 1 prospect in his class and one of only a handful of early candidates to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, showed off his athletic pop on the big stage Monday night as he dunked over Angel Reese at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn during the Sprite Jam Fest dunk contest.
Dybantsa positioned Reese, a listed 6-foot-3, outside the restricted area in the middle of the lane before launching from a foot inside the free throw line to jam it home. Reese, for her part, watched with her mouth agape as he finished with one hand.
I’d consider deducting a style point or two for using the left hand to boost off Reese’s shoulders. But, you know what? Ultimately, I wouldn’t. Voters agreed, giving it a perfect 50 score with all five judges giving him a 10 on his first attempt.
Incredibly, though, it still wasn’t enough for Dybantsa to take home the hardware. Baylor-bound Tounde Yessoufou won the competition over Dybantsa, giving the future Bear his first win over a future Big 12 rival in BYU-bound Dybantsa.
The jam fest over the years, which takes place before the McDonald’s All-American Games, has produced some of the best highlights — with Monday’s action adding to the list. LeBron James and Zion Williamson are among those who have also wowed in the event over the years, with Yessoufou and Dybantsa adding to the event’s storied history.
Yessoufou won the event with 49 points in the final round over Chris Cenac Jr.’s 48 points and Caleb Wilson’s 35. His event-sealing slam came with an assist off the side of the backboard and a finishing windmill.
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