They Grow Up So Fast: These Prep Stars Just Made Their College Debuts On The Court!
Anwar Stetson
All Grown Up
It feels like just yesterday that high school basketball fans were watching incoming ninth graders grow into prep stars on the court. One of the winningest groups in all of prep basketball, the best boys’ hoopers in the Class of 2025 made their college debuts this October. Hoops fans have followed boys basketball’s best players over the past four years, and now its all coming to fruition at the college level. Though college basketball’s regular season is still a couple of weeks away, some of the most hyped prospects — like AJ Dybantsa, Koa Peat, and Bryce James — all made their “Midnight Madness” debuts this past week. And they didn’t disappoint.
AJ Dybantsa’s “Simple” Aura Captivates Fans in Provo
Opening scrimmages are an integral part of college hoops. Often referred to as “Midnight Madness”, college programs begin open practices with the student body in attendance. At some programs, the opening practice is a high-profile event featuring celebrities like Drake. But for BYU, the most important star on the court is future NBA lottery pick AJ Dybantsa. We’ve detailed the 6’9” forward’s journey through his final high school season, and now Cougar fans get to see the rising star up close and personal.
The highest-ranked recruit in BYU history, Dybantsa has already made an impact on the Utah school’s college hoops status. The Cougars are ranked eighth in the AP preseason top 25–the highest in program history. The 18-year-old out of Utah Prep Academy made a splashy entrance at the schools’ Marriott Madness on Friday night, hyping up the student section and throwing t-shirts into the crowd.
His play on the court was a bit less flashy, though still very effective. He hilariously made waves on social media for hooping without any typical accessories — just a uniform, socks, and shoes. Dybantsa proves that the modern era isn’t always about modern “aura.” With few distractions off the court and a simple “dripless” aesthetic, all eyes are on the most important product: the basketball.
On the court, AJ’s passing ability shined the most. Though the athletic and lengthy forward can dominate on the wing as a scorer, he always has his eyes peeled to give his teammates an open look. And although he can power down a dunk better than just about anyone in the country, the Blue and White scrimmage showed off his ability to play with his back to the basket and hit an old-school mid range.
BYU is known more for football than basketball. That might change soon, though, because for the 2025-2026 season, the attention will be on the Cougars and AJ Dybantsa.
Bryce is Nice. But Don’t Sleep on the All-Around Heat in Arizona
The James family has become basketball royalty. Led by patriarch and arguable GOAT LeBron, sons Bronny and Bryce were social media superstars before they had even committed to high schools.
After a near-deadly cardiac arrest, Bronny persevered through his freshman year of college to join his father on the Los Angeles Lakers. Despite some bumps in the road, James earned his place on the roster with a pair of 30+ point G-League games.
Now, it’s Bryce’s turn. The three-star recruit out of Sierra Canyon (Calif.) wasn’t ranked as highly as his older brother, but he’s definitely got a physical presence you can’t teach. At 6’5”, he’s about four inches taller than Bronny, and he finished with three points, one block, one steal, and one assist in 18 minutes at Arizona’s Red-Blue Showcase on October 3.
Rocking his trademark glasses, Bryce knocked down an early three, stretching the floor as a wing.
Though Bryce might have the most famous last name on Arizona, it’s his five-star teammate that has the greatest chance of going pro.
Koa Peat
We’ve detailed Koa Peat’s awesome summer run with Team USA — he won four gold medals with Team USA as a teenager, including the 2023 FIBA U16 AmeriCup, the 2022 and 2024 U17 FIBA World Cup, and the 2025 U17 FIBA World Cup. The son of former NFL player Todd Peat, Koa is a strong presence in the paint, but can also stretch the floor and operate on the perimeter.
Peat also took part in the showcase’s dunk contest, losing to former NFL star and Arizona alum Rob Gronkowski.
A five-star recruit and the No.1 ranked high school player in the Grand Canyon State, Peat showed that he has a chance to be an NBA lottery pick with his combination of strength, athleticism, defense, and playmaking ability. But as far as scoring goes, another Wildcat stamped his name as the top scoring option heading into the season.
Brayden Burries
Southern California native Brayden Burries finished off the Red and Blue Showcase with 22 points and four three pointers, leading all scorers.
Burries was California’s Gatorade Player of the Year in 2025, and is the eleventh-ranked prospect in the nation heading into his freshman year. Burries was deadly from beyond-the-arc, showing the ability to create his own shot from deep and also drive into the paint in Arizona’s showcase game. He even added an awesome Jordan-like reverse layup.
At 6’4”, Burries is a smooth combo guard that is proving he can put the ball in the hoop — and it doesn’t need to be much more complicated than that. He’ll lead the 13th ranked Wildcats in Arizona’s first game against No.3 Florida on November 3.
Up Next?
More debuts are coming up, with five-star guard Darryn Petersen and the Kansas Jayhawks’ prepping for Late Night in the Phog on October 17.
It feels like just yesterday these student-athletes were just beginning their careers. Now, they’re that much closer to becoming household names across the country.