The No. 1 prospect in the 2025 class, AJ Dybantsa, once said he is eager to carry on the work of late Boston high school basketball prospect Terrence Clarke. However, just as his basketball career was about to lift off, Clarke died in a car accident on April 22, 2021, in Los Angeles.
Clarke’s death hit the basketball community hard, including Dybantsa, whom Clarke took under his wings in the Boston area. In an interview on The Field Of 68: After Dark’s YouTube channel on Aug. 16, 2023, Dybantsa talked about how Clarke inspired him to take basketball seriously.
“I’m kinda where he was, like, at the same stage, so he was, like, young, regarded as a top 10 player in his respective class,” Dybantsa said (5:12). “So, like seeing him being from Boston and doing what he was doing is, like, maybe I could do the same thing.
“And his passing was, like, all right, I just got to do everything under his wings. I got to carry his legacy and make sure it don’t die,” Dybantsa added.
Terrence Clarke’s unrealized potential but AJ Dybantsa is on the path to greatness
Terrence Clarke’s death robbed him of a promising career. Just like Dybantsa, the youngster was a top 10 prospect and a consensus five-star recruit. He started his high school career at Rivers in Weston, Massachusetts, before moving to Brewster Academy, where he led the team to the 2019 National Prep Championships.
In his last year at Brewster, Clarke averaged 18.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. His performance helped the team to a 34-3 record before the Covid-19 pandemic struck.
Clarke committed to Kentucky for a year before declaring for the 2021 NBA draft a year later.
While Clarke’s basketball career was cut short tragically, AJ Dybantsa is ensuring his legacy continues. Dybantsa is the No. 1 prospect in the 2025 class and is projected to go first overall in the 2026 NBA draft.
The small forward with an NIL valuation of $2.6 million (via On3) is already making a name for himself in high school. Dybantsa, who plays for Utah Prep after moving from Prolific Prep, spent his freshman year at St. Sebastian’s School, where he averaged 19.1 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 2.9 apg and 2.5 bpg.
Meanwhile, at Utah Prep, the small forward is averaging 18.8 ppg and 9.5 rpg this season.
Edited by Krutik Jain
