In the NIL-funded Big 12, BYU’s honor code has become a recruiting advantage.

The merger of joining the Big 12 and the introduction of NIL to college sports have leveled the playing field for BYU basketball, attracting some of the top high school prospects, international players and transfer portal entries.

Add to that the NBA background of new head coach Kevin Young, a number of NBA-experienced coaches, and top-notch basketball staff and facilities, and Provo becomes a college basketball hotbed.

But there is one unique recruiting advantage BYU has that other schools can’t compete with:

The code of honor.

Yes, the Honor Code and the safe, serious and focused environment it creates at BYU is a positive and compelling factor for many top basketball prospects and their parents. Some of the outstanding talents see the principles of BYU’s Honor Code, which follow the moral teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as an opportunity to focus on their craft, develop as a person and much more during their stay short study period basically out of anger.

The Honor Code played a major role in attracting AJ Dybantsa to BYU.

Here is which CBS Sports reported about the positive influence that the Honor Code had on Dybanta’s decision, and also quoted Leonard Amato, who serves as AJ’s financial advisor:

“In addition to (Kevin) Young’s NBA background, Dybantsa himself said on ESPN’s “First Take” on Tuesday that BYU’s unique campus culture was an enticing part of the recruiting conversation. BYU’s honor code was not a deterrent; exactly the opposite. He wants to go somewhere that is almost entirely about business. Not many (any?) extremely talented basketball players from Massachusetts have ever chosen to play at a Mormon university. The fact that Dybantsa sets new standards makes the story even more compelling.

“‘There aren’t that many distractions,’ Armato told CBS Sports. ‘He’s not a party kid, he’s not interested in distractions. He wants to play basketball, have his family and keep to himself. He’s well-spoken and a confident young man, but he’s not an outgoing party person who needs to be in the clubs all the time.’”

Yes, you read that correctly. The Honor Code was a positive differentiator for BYU compared to Dybantsa’s other top schools, including North Carolina, Kansas and Alabama.

AJ’s father Ace played an important role in overseeing AJ’s recruiting and decision-making process. It’s pretty easy to see why the parents of a future NBA star like AJ Dybantsa would want their son to attend a school where he’s unlikely to get rattled by distractions or negative influences. If a basketball prodigy needs a positive, serious environment for nine months before heading to the NBA, why not send him to the university that wins the Princeton Review? “Cancel the Keg” award. yearly?

And the positive impact of BYU’s honor code isn’t just limited to Dybantsa. The Deseret News quoted assistant coach Tim Fanning about the role BYU’s unique environment played in the signings of Egor Demin and Kannon Catchings, both of whom could be first-round picks in next year’s NBA draft. Fanning noted that Demin wanted an environment that “didn’t contain a lot of discrimination.” Similarly, Fannings said the honor code was a “key point” in Catchings’ decision to come to BYU.

BYU sports fans have known the ins and outs of the Honor Code when it comes to recruiting for decades. In the days before NIL and before Big 12, it was a magnet for top LDS athletes, but also a deterrent for many of the country’s top non-LDS recruits. The Honor Code positively contributes to creating the right culture and environment for BYU sports as part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. However, he has also traditionally lowered the ceiling on the caliber of recruits BYU could attract overall.

Times have changed.

BYU can now offer what other elite basketball programs offer in terms of NIL, presence in the Power Four conference, outstanding coaches and staff, and world-class facilities.

But in addition to these elements, BYU can also provide a unique, focused and non-distracting environment for serious athletes who want to spend two semesters in college and then enter the NBA Draft.

Recruiting is all about finding advantages over other top schools.

When it comes to some once-in-a-lifetime, NBA-caliber talent, the environment created by the Honor Code in Provo gives BYU a significant recruiting advantage. And for the first time in BYU’s rich basketball history, NBA talent now calls Provo home on a regular basis.