NBA top prospect AJ Dybantsa headlined an energy-filled day of basketball for the Soldier Showcase at UCSB’s Thunderdome on Sunday.
The event was held in partnership between the Oakland Soldiers Basketball organization and its non-profit FAM (Family, Advisory, Mentorship) Foundation.
The brand-new foundation will be used to “mentor families navigating the complex world of youth, collegiate and professional athletics – both on and off the court – in areas such as recruiting, NIL, financial wellness, the transfer portal, education resources and much more,” according to Soldiers Basketball.
The community event featured a “King of the Court” competition with Cal’s all-time leading scorer Jerome Randle, a three-point shootout hosted by UCSB’s own sharpshooter Aidan Mahaney and a dunk contest with international dunk champion and TV personality Christon Staples.
Randle won the first round of King of the Court, but the Soldiers youth teams knocked him off in round two with a game-winner by Malachi Jordan, the No. 7-ranked player in the class of 2027.
Meanwhile, local Holden Pak competed in the three-point shootout and 17U Nike EYBL standout Trevor Dickson came away with the win. Pak was one of the few local products playing for the Soldiers on Sunday.
“To be able to share my backyard with the elite Soldier players was something I could have never dreamed of — but it shows that Santa Barbara is a basketball community on the rise,” Pak said.
“I am humbled to be a part of the Soldier organization and to represent my community on the Nike EYBL circuit. Being a part of this program, representing my coaches and teammates, drives me toward bigger goals. I can’t wait for all the Soldiers to come back here — we’re only getting started.”
The final event of the day was the dunk contest, where Staples leapt over the 6-foot-9 Dybantsa for a dunk and a perfect score to win the overall competition. Meanwhile, Brevynn Montana won the teen prelim rounds.
The action-packed day culminated with Dybantsa having his No. 3 Soldiers jersey retired and holding a Q&A with the crowd for younger players to ask questions.
“This is the type of event and environment that all families need to be around, as it shows the aspiration, the education and empowerment that’s available to you in the hoops community,” said Darnell Campbell, the boys basketball head coach at Laguna Blanca and director of the local youth basketball outlets, LevelUp and PRO/SPECTS.
“As we try to lift the quality of basketball along the Central Coast higher, it’s important that we get showcases like this to set the bar beyond our wildest dreams.”