One of the biggest stories in the NCAA Tournament this season is the first-year class and its talent. The BYU basketball program has arguably the best of the bunch in AJ Dybantsa, and he has been playing well all season. Dybantsa has been projected as a top-two or three pick in the NBA Draft all season, and he recently said he has only six more chances to win a national championship in college.
In a recent appearance on the “Winning Formula Pod,” Dybantsa made clear that he has one chance left and that the Cougars have to go win six straight for him to finish out his college career as a champion. Dybantsa's revealing answer effectively confirmed that he will be in the NBA next year. It was not surprising, but it was his first hint of revealing his NBA intentions during the season.
BYU had a generally good season in the Big 12. They started strong, going 16-1 in their first 17 games, before going 5-9 in their next 14, finishing the regular season with a 21-10 record and 9-9 in conference play.
Injuries have certainly made it tougher for the Cougars this season. Both Dawson Baker and Richie Saunders suffered season-ending ACL injuries. However, they have righted the ship after a brief spiral.
Despite the injuries to BYU's roster, Dybantsa has been consistent, leading the nation in scoring with 25.3 points on 51.3 percent shooting from the field, while also averaging 6.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.1 steals. It is worth noting that Dybantsa lit it up at the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City, averaging 31 points per game, while his total 93 points broke the previous record of 92 set by former Texas Longhorn legend Kevin Durant. He also broke an in-game scoring record set by Durant after he scored 40 points against Kansas State.
A massive run by AJ Dybantsa with the BYU basketball program might further cement him as the top pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, given his versatility. It is not a lock due to how deep the first-year class is, but a run in the tournament would all but lock it up.
