The BYU basketball team hopes to get a run going at the Big 12 conference tournament. BYU is close to the bubble of the NCAA tournament, as the Cougars have struggled in recent weeks. One BYU player, though, is getting flowers from the Big 12 commissioner, Brett Yormark.
Yormark thinks BYU star freshman AJ Dybantsa is good enough to win National Player of the Year honors in men's college basketball.
“I want to talk a little bit about national player of the year pushes. As we think about the postseason, I want to start by recognizing players that I feel have earned the right to be considered national players of the year,” Yormark said at his presser before the conference tournament, per Deseret News. “I want to start off with BYU’s AJ Dybantsa. He’s had an outstanding year and should absolutely be part of those conversations. He currently leads the nation in scoring and is on track to be the first underclassman to lead the nation in scoring since 2021. He’s had a fabulous season.”
Dybantsa leads BYU this season, with a 24.7 points per game scoring average.
BYU basketball hopes to win the Big 12 tournament with AJ Dybantsa
Dybantsa is carrying a lot of weight for the BYU offense this season. The Cougars suffered a tough injury in recent weeks, as Richie Saunders went out for the season with a torn ACL.
Dybantsa has had some stellar offensive performances. He set the freshman single-game scoring record at BYU earlier this year. He scored 43 points in a win over Utah to set that record.
Due to his success, Dybantsa got a slew of awards from the Big 12 this season. He is the conference's Freshman of the Year. He also made the All-Big 12 First Team and Freshman Team.
The freshman is considered to be a first-round NBA Draft pick for 2026. Some analysts think he could be the no. 1 overall pick. Dybantsa is leaving the door open to returning to school.
“I might not leave,” the BYU star said, per FanSided. “My mom wants me to graduate, so I might not leave. But I might leave. I don’t know. The fans might get into my head and say one more year.”
BYU plays Tuesday in the first-round of the Big 12 tournament against Kansas State. The winner moves on to a game on Wednesday against West Virginia.
