AJ Dybantsa’s comments raises eyebrows about what’s next

It was a simple answer. But from AJ Dybantsa, it didn’t sound small.

“I definitely made the right decision.”

In the moment, it was reflection. After the moment, it felt like something more. Not because the BYU Cougars lost 79-71 to the Texas Longhorns in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, but because of what comes next.

Dybantsa is widely projected as a top-two or top-three pick in June’s NBA Draft. Whether he formally says it now or later, the path forward is already coming into focus.

“Just talk to my family,” he said when asked about his next step. “My mom ultimately. She kind of is the big boss.”

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Even in defeat, Dybantsa showed flashes of why NBA teams are already circling. There were stretches where his shot-making and ability to create space stood out, moments where the game slowed and everything ran through him.

For BYU, that presence defined the season. “I just like how we persevered,” AJ said. “We could have folded and lost by 20, but we tried to cut it down and make a push for the win.”

That push came after a difficult first half, one that head coach Kevin Young called “extremely disappointing,” particularly on the glass. BYU adjusted in the second half, but the early gap proved too much to overcome.

Still, the fight matched what Young has seen from this group all year, and what Dybantsa helped establish.

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“I’ll probably look back in 20 years and just have a lot of joy that I was able to be a part of his story,” Young said. “He’s going to be a Coug for life.”

That’s the part of AJ’s season that won’t show up in draft projections.

He arrived as a headline, a centerpiece talent capable of reshaping a program. BYU built around him, pairing him with veteran leadership and scoring options that, at one point, formed one of the most productive trios in college basketball.

Dybantsa remains what he’s been all season: a player comfortable taking over, capable of creating his own offense, and already looking like he belongs at the next level.

Now comes the decision everyone is waiting for, even if he isn’t rushing it.

And when he looks back on this moment, on this season, on everything that came with it, one part already feels settled.

“I love this place.”

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