AJ Dybantsa once again proved he could be reliable in the biggest of games with his performance. In their Big 12 Tournament win against Kansas State, Dybantsa exploded with a 40-point game, breaking Kevin Durant’s 20-year record for most points scored by a freshman in the tournament. He went on to win the Big 12 Freshman of the Year award. However, for the fans hoping for him to win the Big 12 Player of the Tournament, it went to Arizona guard Jaden Bradley.
Everyone was expecting Dybantsa to react, but the freshman sensation had a rather calm reaction.
“Initial reaction, I was like, ‘Oh, damn.’ I thought I should have won it,” Dybantsa told Chancellor Johnson. “I seen I got Freshman of the Year. but when I look back at [team] record and everything, [Bradley] was the head of the snake — the No. 1 team in the conference. [Bradley is] the heart and soul of the team, a senior, so well deserved.”
Jaden Bradley was one of the key contenders for the title, as he is currently leading Arizona as one of the country’s main title contenders. The senior guard is averaging 13.4 points and 4.6 assists per game this season while shooting 46% from the field and 38% from deep. He is currently in his third season with Arizona and has been the team’s starting guard for the past two seasons.
But AJ Dybantsa understands that individual numbers don’t always guarantee the elusive POTY title. In fact, contributions to the team matter. While congratulating Bradley for this win, Dybantsa added,
“They were the No. 3 team in the country. It’s kind of like the NBA’s standards. You can’t really be the ‘MVP,’ which is kind of what this award is, if you’re on a losing team. We finished .500, so I should have gotten more wins.”
Here, Dybantsa is talking about BYU’s record in the regular season conference play. The Cougars have finished with a 22-10 overall record and 9-9 in the conference. On the other hand, Bradley’s No.2 Arizona has gone 16-2 in the Big 12 and 29-2 overall. However, Dybantsa does have better individual stats than Bradley. This season, he is averaging 25.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.1 steals on 34.3 minutes of play across his 32 starts. The Cougars will next face West Virginia in the Big 12 Tournament on Wednesday.
AJ Dybantsa Says He Might Stay in College as NBA Future Looms Ahead
Every scout and media personality is touting AJ Dybantsa to be one of the top picks in the 2026 NBA Draft. In fact, ever since concerns surrounding Darryn Peterson started emerging, Dybantsa’s draft stock went even higher. Recently, Dynantsa told Desert News’ McKay Coppins that he “might not leave” school for the 2026 NBA Draft.
“My mom wants me to graduate, so I might not leave,” he said. “But I might leave. I don’t know. The fans might get into my head, talking about one more year [or] maybe three more years. I don’t know. But, like, I’m going to have to talk to my mom.”
ESPN’s Jeremy Woo projects that the Dybantsa has the highest chances of being drafted as the No.2 overall pick by the Washington Wizards, as per Woo’s latest mock draft. However, many others believe that Dybantsa might either be the No.1 pick to the Sacramento Kings or No.2 to the Indiana Pacers.
Read More:
Will BYU Make March Madness? AJ Dybantsa’s Chances At NCAA Tournament Explored
AJ Dybantsa’s Snub for Big 12 Honor Infuriates Fans As Arizona’s Jaden Bradley Suffers Criticism
Jeremy Fears Jr.’s Antics Evoke Clear Message From Tom Izzo In Fiery Post Game Conference
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