"BYU ultimately focused on retaining and recruiting players who could play off Dybantsa in a dynamic offense -- clear the lane and create opportunities for the Cougars star but also take shots when needed -- and ended up with a balanced mix of stars and role players. Now the Cougars are developing the chemistry they'll need to make another deep NCAA tournament run a year after a trip to the Sweet 16."
"And all of it is an effort to maximize what's expected to be the only season of Dybantsa, ESPN's projected No. 2 pick in the 2026 NBA draft, in Provo. 'You can't squander [a chance like this] at a place like BYU,' Justin Young said. 'You just can't. It's malpractice. When you have the buy-in -- like, AJ is trying to win [a title], that dude honestly believes it every day he wakes up -- you have to capitalize.'"
AJ Dybantsa's commitment to BYU prompted staff to pause celebrations and plan roster construction around him as the program's first five-star recruit in the ESPN era. BYU prioritized retaining and recruiting players who could play off Dybantsa in a dynamic offense, clearing lanes and creating opportunities while also taking shots. The staff assembled a balanced mix of stars and role players and focused on developing chemistry after a Sweet 16 appearance. The roster moves aim to maximize what is expected to be Dybantsa's lone season in Provo and propel the Cougars on another NCAA tournament run.
Read at ESPN.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]