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AJ Dybantsa put together an impressive freshman season with the BYU Cougars. In 35 games, he averaged 25.5 points (led the team), 6.8 rebounds (second on the team) and 3.7 assists (second on the team).
Unfortunately, though, it wasn’t enough to help the Cougars make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. BYU entered March Madness as a No. 6 seed and suffered a first-round loss to the No. 11 Texas Longhorns.
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Despite the early exit, Dybantsa lived up to expectations as the No. 1 recruit in the 2025 cycle, according to Rivals Industry Rankings. However, his time with the Cougars is over after declaring for the 2026 NBA Draft.
BYU Cougars forward AJ Dybantsa (3).Candice Ward-Imagn Images
He isn’t the only contributor BYU is losing. 6-foot-6 forward Kennard Davis Jr. out of St. Louis, Missouri, wrapped up his first season with the team after transferring from the Southern Illinois Salukis.
The junior started 32 games, averaging 8.5 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists. He also shot 39.5% from the field and 32.1% from the three-point line. Just like Dybantsa, Davis is only spending one season with the Cougars, except he left through the transfer portal.
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He was one of nine players that head coach Kevin Young lost to the portal. On Friday, Davis announced his next destination, revealing his commitment to the Missouri Tigers via an Instagram post.
While it’s an unfortunate loss for BYU, Dybantsa showed support for his now former teammate, commenting, “prouda u slime.”
While Kennard prepares for his final year of eligibility with the Tigers, Dybantsa is focused on the NBA draft. The 19-year-old isn’t expected to last long once the first round begins at 8 p.m. ET on June 23. ESPN lists the forward as the No. 1 player available.
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on May 1, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Basketball section. Add Athlon Sports as…
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Publish date : 2026-05-01 19:52:00
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