AJ Dybantsa Reinforces Generational NBA Draft Hype With 43 Points vs. Utah

If you didn't believe in AJ Dybantsa before, Saturday's 91-78 win over Utah may have changed your mind, because what the freshman phenom did against the Utes was simply as special as it gets when it comes to NBA Draft prospects.

The generational hype surrounding Dybantsa was well-known coming into the season, but he just put up the best performance of his career in the Cougars' 17th win of the season. The 6-foot-9 wing put up 43 points, six rebounds and three assists in 36 minutes, shooting 15-for-24 from the field and an absurd 4-for-5 from three-point range.

Coming into the season, there were questions regarding Dybantsa's shooting ability. His biggest strengths are being a versatile defender, slashing forward and midrange marksman, but the three-point shot wasn't prevalent to kick things off in Provo, Utah.

On Saturday, the 19-year-old's range was arguably his biggest strength. Dybantsa was not only getting to the rim and throwing down vicious dunks, but hitting contested threes, both off the dribble and the catch.

It wasn't until the second half that the Massachusetts native showed off his jumper. He was attacking the basket at first, scoring 22 of his 43 points in the paint. He hit three of his four three-pointers in the second half, and converted nine of 10 attempts at the free-throw line.

Defensively, Dybantsa did a good job of staying active despite only recording one block. With a seven-foot wingspan and great athleticism, it isn't hard for him to shut down opponents from anywhere on the floor, especially against smaller guards that Utah threw at him.

The potential No. 1 overall pick has been competing with other fantastic freshmen such as Darryn Peterson (Kansas) and Cam Boozer (Duke) as the top dog in a loaded 2026 draft class. What separates the BYU star from the rest of the pack is his athleticism and frame, and his most recent scoring outburst reinforced that.

Jan 24, 2026; Provo, Utah, USA; Utah Utes guard Terrence Brown (2) defends BYU Cougars forward AJ Dybantsa (3) during the second half at Marriott Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Baker-Imagn Images | Aaron Baker-Imagn Images

BYU is now 17-2 and 5-1 in the Big 12 Conference. Dybantsa has been the biggest reason why the Cougars are the No. 13 team in the country, with the chance to move into the top 10. He silenced a lot of critics in their win over Utah, mainly the ones who don't believe he can be an elite three-level scorer in the NBA.

Dybantsa is now averaging 23.6 points per game, which is tied for No. 1 in the country. He is putting himself in contention to be the National Player of the Year, and could certainly be a First Team All-American member with 12 games left in the regular season.