BYU Cougars incoming star AJ Dybantsa isn’t hiding his desire to compete for the biggest piece of silverware in Division I basketball. The No. 1 prospect in the 2025 class wants to take his new team to new heights after joining them from Utah Prep.
Dybantsa, 18, rejected traditional programs such as Alabama, Kansas and North Carolina to join BYU, and he’s not planning to go to Provo just to be an attraction for fans. Fresh off a gold medal in the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup, the talented forward wants to translate that success into next year’s NCAA tournament.
There’s only one thing he has in mind for his freshman season with the Cougars: winning the national championship.
AJ Dybantsa has a clear goal for his freshman season
During a brief conversation with ESPN’s Jorge Sedano at the 2025 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Dybantsa expressed his desire to become a national champion with the Cougars.
AJ Dybantsa (7)
“I think the only goal we’ve got in mind is winning a national championship. We got to the Sweet 16 last year as a first-year coach (Kevin Young), so I think we only gonna go farther,” he said.
This wasn’t the first time he said he was aiming this high.
“National championship that’s our only goal,” Dybantsa told draft analyst Krysten Peek in an interview. “If we fall short, it’s a disappointing season.”
The Cougars were eliminated by Alabama in the Sweet 16 after beating VCU and Wisconsin. They have renewed expectations and with a player of Dybantsa’s caliber, the season could be one to remember for BYU fans.
