- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
BYU Star AJ Dybantsa Named Big 12 Freshman of the Year
Dybantsa is a top NBA draft prospect and leading scorer in the nation.
Published on Mar. 9, 2026
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
The Big 12 Conference announced that BYU Cougars freshman star AJ Dybantsa has been named the conference's Freshman of the Year. Dybantsa, a top NBA draft prospect, has averaged 24.7 points per game this season, the highest mark in the nation. Despite his dominant performance, he was not named the Big 12 Player of the Year, which went to Jaden Bradley of the Arizona Wildcats.
Why it matters
Dybantsa's Freshman of the Year award cements his status as one of the top young talents in college basketball. As he prepares for his first NCAA Tournament, the award will only add to the hype and expectations surrounding the BYU star, who is widely projected to be a high draft pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
The details
Across 31 games this season, Dybantsa has averaged 24.7 points per game, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.8 assists, while shooting 51.2% from the field and 33.9% from beyond the arc. Despite his dominant performance, he was not named the Big 12 Player of the Year, which went to Jaden Bradley of the Arizona Wildcats.
- On March 9, 2026, the Big 12 Conference announced that AJ Dybantsa has been named the conference's Freshman of the Year.
The players
AJ Dybantsa
A freshman star for the BYU Cougars and a top NBA draft prospect who has averaged 24.7 points per game this season, the highest mark in the nation.
Jaden Bradley
A player for the Arizona Wildcats who was named the Big 12 Player of the Year, beating out Dybantsa for the award.
What’s next
AJ Dybantsa will have the opportunity to cement his legacy during the Big 12 Conference tournament and NCAA Tournament, where the BYU Cougars are currently projected as a No. 6 seed.
The takeaway
Despite not being named the Big 12 Player of the Year, AJ Dybantsa's Freshman of the Year award solidifies his status as one of the top young talents in college basketball. As he prepares for his first NCAA Tournament, all eyes will be on the BYU star as he looks to lead his team to a deep postseason run.
