A.J. Dybantsa vs. Kevin Durant: How BYU freshman’s Big 12 tournament compares to former Texas star originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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A.J. Dybantsa has some people seeing double.
BYU's star wing has been one of the biggest storylines of the 2025-26 college basketball season. The 19-year-old spurned traditional powers to join the Cougars ahead of the season, attempting to cement himself as the sport's brightest prospect ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft.
And although the season hasn't quite gone to plan for BYU, who tumbled down the table following Richie Saunders' torn ACL, Dybantsa has been as good as advertised thus far. He leads the Cougars — and the country — in scoring while pulling down the second-most rebounds and tallying the second-most rebounds on the roster.
He has basked in the spotlight of postseason play, too, dazzling across his opening two appearances in the Big 12 tournament. Lanky, athletic and known for finding the net, Dybantsa's play has been reminiscent of another gaunt freshman who shined on that stage: Kevin Durant.
With that, here's a look at how Dybantsa's Big 12 tourney figures compare to those of Durant, who pranced on the same stage 20 years ago.
SN AWARDS: All-America team | Boozer Player of the Year | Lloyd Coach of the Year
A.J. Dybantsa vs. Kevin Durant Big 12 tournament stats
Dybansta has enjoyed a charmed first year in Provo, becoming one of the nation's most electric players. His production has matched his glowing reputation, with Dybantsa averaging 25.2 points per game, the highest-mark in the country. He's the first freshman to lead the country in scoring since Trae Young did so in 2017-18.
Dybantsa has taken his game to new heights in postseason play. He exploded for 40 points, nine rebounds and six assists in the Cougars' 105-91 win over Kansas State in the Big 12 tournament opener.
Dybantsa, named Big 12 Freshman of the Year prior to the contest, broke Kevin Durant's scoring record for most points in a tournament game as a freshman with his outburst. Dybansta, a contender to be selected No. 1 overall in June's NBA Draft, showcased all sorts of different tricks as he weaved through the Wildcats' defense.
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Dybantsa wasn't quite able to recreate his performance in BYU's next matchup, a tilt with West Virginia. But he came close, scoring 27 on 11-of-24 shooting while corralling seven rebounds and three assists. He was responsible for half of the Cougars' points in their 68-48 win over the Mountaineers.
The 19-year-old will attempt to add onto his numbers in the proceeding few games. Regardless, his averages compare favorably to those of Durant, who led Texas to the Big 12 title game before falling to Kansas in his lone season in Austin.
| Kevin Durant, 2007 | AJ Dybantsa, 2026 | |
| 3 | GP | 2 |
| 40.0 | MPG | 38.0 |
| 30.7 | PPG | 33.5 |
| 10.3 | RPG | 8.0 |
| 0.3 | APG | 4.5 |
| 2.7 | Steals | 2.5 |
| 3.0 | Blocks | 0.0 |
| 3.3 | Turnovers | 4.0 |
| 39.7% | FG% | 47.8% |
| 35.0% | 3PT% | 22.2% |
| 88.5% | FT% | 86.7% |
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A.J. Dybantsa stats
Dybantsa is the nation's most prolific scorer, averaging nearly two more points than his next closest competitor. He has proven to be one of the country's more efficient talents, as well, canning more than half of his shots. While Dybantsa's three-point stroke can fail him at times, he is a threat to find the basket in several ways.
Here's a look at these numbers thus far this season.
- 25.2 points per game
- 6.8 rebounds per game
- 3.3 assists per game
- 1.1 steals per game
- 0.4 blocks per game
- 3.0 turnovers per game
- 51.7 percent field goal shooting
- 33.1 percent 3-point shooting
- 75.9 percent free-throw shooting
Kevin Durant college stats
Durant was the nation's finest performer during his lone season in burnt orange. He averaged nearly 25.8 points and 11.1 rebounds a night while showcasing his sumptuous jump shot and ball-handling skills. He was summarily rewarded for his efforts, picking up the John R. Wooden Award, the Naismith Memorial College Player of the Year Award and several other nationally-recognized Player of the Year honors. He became the first true freshman to claim unanimous Player of the Year honors.
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Here's a look at his numbers for that memorable season with the Longhorns.
- 25.8 points per game
- 11.1 rebounds per game
- 1.3 assists per game
- 1.9 steals per game
- 1.9 blocks per game
- 2.8 turnovers per game
- 47.3 percent field goal shooting
- 40.4 percent 3-point shooting
- 81.6 percent free throw shooting
A.J. Dybantsa NBA Draft
Dybantsa is widely considered a candidate to be selected No. 1 in the 2026 NBA Draft. He has jostled with Kansas Daryn Peterson and Duke's Cameron Boozer for the honor. Regardless, he's almost certain to hear his name called within the first three picks. Bleacher Report and The Athletic predicted Dybantsa would be the first name off the board in their latest mock drafts, while ESPN and CBS Sports listed him as the No. 2 prospect on the board behind Peterson.
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Here's what The Athletic's Sam Vecenie had to say about Dybantsa's NBA prospects:
He might have better physical tools entering his pre-draft year than any wing I’ve seen in a while. His ability to play with serious bend mixed with explosiveness allows him to consistently get into the teeth of the defense as a straight-line driver. In transition, he’s a menace. NBA scouts see that production mixed with upside as he continues to improve his skill set.