It is no secret that BYU Cougars star AJ Dybantsa is one of, if not the best, pure scorers in college basketball. But what makes the potential top-three pick in the upcoming NBA draft so special?
Former national champion Miles Simon hit the court with Dybantsa for an up-close look at how the BYU star is so effective at getting to his spots and knocking down shots at will.
BYU Star AJ Dybantsa Provides His Secret to Elite Scoring Ability
Dybantsa has lived up to the hype in his freshman season, proving to be one of the nation’s best scorers at just 19 years old. He is averaging 25.1 points per game, leading all of college basketball.
Dybantsa’s elite ability to score at any given opportunity is a major reason the Cougars are ranked No. 19 nationally with a 20-8 record. It is also one of the defining components of his game that makes him such an intriguing prospect for the 2026 NBA draft.
During a one-on-one with Simon, a national champion with the Arizona Wildcats in 1997, Dybantsa showcased his scoring ability while proving that patience is indeed a virtue.
Tonight on ESPN 2 I go 1 on 1 with @AJ_Dybantsa
Special player and person!!
Check it out during the @BYUMBB @UCF_MBB @espn pic.twitter.com/sIMhMWP78r— Miles Simon (@milessimon) February 24, 2026
Dybantsa explained that he continues to work on kicking the ball out before running into a double team. This has been effective for a BYU team shooting 35.2% from 3-point range. Still, the BYU star knows that when his team needs a bucket, he will be the one called upon.
“You know, if it’s time to get a bucket, I’ll probably go away from the defense, not into him,” Dybantsa said.
He then detailed his process once he gets the chance to back down his defender one-on-one in the post, a situation he thrives in.
“I’m waiting for this first guy,” Dybantsa said, explaining that once in the post, he lets the weak-side defender make the first move before deciding the next offensive step. “If he commits, it’s a 3,” meaning that if the weak-side defender rushes onto him, creating a double team, Dybantsa knows he has created an open look for his teammate from beyond the arc. Averaging nearly four assists per game, Dybantsa clearly does not lack patience or vision.
“I’ll take like two dribbles if he doesn’t come on time. I think I’m taller than a lot of people, and I can just get to my spot and raise up,” Dybantsa said while taking on Simon one-on-one in the post, rotating his hips to face the basket from inside the paint, a spot that provides an easy knockdown for the BYU star.
Simon then tasked Dybantsa with getting to his spot against a heavy-gap defense, a set that brings two defenders up on him without completely abandoning the 3-point line — something Dybantsa has seen plenty of during his freshman year.
Dybantsa shared two calls he likes to use to free up space while removing that secondary defender from the equation. “So I either call for a screen or I just blur him out to the corner, and by the time he goes with him, it’s already going to be too late for him, and I’m up into my spot,” Dybantsa told Simon.
His high-level IQ is one of many traits that make him such a great scorer at the collegiate level while giving him all the potential to excel in the NBA.
Not only is Dybantsa a natural scorer, but he is also patient and intelligent. He is not simply firing 20 shots a game from anywhere on the floor; he is carefully manipulating defenders to get them where he wants, so he can reach the spot where he is most effective.
His skill, patience, and basketball IQ are just some of the traits that make him a strong candidate to be selected first overall in the upcoming 2026 NBA draft, while also raising BYU’s chances of competing for a national championship this season.
