Several factors played a role in AJ Dybantsa’s decision to commit to BYU. However, the presence of Kevin Young as head coach appears to have been a decisive one.
AJ Dybantsa Went to BYU Pursuing ‘The End Goal’
During a recent interview with On3, Dybantsa confirmed that the opportunity to learn from Young was a significant factor in his decision. Specifically, the BYU head coach’s NBA experience was very appealing to the star freshman:
“The NBA, that’s the end goal. That’s a big reason why I went there: to get the NBA knowledge early and the feel and style,” he said.
This isn’t the first time Dybantsa has spoken about this topic. According to Bleacher Report, when announcing his commitment to BYU in December 2024, Dybantsa cited NBA experience as a key consideration for him:
“At BYU, the whole staff from the head coach on down came from the NBA. Head coach Kevin Young coached my favorite player in KD [Kevin Durant], and coached Devin Booker. Both had a lot of good things to say about him. We watched clips of both,” he said.
Naturally, there must have been other reasons, as at least 15 current NCAA Division I head coaches have NBA experience as players, coaches, or both. In other words, something drew Dybantsa to BYU beyond his pursuit of top-level experience.
“The more I talked to him, the more I just liked him as a kid – and we just kind of bonded.”
– Kevin Young with big praise for AJ Dybantsa the player AND person on tonight’s @AaronTorresPod
Full interview 👇👇
📺https://t.co/jKIAK7p6gG pic.twitter.com/HMaXi3cuSo
— TorresOnBYU (@TorresOnBYU) June 12, 2025
The player identified that “something” in Young’s demeanor and communication style:
“It is good with him. Coach gets his point across; he’s not really a yeller, but he gets his point across clearly. You hear everything he says, and you respect him,” he said.
“He’s a great person. When you meet him, you understand why. I mean, he is just cool, calm, and collected, and he is himself.”
It’s worth noting that Dybantsa’s NIL contract to play with BYU is “close to $7 million,” according to Bleacher Report. That’s a more than respectable sum, to put it bluntly.
Kevin Young had a significant coaching career in the NBA before taking the job as BYU’s head coach. Between 2016 and 2021, he worked as an assistant coach for the Philadelphia 76ers and the Phoenix Suns. The latter team promoted him to associate head coach in 2021, where he remained until 2024.
However, his relationship with the NBA doesn’t end there. Before coaching at the highest level, he worked for nine years in the G League. He coached the Utah Flash, Iowa Energy, and Delaware 87ers.
Young’s coaching experience includes early positions at Oxford College and Utah Valley University, as well as the now-defunct Irish professional team, Shamrock Rovers Hoops.