Dybantsa named Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year

Dybantsa becomes the first Cougar to win any of the Naismith Starting Five distinctions.

Author Tyson Jex
Dybantsa named Julius Erving Small Forward of the YearDybantsa named Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year
Nate Edwards

PROVO, Utah – BYU's AJ Dybantsa was named the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year on Saturday afternoon on ESPN's College Game Day. 

Dybantsa becomes the first Cougar in program history to win any of the Starting Five- there is one given to the best player at each position – distinctions. The Bob Cousy Award, for the top point guard, started in 2004 and is in its 21st season, while each of the other four plaudits are in the 10th year after being initiated in 2015.

The Brockton, Mass. native beat out Florida’s Thomas Haugh, Iowa State’s Mlian Momcilovic, Tennessee’s Nate Ament and Texas’ Dailyn Swain to become the second straight freshman to win the award.

Season Player School Class
2025-26 AJ Dybantsa BYU Freshman
2024-25 Cooper Flagg Duke Freshman
2023-24 Dalton Knecth Tennessee Graduate
2022-23 Jalen Wilson Kansas Junior
2021-22 Wendell Moore Jr. Duke Junior
2020-21 Corey Kispert Gonzaga Senior
2019-20 Saddiq Bey Villanova Sophomore
2018-19 Rui Hachimura Gonzaga Junior
2017-18 Mikal Bridges Villanova Junior
2016-17 Josh Hart Villanova Senior
2015-16 Denzel Valentine Michigan State Senior
2014-15 Stanley Johnson Arizona Freshman

The third consensus First Team All-American in program history, Dybantsa lead the country in scoring with 25.5 points per game scoring 894 points, the second-most in a season in program history and third-most by a freshman in the history of NCAA Division I men’s basketball. He shot 51.0 percent from the field, 33.1 percent from 3-point range and 77.4 percent from the free throw line.

He scored in double figures in all 35 games as a Cougar including 28 20-point performances, eight 30-point performances and a pair of 40-point performances which is tied for the second-most in a single season in program history.

Dybantsa was voted as the Big 12 Freshman of the Year by the league’s head coaches after averaging 25.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game in conference play. He scored 20 or more points in 16 of 18 games including breaking the BYU freshman single game scoring record with 43 points in a win over rival Utah on Jan. 24 inside the friendly confines of the Marriott Center.

He is one of two players in Big 12 history with a 30-point triple-double and first of the point/assist/rebound variety with his 33-point, 10-rebound and 10-assist performance against Eastern Washington. He also broke the conference’s tournament scoring record previously held by Texas’ Kevin Durant with 93 points including a 40-point performance against Kansas State in BYU’s opening round victory over Kansas State.