BYU star AJ Dybantsa earns Big 12 Freshman of the Year
Mar 9, 2026, 3:01 PM | Updated: 11:10 pm
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – BYU star AJ Dybantsa continues to put together one of the great individual seasons by a freshman in college basketball.
On Monday, Dybantsa added to his accomplishments this season.
2026 Big 12 Freshman of the Year: AJ Dybantsahttps://t.co/5pAlLC44P3 pic.twitter.com/UZzrCvy3gz
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) March 9, 2026
Dybantsa was named the 2026 Big 12 Freshman of the Year.
AJ Dybantsa: 2026 Big 12 Basketball Freshman of the Year
The 6-foot-9 Dybantsa finished the 2025-26 season as the Big 12’s leading scorer at 24.7 points per game. During Big 12 play, Dybantsa averaged 25.8 points.
Dybantsa finished the regular season with 766 points. It’s currently the 10th highest scoring total by a freshman since 2000. He still has at least two games remaining: the Big 12 Tournament opener against Kansas State and then the NCAA Tournament.
Along with his scoring, Dybantsa averaged 6.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game.
Dybantsa earning the Big 12 Freshman of the Year award is a significant accomplishment, as the league featured some of the best freshmen in the nation this season, including Kingston Fleming of Houston, Darryn Peterson of Kansas, and Arizona standouts Brayden Burries and Koa Peat.
All of those freshmen could be potential lottery picks in the NBA draft. Dybantsa is viewed as a potential No. 1 pick next June.
Dybantsa earning the Big 12 Freshman of the Year ends a three-year run for Baylor, producing the recipients of the honor (VJ Edgecombe, Ja’Kobe Walter, Keyonte George).
BYU basketball produces a Big 12 award winner for the third consecutive year
It’s the third consecutive year that BYU basketball has produced an individual award winner for a Big 12 basketball season. Two years ago, former BYU player Jaxson Robinson won Sixth Man of the Year.
Last season, Richie Saunders claimed the league’s “Most Improved Player” award.
While Dybantsa won the Big 12 Freshman of the Year recognition, he did not win Newcomer of the Year. The Big 12 gave that honor to Kansas’ Melvin Council, who transferred in from St. Bonaventure.
Dybantsa holds the most points scored by a player this season in the Big 12, when he dropped 43 points against rival Utah on January 24 in Provo.
He also has the season-high among Big 12 players for most free throws made in a game (17, Abilene Christian).
Dybantsa finished the season tied with Texas Tech star JT Toppin for most 30-point games this season with six.
AJ Dybantsa leads the way for BYU basketball
AJ Dybantsa arrived at BYU with high expectations as the No. 1 overall recruit in the class of 2025. He’s delivered on those expectations. Now the challenge for Dybantsa is to carry BYU far in the postseason.
BYU begins its pursuit of a Big 12 Conference Tournament championship on Tuesday when they take on Kansas State in the opening round at 5 p.m. (MT) on ESPN+ and KSL NewsRadio (102.7 FM, 1160 AM).
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast daily on KSL Sports YouTube and KSL NewsRadio (SUBSCRIBE). Harper also co-hosts Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL NewsRadio.
Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYUathletics in the Big 12 Conference on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram: @Mitch_Harper.
