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Five-star BYU signee AJ Dybantsa recently sat down with BYUTV Sports Nation for a 15-minute-long interview where he talked about college, the BYU program, his excitement for what's ahead, and more.
During the interview, which aired on Friday, the 6-foot-9 forward also spoke about a few of his future teammates, like Xavion Staton, who he's already played alongside on the Utah high school team, 6-foot-5 forward Richie Saunders, who's set to return for his senior season; and Robert Wright III, a recent transfer from Baylor.
Notably, AJ Dybantsa already has an established relationship with Robert, having shared the court with him on different occasions. From what he's seen, he has nothing but high praise for the 6-foot-1 guard.
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When asked what he thinks BYU fans need to know about Robert Wright III as a player and as a person, he said:
"I mean, y'all go see firsthand like how he is as a player. Like it's a great pickup for us. Like I think the pass first point guard. But whenever needed to get like a bucket, he can do that. Like it's a winner. Like he does all the winning plays. And as a person he brings a lot of vibes, brings a lot of energy. Funny guy. So I mean, we'll see." (3:14-3:30)
Although AJ Dybantsa has shared the court with Robert Wright III on multiple occasions, they've only actually been on the same team once, but that one experience clearly left a strong impression. When asked what it was like playing together with Robert in that one game, he simply said:
"It was a win." (3:38)
In the interview, AJ Dybantsa was also asked if he's connected with any of his other future BYU teammates, even though they haven't had the chance to play together yet.
"I can't say anybody yet." Aj said. "Me and Xavion (Staton), I just I just knew Xavion for the longest and I knew Rob (Robert Wright III), but I don't think I've clicked with anybody yet. Obviously I've seen guys here and there, but once we all get back together and start like summer workouts, then I can really tell y'all." (4:48-4:59)
With AJ Dybantsa, head coach Kevin Young and the BYU Cougars are building a solid squad for next season, especially with the addition of Robert Wright III from Baylor. As a freshman at Baylor, he averaged 11.5 points, 2.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game.
AJ Dybantsa on BYU preseason projections
Ahead of the upcoming college basketball season, there's already a wave of excitement building around BYU. The Cougars have been drawing some serious attention, with many projecting them as a top-five or top-six team in the country.
In the same interview, AJ Dybantsa was asked how he takes in all the hype ahead of the upcoming season. In response, he said:
"I mean, you can't really take too much because last year there were a lot of teams, highly ranked preseason that didn't really make a run in the tournament or stuff like that because it's just on paper. But we just got to mesh together, work out together, and we can exceed those expectations." (4:06-4:17)
The BYU Cougars have put together a squad that's already turning heads, which is why many believe they have the talent to make a serious impact next season. Now, the big question is, can they live up to the hype?
