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Comparison may be the thief of joy once in a while, but it’s all the rage in basketball circles. Finding that perfect NBA player comparison is tradition with any batch of newcomers, and BYU’s ballyhooed freshman AJ Dybantsa is no exception. For BYU coach Kevin Young, who paid his dues as an NBA assistant, Philadelphia 76ers wing Paul George is the first name that pops to mind.
“I had multiple series against Paul George when he was in his prime,” Young told CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein on Inside College Basketball Now. “They’re built similar; they’re both really good two-way players. They’re underrated playmakers, in terms of passing.”
George has blossomed into a nine-time All-Star out of Fresno State. If things go to plan in Provo, Dybantsa will be a lottery pick next year, just like George was in 2010.
BYU has other stuff it wants to accomplish first. A Big 12 title? A Final Four appearance? Maybe a ring ceremony next April? It’s all on the table for the Cougars. BYU cannot become the best version of itself without a much-improved defense. Dybantsa can be a significant part of the solution for a defense that got shredded by top-50 teams to the tune of 118.0 points per 100 possessions. BYU’s pick-and-roll defense against lead guards rated 353rd nationally, and it was a big reason it went home after a ridiculously fun run to the Sweet 16.
Since then, BYU’s roster has changed dramatically. Dybantsa’s remarkable physical tools help change the complexion of this BYU lineup immediately. He’s all of 6-foot-9 with a wingspan north of 7 feet. He’s a willing on-ball defender who has shown tantalizing upside as an off-ball menace. He can loom in the shadows, baiting crosscourt dimes that he can snatch before kickstarting the…
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