With former BYU Cougars star AJ Dybantsa widely expected to be either the first or second player chosen in next week’s NBA Draft, a former college basketball coach who is a longtime analyst in the sport — and especially the Big 12 Conference — took to social media Saturday to praise Dybantsa’s decision to go to BYU.
Fran Fraschilla, who was a Division I head coach from 1992-2002 and has been an analyst for many years since with a focus on the Big 12, wrote on X Saturday, “People criticized @AJ_Dybantsa decision to attend @BYUMBB instead of a blueblood. What did he get out of it?"
Fraschilla then outlined nine areas in which Dybantsa benefitted by going to BYU, a program that has long been known as a very solid one but not among the nation’s elite before Kevin Young became head coach in 2024.
Fraschilla’s list:
“1. An NBA-experienced head coach who’s coached (Devin) Booker, (Kevin Durant), etc.
2. NBA player development.
3. NBA strength coach (Michael Davie, who previously worked for the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks).
4. NBA nutritionist (Danielle LaFata, who previously worked for the NBA’s Phoenix Suns and WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury).
5. NBA analytics (led by Akash Sebastian, who previously worked for the Suns, Utah Jazz and Sacramento Kings).
6. Sold out 18,000 seat arena.
7. @Big12Conference (competition) that will produce up to 15 draft picks Tuesday/Wednesday
8. Played in 4 NBA arenas.
9. NIL bonanza & endorsements."
Several members of Young’s coaching staff quoted Fraschilla’s post and added comments about it.