BYU Scouting Report | Page 4 | The Boneyard

BYU Scouting Report

BYU is solid ; a legit final four contender . Two good college guards and Dybabtsa is the real deal . ESPN did loooong article on why he went to BYU giving a plethora of reason and one sentence that the high seven figure deal was also a factor 😂😂. Basically he shopped himself to highest bidder, which is college sports these days 🤷🏻‍♂️
 
MrJoe said:
BYU is solid ; a legit final four contender . Two good college guards and Dybabtsa is the real deal . ESPN did loooong article on why he went to BYU giving a plethora of reason and one sentence that the high seven figure deal was also a factor 😂😂. Basically he shopped himself to highest bidder, which is college sports these days 🤷🏻‍♂️
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Who is Dybabtsa?
 
Wasn't sure where to put this. This seemed like a good spot.
Screenshot_20251114_172000_Instagram.jpg
 
Hurley spoke to the media today.

“Richie Saunders and A.J., I mean, that’s the best wing tandem in the country in terms of firepower, and then you add (Dawson) Baker to that, the way he can shoot it, score it, experienced player,” Hurley said. “But then Rob Wright – if your on-ball, isolation defense, if you’re not in a stance and fundamental, knowing where the help is, knowing where you want to send him.

“If your ball-screen defense is leaky, even a little bit with him, he’s gonna expose you, get to the rim, get to the roller or get someone a 3. Just his ability to create off-script is just very dynamic and you’ve just got to keep your body between him and the rim. He gave us fits last year.”


The RuffRuff Alternate Access™
No. 3 UConn men’s basketball meets No. 7 BYU in first of several ‘big-time’ games: How to watch
 
JustbrewitMan said:
If by pain meds you also include cannabis, then yea, I agree with you that it's most likely pain meds.

A ton of copium speculation on the BYU fan boards about pain meds, sleep meds he took for the flight, etc.

Unlikely he'd be on opioids for tendon pain, but it's possible, I guess. (Opioids would be most likely to cause DUI level impairment)

BYU "investigating". I'm sure it will be a thorough investigation of at least 2-3 weeks; of course, he'll be able to play in the meantime.
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It is 100% cope

We should also be wary of any talk on substances from a fanbase who (a large portion) has never done any of them
 
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HooperScooper said:
Wait, isn’t BYU a dry campus? 😉
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Fall 2015, driving out in my tiny Toyota Celica packed to the brim along with my dad as I was moving to Vegas. FB team by total miracle of luck happened to be playing BYU the day/evening we were making our second leg of the trip. We didn’t realize this until we hit the end of our first leg on the Illinois/Missouri border. So instead of going through Kansas and Colorado like we planned, we went up through Nebraska and Wyoming and got to the game in the first quarter. Made sure we bought nips in SLC and snuck them in in our underwear. Got some large sodas and added the booze in the bathroom. Loveliest fans you could imagine (we were two white guys). Eventually feeling the booze, I reflexively jumped up when we made an interception on our goal line, immediately snapped to reality that I’m the only UConn fan in a sea of quiet BYU fans, and sat down. I wonder if any of them could smell the booze on me. Old guy behind me tapped me on the shoulder and explicitly told me it’s okay to root for my team. Still didn’t make a sound the rest of the game lol we got crushed anyway, nothing else happened the rest of the game to cheer for

Crashed in some crummy motel. What a time.
 
JustbrewitMan said:
If by pain meds you also include cannabis, then yea, I agree with you that it's most likely pain meds.

A ton of copium speculation on the BYU fan boards about pain meds, sleep meds he took for the flight, etc.

Unlikely he'd be on opioids for tendon pain, but it's possible, I guess. (Opioids would be most likely to cause DUI level impairment)

BYU "investigating". I'm sure it will be a thorough investigation of at least 2-3 weeks; of course, he'll be able to play in the meantime.
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Why so positive it was cannabis? And why does it really matter? And how would you know?
 
temery said:
Not sure how any cop would know a driver is taking pain med unless the driver tells the cop. You can't say no to a breathalyzer without an automatic license suspension. Outside of that, keep your mouth shut.

Regardless, he'll be playing tomorrow.
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Cops can do a lot of things ... but there are certainly ways to see if a kid is high on something.
 
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MrJoe said:
BYU is solid ; a legit final four contender . Two good college guards and Dybabtsa is the real deal . ESPN did loooong article on why he went to BYU giving a plethora of reason and one sentence that the high seven figure deal was also a factor 😂😂. Basically he shopped himself to highest bidder, which is college sports these days 🤷🏻‍♂️
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No they are not a FF contender
 
Mr. French said:
Why so positive it was cannabis? And why does it really matter? And how would you know?
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who knows it it was cannabis and who cares. That answers your first question. The last is really easy as there are a lot of diagnostic signs
 
Mr. French said:
Why so positive it was cannabis? And why does it really matter? And how would you know?
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Not positive at all, just sheer probability.

Cannabis is the recreational substance of the current teen-twentysomething generation. It is what it is and I generally have no issue with it. Have a 21 & 24 year old daughter so I know how prevalent it is. Probably more than alcohol.

Much more amenable to daytime use than alcohol.

DUI is DUI. You’re right, it doesn’t matter.

My guess is the cops in Utah are more strict about it since recreational is still Illegal out there. A whiff of the stickiest of the icky probably sets off major alarms in Provo. In CT or MA nowadays, it’s commonplace to smell it everywhere, including the wafts emanating from people smoking it in their cars on all kinds of roads…backcountry, city, highway.
 
Edward Sargent said:
No they are not a FF contender
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Why not? They're rated in the Top 10 and preseason had the 7th highest odds to win the championship. Of course they're Final Four contenders. I'm not saying they're going to win the championship. But a contender to get to the Final Four? Sure.
 
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Leebo said:
Why are all the BYU fans acting like it's fine if it was "just pain meds". Driving impaired could kill him or some innocent bystander, regardless of what the substance was.
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I'm sure if you asked BYU fans, they would say that DUIs are bad period.

What they are referring to is the BYU honor code, which would have stricter punishments for a student guilty of DUI involving alcohol or illegal drugs as opposed to "just valid prescription drugs". It could be the difference between a small suspension (or nothing if the charges are eventually dropped) and a season-long suspension and/or being kicked off the team.
 
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HooperScooper said:
Why not? They're rated in the Top 10 and preseason had the 7th highest odds to win the championship. Of course they're Final Four contenders.
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You weren't asking me and I have only watched a game of theirs but I don't like their bench compared to a lot of other teams right now. Still, a backend Final Four contender IMO. The talent this year is really deep and there are some really good teams.
 
Edward Sargent said:
who knows it it was cannabis and who cares. That answers your first question. The last is really easy as there are a lot of diagnostic signs
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oh man, you diagnosed him?

Who cares? I don't know, it's a big topic here.
 
HooperScooper said:
Hurley spoke to the media today.

“Richie Saunders and A.J., I mean, that’s the best wing tandem in the country in terms of firepower, and then you add (Dawson) Baker to that, the way he can shoot it, score it, experienced player,” Hurley said. “But then Rob Wright – if your on-ball, isolation defense, if you’re not in a stance and fundamental, knowing where the help is, knowing where you want to send him.

“If your ball-screen defense is leaky, even a little bit with him, he’s gonna expose you, get to the rim, get to the roller or get someone a 3. Just his ability to create off-script is just very dynamic and you’ve just got to keep your body between him and the rim. He gave us fits last year.”


The RuffRuff Alternate Access™
No. 3 UConn men’s basketball meets No. 7 BYU in first of several ‘big-time’ games: How to watch
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We’re Dooooomed!!!!
 
If Kennard was on pain meds for an injury, the coach is foolish for not arranging a ride for him. Unless the coach didn't know about the meds.
 
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Hey Adrien! said:
Last season, Kevin Young made his head coaching debut for BYU after spending 20 seasons working in the NBA and only one year coaching college basketball—when he served as an assistant at Utah Valley two decades ago.

He impressed in his rookie campaign, as the Cougars reached the Sweet Sixteen and their 26 wins marked the most ever for a head coach’s debut season in program history. The team was built around a top-ten pace-and-space offense that prioritized excellent shooting, ball movement, and a heavy perimeter attack. While BYU rebounded well on both ends, its subpar defense—particularly poor perimeter coverage—and occasional lapses in overall toughness limited the team’s ceiling.

Seeking more balance, toughness, and physicality on both ends of the floor, Young and his staff spent the offseason adding dynamism on offense as well as athleticism and length throughout the lineup.

View attachment 113165

Overall, BYU may now have its most balanced starting five in program history. And of course, super freshman AJ Dybabtsa checks every box Young hoped to fill this offseason. A potential No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Dybabtsa is arguably the most well-rounded power forward in college basketball. A world-class athlete with an excellent handle, high basketball IQ, and legitimate two-way impact, he’s being encouraged by Young to play even more assertively on offense—his unique blend of skills makes him one of the most dangerous downhill creators in the nation. While he projects as a perimeter threat at the NBA level, his three-point shot remains his only current weakness.

Transferring in from Baylor is sophomore point guard Robert O. Wright, who turned heads last year with a 22-point, 4-assist performance against UConn. Despite his youth, Wright plays with poise and maturity and stands out as one of the most well-rounded two-way point guards in the country. Last year’s BYU team lacked a guard capable of consistently breaking down defenses and attacking the rim—Wright fills that need.

Richie Saunders, the Big 12’s Most Improved Player and a First-Team All-Big 12 selection last season, led the Cougars in scoring, posting a baker’s dozen of 20-plus-point games. A natural scorer who can create his own shot in multiple ways and stretch the floor, Saunders is a lethal offensive weapon—though defense is not his strong suit.

To balance Saunders’ defensive shortcomings, Southern Illinois transfer Kennard Davis brings legitimate 3-and-D NBA potential. Young believes Davis can develop into one of the most versatile defenders in the Big 12. With his combination of defensive prowess, three-point shooting, and slashing ability, Davis embodies the modern analytical ideal—when he scores, it’s almost always from three or at the rim. Quick injury note: Davis missed Tuesday’s game against Delaware for "precautionary reasons” but Young told reporters he “could have played today” and “should be fine”. Not sure if that’s coach speak a la Belicheck, but interesting nonetheless.

Hailing from Adama Sanogo’s hometown of Bamako, Mali, senior big man Keba Keita provides a stout frame, deft footwork, and defensive leadership as BYU’s anchor in the paint. Last season, Keita set program records for single-season field goal percentage (67.3%) and ranks fourth all-time in offensive rebounds per game (2.86). Having never averaged more than 21 minutes per game in a season, Young’s focus this year is to push Keita’s conditioning to keep him on the floor longer.

While BYU has experimented with deeper rotations against mid-major opponents, only eight players saw significant minutes against Villanova.

Sixth-year senior Dawson Baker serves as BYU’s sixth man and Wright’s primary backup. A bigger combo guard and efficient all-around scorer, Baker can be mistake-prone at the point and is arguably BYU’s weakest defender.

Like Baker, senior forward Mihailo Boskovic can be a defensive liability but offers more offensive versatility than any other BYU big. Attempting two threes per game last season (26.8%), Boskovic adds valuable five-out spacing to the offense.

Idaho transfer Tyler Mrus has yet to score this season, but he’s a career 37.6% three-point shooter, so I can see him getting good minutes if Davis is out. If that happens, the offense shouldn’t take a major hit, but the defense will.

While Austrian guard Aleksej Kostic, redshirt freshman transfer from Washington Dominique Diomande and top-40 freshman big Xavion Staton have yet to enter Young’s core rotation, Senegal native Khadim Mboup is the only other freshman besides Dybabtsa to earn regular minutes. Since arriving on campus from the NBA Academy in December, Mboup has added 20 pounds and looks more athletic and explosive than ever. Though still raw, his defensive versatility stands out, and Young has experimented with “three-big” lineups featuring Davis at the 2, Dybabtsa at the 3, and Mboup at the 4—giving BYU two elite, switchable 6'9" defenders. If Mboup continues to develop, BYU’s upward trajectory should only continue.

Speaking of that lineup, given UConn’s overall size and offensive versatility, Young may prefer that configuration despite its spacing concerns—since only Wright and Davis are consistent three-point threats. Expect Davis to guard Solo Ball and Dybabtsa to draw the Karaban assignment. The biggest offensive advantage for BYU may come from exploiting whoever Saunders is guarding, while lineups featuring Baker and lacking Keita will almost certainly take a defensive hit.

Either way, it should be a fun homecoming matchup for AJD and “UConn North.” Wish I could be there in person!
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If Kenard Davis plays, BYU are the biggest hypocrites ever, because they have an “honor code” where students have to sign something stating they won’t drink, smoke, or even drink coffee while enrolled. Anyone other than a star athlete that had a DUI would be expelled from their school. It wasn’t just a DUI, it was a DUI crash with another driver.
 
He is not playing. This was already decided by yesterday afrernoon. Already thin bench he was a starter, 4th min, 4th ppg, plus perimeter defender and above average 1:1 defender. Line moved overnight to -6.5.
 
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