After officially declaring for the NBA Draft last week, AJ Dybantsa published a long “thank you” message to BYU on his LinkedIn Monday
.Below is the full post:
“When I committed to BYU, I knew I was signing up for something bigger than basketball.
A lot of people questioned the decision. For me, the choice was simple. I wanted to go to the place that would best develop me as a basketball player and as a person. BYU was the program that gave me the clearest path to both.
The moment I stepped on campus,
I knew I made the right call. T
his school welcomed me in, raised the standard for me, and made me a better person every single day I was there. From the coaching staff to the professors to the fans walking across campus, this is a community unlike any other in college sports.
Coach Young, thank you for trusting me with the keys to your program. You came to BYU with an NBA mind and a deep belief in what this place could become. You pushed me harder than I’ve ever been pushed, and you cared about me as a person before you cared about me as a player. I’ll carry the lessons you taught me for the rest of my life.
To my teammates, the bond we built this year goes way beyond basketball. The film sessions, the bus rides, the late nights in the gym, the conversations that had nothing to do with the game. Y’all are brothers for life. I’m rooting for every single one of you.
To Coug Nation, what y’all do for this program is special. The way fans show up for BYU basketball is unlike anything in the country. The kindness I felt walking around campus and the city of Provo, the families who treated me like one of their own, the kids who came up to me everywhere I went. That’s the part of this experience I’ll remember most.
I am proud to have worn the Y. I’m proud to have represented this university. I’m proud to be a Cougar for life.
The next chapter starts now, but BYU will always be a part of who I am.
Go Cougs.”
