Much has been made about the high level of talent that has joined the BYU Cougars men’s basketball program since Kevin Young became head coach last April, but just how good are some of the individual players who will be on the roster in the 2025-26 season?
Well, according to an exercise that was done earlier this week by CBS Sports college basketball experts Gary Parrish and Matt Norlander, the answer to that question could be something like “really good.”
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Parrish and Norlander conducted a draft of sorts to create a starting five fantasy lineup for each of them, and both selected one Cougar each.
Norlander chose AJ Dybantsa with the second pick, and Parrish picked Richie Saunders with the ninth pick. Yes, in their eyes, BYU will have two of the 10 best players in the entire country next season.
Dybantsa, of course, is the much ballyhooed freshman who at this point is a contender to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Saunders, meanwhile, is coming off a season in which he received First Team All-Big 12 honors, and he announced in late April that he will return to the Cougars for his senior season instead of explore professional opportunities.
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BYU was the lone team to have two players chosen in the exercise. Here is the full order of the exercise from Parrish and Norlander.
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Jayden Quaintance, Kentucky.
Norlander had his first pick of coaches and selected Houston’s Kelvin Sampson, and Parrish went with St. John’s coach Rick Pitino.
