← Eye On College Basketball
Eye On College Basketball
BYU Freshman AJ Dybantsa isn't focused on STATS, only WINS. | College Basketball
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- [00:00]
Announcer
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- [02:22]
Interviewer
BYU freshmen AJ Debanza joins us here on Ion College Basketball. Appreciate you joining. Curious your name aj. What's it, what's it stand for and what's the meaning behind it?
- [02:32]
AJ Debanza
AJ is short for Anise Junior. I'm a junior. My dad. I'm named after my dad and it means undefeated.
- [02:38]
Interviewer
Undefeated. That's literally the literal translation is undefeated. Do you remember how old you would have been when you actually learned what your name meant and if it meant anything?
- [02:46]
AJ Debanza
Oh, I learned it like a couple months ago. I just like randomly looked it up.
- [02:50]
Interviewer
Wow. Okay.
- [02:51]
AJ Debanza
I probably looked it up when I was a kid, but I just forgot. But I just looked it up like a couple months ago and told my dad.
- [02:55]
Interviewer
How did that, how did that land with you when you actually, like, discovered what it meant?
- [02:59]
AJ Debanza
I don't know. I don't, I don't think my grandfather had. Was trying to purposely name my dad that because of what it meant, but it's just cool that that's what my name is.
- [03:07]
Interviewer
I dig it. We're catching AJ here at the long end of a long Big 12 media day. Season is getting close. I know you've had, you know, some exhibitions. Got some more to come. I'm just curious on, like, how you're wired. I know that you look good in Nebraska and you got another one coming, but are you just like, champing at the bit to finally just play a game that matters? I just wonder as all this buildup. We're almost there. Where do I find your mindset less than two weeks out from real games?
- [03:34]
AJ Debanza
I mean, I feel like these games still matter, especially the one against UNC coming up. Their high level, high value program obviously doesn't count towards our record, but I think it still counts. But yeah, I'm excited to play against. I think opening night is Villanova in Vegas, so. Looking forward to that. Just playing.
- [03:51]
Interviewer
What's different from your everyday life as a college student over the past, you know, six to eight weeks versus what you thought it might have been, say, two years ago, because, you know, new experiences, you're going through it. What's. What's been a little bit different from, from the images you had in your head at 15, 16, 17.
- [04:07]
AJ Debanza
I mean, it's kind of the same. I just wake up, I work out, then I go to school or study hall, depending on the day, and we have practice later. I mean, that's kind of why I envisioned as a college athlete when I started, like, having dreams of going, you know, for school, to free school for free.
- [04:22]
Interviewer
Yeah, I gotcha. I gotcha. You're preparing, obviously for this huge season and then NBA career that's, that's set in poise to come after that. Are you. And you talk about your regimen. I know you're, you've got a whole plan, but are you trying to make time, make space to have a little bit of like, I want to. I'm only going to do this college thing once. I'm always interested to hear from highly ranked prospects such as yourself as to how you find, find some ways to just, you know, enjoy this stage of your life at your age. What's the approach?
- [04:50]
AJ Debanza
Yeah, I mean, I'm enjoying college. I mean, I'm. I go to the football games. I'm in a student section. I just went to a soccer game in the student section. I'm taking in person classes. So I'm just trying to get the full experience because who knows how long I'm gonna be here for.
- [05:01]
Interviewer
Do they. Do your fellow. Do your fellow students, like, you feel like. Feel like one of them? Like you just. Yeah, I can blend in and just be me.
- [05:07]
AJ Debanza
Yeah. Literally just going in the middle of the student section, I just be cheering with them. I'd be doing the chance with them. Everything.
- [05:12]
Interviewer
I dig that. What is it about the state of Utah? You've been there for a couple years now. Being there, living there, how's it just kind of changed the way you look at the world versus your upbringing in Massachusetts?
- [05:22]
AJ Debanza
Mass is more laid back. I mean, that's kind of how I am as a person. I'm more like chill, laid back. But the city of Boston brought in is more like upbeat city type vibe. When you got to Utah, I was kind of like, more like out the way of my speed. Yeah. Okay.
- [05:34]
Interviewer
Growing up, if I asked you 12, 13, 14 years old, what did you like more? What did you watch more? Was it more college basketball? Was it more NBA? A little split. Just what?
- [05:43]
AJ Debanza
Yeah, split, split. Yeah. I used to watch a lot of college basketball, but also, who's not watching NBA?
- [05:48]
Interviewer
Of course.
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AJ Debanza
Of course.
- [05:49]
Interviewer
As we tape this, the season open last night, did you steal a little bit of time watching either of those games?
- [05:53]
AJ Debanza
I didn't watch the game live, but I seen the highlights.
- [05:56]
Interviewer
Yeah.
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AJ Debanza
Yeah.
- [05:56]
Interviewer
Okay. What is it about the college game? As someone who's just taken it in for a number of years now, what is it about college basketball that you like so much?
- [06:03]
AJ Debanza
I'm not gonna. I want to say it's more competitive. Yeah. Like their. Their regular season is more competitive than the NBA regular season. Like, it might not be, but, like, it looks like. It looks like they're playing harder because they're playing for something. Obviously, playoff time is kind of like where the NBA really kicks off and everybody starts playing peak basketball.
- [06:26]
Interviewer
Okay. And on the NBA side, do you. When you watch it, I want you to get too far ahead of yourself. But do you watch it and try and envision like, okay, I know I can get there. I'm going to get there. How the way that's played now, do you just. Do you allow yourself to envision that or do you try and resist that until, like, no, no, I'm not there yet. I'm at byu. I'm in college. I'm just. I'm curious how you. How you picture yourself. It'd be totally natural to do that. It's kind of a little bit of both.
- [06:53]
AJ Debanza
Obviously, I'm at byu, so I'm mainly focused on. On this, but anytime I get to watch a game or anytime I, you know, I'm still a kid dreaming because I haven't accomplished a dream yet. So, I mean, here and there, I'll look forward.
- [07:04]
Interviewer
Okay.
- [07:05]
AJ Debanza
If I.
- [07:05]
Interviewer
If I parachute it into your practice, say, even earlier this week, what's the team dynamic? What's. What's going on in there? What's. What's the vibe and what should we be expecting from. From you guys, particularly as the season gets going?
- [07:18]
AJ Debanza
Yeah, there's a lot of energy, a lot of exciting plays, but we try to play to win, but we try to give the fans what they want. So we're trying to be exciting, play up a down, dunks, threes, Play upbeat, but we want to play to win.
- [07:28]
Interviewer
Okay, fair enough. Let's shine some light and some love on some of your teammates. Let's, you know, run. Run through a number of them. You know, let's talk Richie. You know, he obviously has a very established game, going to be a really key piece, can really score. What is it about him as a player or as a person? As a teammate, whatever.
- [07:44]
Announcer
What.
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Interviewer
What kind of stands out about him? Why do you enjoy sharing the floor?
- [07:47]
AJ Debanza
He's actually probably one of the hardest workers I've ever played with. Like, he's after. After practice, he's been on the Watt bike, trying to get in more. In more shape. I mean, he's leading by example. He's not the loudest guy, but you'll lead by example. So if you'll know when he's blocking out, you'll know when he's. When he's winning the closeout. He might not say, y' all win the closeout, but he's gonna do it. And you go watch him and you go, you know, anticipating. And mimic it.
- [08:08]
Interviewer
Keep it. Keita, what about going up against him?
- [08:11]
AJ Debanza
I just started learning how to throw. Lobstering because I was throwing it too low. And then Richie told me, like, it's never too high when you throw it to kba. So I've been learning how to throw him higher.
- [08:19]
Interviewer
Is it a kind. I wonder, actually, is it the kind of deal where. Because you can get up there, too. Is he capable of getting up on a level that maybe. Maybe you can obviously get there, but just you found someone from a law perspective on the other side of her. It's like, well, damn.
- [08:31]
AJ Debanza
Okay. Yeah, exactly what it is. Because when I was in high school, I wasn't playing with those guys that were jumping super high. They were able to catch loud, but they weren't jumping. His hand is, like, above the backboard.
- [08:42]
Interviewer
Crazy, man. What about Rob Wright?
- [08:44]
AJ Debanza
Rob Wright, Yeah. The best Parker I've ever played with. His ability to get in the pain is just super unreal. He's super quick, and his paint decisions are like a one.
- [08:53]
Interviewer
You may not remember this, but we briefly said hi to each other because you were at the BYU NCAA Tournament games last year, and I was. My media seat was right in front of you and you and your family. What was it like to take in that? And then obviously, like, BYU goes up against one of the best shooting performances in the history of the tournament with Alabama. What was it like to take in that? Just as, you know, as a commit, but also as a fan and getting a sense of, like, this is what an NCAA tournament environment's like.
- [09:17]
AJ Debanza
No, it was fun from a fan standpoint because that was my first time actually going to march, Ma. But it's also like, as a player, like, okay, I'm. Hopefully I'll be here next year in what was at the Sweet 16. Like, yeah, playing in the Sweet 16 and playing for a national title. I mean, it hurts that they have the best shooting performance ever. I mean, you can't really.
- [09:34]
Interviewer
What can you do?
- [09:34]
AJ Debanza
Yeah, can't really do anything about that. But, I mean, that's what the tournament is. People step up.
- [09:38]
Interviewer
Yeah, no, that was. It was. It was. From my perspective, it was just really cool to see you kind of show up. There were some. There were some folks, some young ones there that were just like, oh, my God, it's age. And it was kind of cool just to kind of see you in your natural environment, but try and take in the game as kind of. Kind of an everyman there. Do you think that your team's going to be able to be a group like last year, offensively, KY was running some amazing stuff, and I know you're super excited, but is the goal here kind of to be like, no, we want to outrun you. Track meet, like, we Want to drop 90 a night? Is that. Is that the anticipation or is it going to be a little bit more diverse than that? What are we. What should we be expecting?
- [10:10]
AJ Debanza
I think it's going to be, I think, where our Identity is more. I mean, it's still offense for sure. Like, when we play Nebraska, we put up 89 points. It's just we're trying to. We're trying to improve our defense by a long shot. We can't be letting up 90 points. We're trying to score 90, but we're trying to give up less than 70. Yeah. Yeah. So we're trying to improve on our defense.
- [10:26]
Interviewer
When I was watching Nebraska highlights, and I say this as a compliment, it looked like it might not. You might totally disagree, but I was watching you. I think you dropped, like, 30. It looked like you were still kind of going in, like, third gear. It feels like you still have more gears that you can, because I've seen you obviously play a number of times on the prep circuit as well. What are your takeaways? Just from individually, but as a. As a team, what you were able to do when you went up against the Cornhuskers, I know they've obviously played well.
- [10:49]
AJ Debanza
Yeah. I mean, it's kind of hard for me to say I really had a good game when we lose because I hold myself to that type of standard to win. But it was good. It was good because exhibition, we have a lot to learn from, and we have the film to learn from it. I think that's a good starting point for us.
- [11:03]
Interviewer
All right, I'm going to hit on a talking point here that I know he's been asked about plenty today, but you know what? We're doing it for our podcast. How much do you think you'll follow or care about you, Darren, in the league? I'm also going to throw Cam Boozer in there. J.T. toppin's the best returning player in the league. There's a real opportunity, opportunity here for you 4. Braden Smith, obviously is a fantastic player, one of the better point guards we've seen in the past generation, and just the way that you guys are going to become the player faces of the sport, like, are you. Are you someone that's going to have a certain pride about you're going to want to win over everything else? I get that. But just being a part of, like, okay, I might have seen DP go for a really, really awesome night on a Monday, you play on a Wednesday or whatever, and. All right, here's what I kind of got. Do you have a little bit of a fun competitiveness to you when it comes to that stuff?
- [11:53]
AJ Debanza
Yeah, it's definitely competitive, but I'm not trying to. I'm not trying to, like, my goal. It is a team Sport. At the end of the day, like you said, if someone has a great game on a Monday night and I play Wednesday, I'm not trying to. Oh, I got to do more than what he did. No, because I'm trying to win. And obviously, if I'm just going for my individual stats, then we're not going to end up winning games. Now, if I end up in the Florida game, have my individual stats and having a great game, that's good. But, I mean, we're trying to win at the end of the year, so I can't be hunting my own individual.
- [12:18]
Interviewer
Without a doubt. But with that said, what. What individual stat across the board, any of them means the most to you as a. As a player? And do you think it means the most to your team? Is it. Is it shooting? Is it. Is it defensive stuff? Is it assists, blocks, rebounds?
- [12:30]
Announcer
What.
- [12:30]
AJ Debanza
What to you means the most kind of this? This year, me, my dad and coach have been on me by rebounding a lot. So I've been trying to average way more rebounds and crash way more.
- [12:39]
Interviewer
How are you studying with that? Like, other particular players, current, former ones that, like, tape you watch, Is it just a lot more drill work? What are you really doing?
- [12:46]
AJ Debanza
It's not even drill. You just got to go rebound. I guess it's kind of like everything.
- [12:50]
Interviewer
Well, I asked this to J.T. toppin. Like, what makes a good rebounder? How do you. How can you define what makes a good rebounder? How can you turn yourself into one?
- [12:56]
AJ Debanza
Positioning and timing. You gotta get in position to get the rebound. And then once it hits the rim, you have to be able to jump on time to go grab it.
- [13:02]
Interviewer
Okay. When you're on the floor and you're playing against other players, for you, is it a situation where the crowd, everything kind of blacks out and blocks out around you? How do you actually, like, take in your reality when you're in the midst of competition?
- [13:14]
AJ Debanza
No, actually, when we played Nebraska, I was like, my first real away game, so I heard everything. Like, I heard the student sex, I heard everybody talking. I'm curious to see if I can find ways to, like, block it out. But when I was playing there, I heard everything.
- [13:26]
Interviewer
Okay, so I, like, smile on AJ's face there. You must be so excited just to experience these. The home environment, for sure. BYU's got a tremendous reputation. But to go in and actually see these different away environments, the student sections, that's just got to be something that you're just. You're raring to do and experience, right?
- [13:44]
AJ Debanza
Yeah, exactly.
- [13:45]
Interviewer
I mean, it should be just absolutely, absolutely incredible. Well, I'm very excited to see what's on tap there. Best of luck to you. We'll be catching you in person a few times this year. And thanks so much for joining the show.
- [13:56]
AJ Debanza
Thank you. Appreciate it.
- [13:57]
Interviewer
Thank you.
- [14:11]
AJ Debanza
You can be anything. The sound.
- [14:36]
Announcer
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- [14:41]
Interviewer
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