‘Helping the bigger cause’: This pair of BYU stars are on top of the world — and teaming up to help change it
AJ Dybantsa and Kihei Akina are two BYU phenoms, but both know there is more to life than being great at their craft.
BYU forward AJ Dybantsa (3) celebrates making a 3-pointer during the second half of an NCAA basketball game against the Houston Cougars at the Marriott Center in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News In some ways, AJ Dybantsa and Kihei Akina couldn’t be any more different — including the sports they play and the shots they take.
Dybantsa’s basketball fame derives from making as many as possible, while Akina’s golf glory hinges on attempting the fewest. Both are dominating in their respective domains. Dybantsa is a finalist for the Naismith College Basketball Player of the Year Award and is projected to be the top pick in June’s NBA draft.
Akina just fell one shot short of winning his third straight collegiate golf tournament. Introduced prior to committing to BYU, the talented tandem has spent the school year admiring each other’s skill sets. “AJ’s game speaks for itself,” Akina told the “Y’s Guys” livestream show this week.
“He’s the No. 1 player in the country without a doubt. I just love the way he plays and the way he goes about himself.
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