Breaking records as a freshman is a cool feat for a hooper, but when that record is of a certain 16-time NBA All-Star, the ceiling elevates immediately. That’s exactly what AJ Dybantsa did on Thursday night at the T-Mobile Center, surpassing a 20-year-old record held by Kevin Durant and leaving the community in shock.

In a performance that etched his name in Big 12 history, Dybantsa’s scoring flurry across three games was just enough to eclipse the mark Durant set back in 2007.

Journalist Jeff Goodman confirmed this record on his X handle.

“AJ Dybantsa just broke Kevin Durant’s Big 12 tournament scoring record,” the caption of the post read. “Dybantsa has 93 points in 3 games. KD finished with 92 in 3 games.”

AJ Dybantsa tipped off his Big 12 tournament with a 40-point game against the Kansas State Wildcats in the first round. The freshman forward continued his impressive form, scoring 27 against West Virginia and 26 in the latest one against Houston. In his 26 points against Houston, Dybantsa scored 7 of 18 from open play and 3 of 5 from deep.

On the other hand, Durant scored 29 against Baylor, followed by 26 and 27 against Oklahoma State, and in a quarterfinal loss to Kansas, respectively, in his Big 12 campaign before becoming the Kevin Durant that we all know now.

Yet despite Dybantsa’s historic campaign, he couldn’t bail out his team against No. 5 Houston in the quarterfinals. The BYU freshman received little support from his teammates, as only one player, Robert Wright, reached 10 points in the game. On top of that, 18 turnovers and 20 personal fouls didn’t help their cause either. But this loss wasn’t even the talking point in hoops town, as Dybantsa’s record commanded undivided attention.

Late 3-Pointer in Houston Game Turns Dybantsa’s Historic Night Into a Debate

“Should’ve airballed out of respect,” a fan wrote.

“He should’ve subbed himself out at 91 and not broken the record to honor KD,” added another. 

Several comments, including these ones, suggested that AJ Dybantsa should have stopped at 91 and just missed the ball to sustain the record of a veteran like Kevin Durant. But for a freak of a scorer like AJ, he wasn’t ready for such a heartfelt moment amid a top-tier Big 12 quarterfinals game. In the dying moments of the game, with around 4 seconds remaining in the game, Dybantsa scored a precise 24-foot three-pointer, taking him past KD.

The moment carried more weight for Dybantsa, given that he looked up to Durant while delving into the sport. “Everybody knows he’s my favorite player, ” Dybantsa said following the game. “So it feels good just to break his record.” But on the contrary, Dybantsa’s performance also came under the scanner a bit despite shattering Durant’s record.

“He stat padded and took a meaningless 3 with 5 seconds left to do it,” stated another. 

“But how many free throws?!?!” chimed in another. 

Dybanta’s three-pointer in the dying minutes of the game, while 8 points down, didn’t impress the fans much. Many considered it an ungracious way to improve his stats. But that’s not exactly correct. For context, it’s certain that in a Big 12 quarterfinal game, every player wants to win, and while the BYU Cougars were down in the final minutes of the game, the freshman forward was trying to convert any chances possible for him to bridge the gap with Houston.

In that process, he also missed several open goals, suggesting that he wasn’t just playing for individual stats, but for the win. The comment on free throws is also on the same lines, it seems. It’s true that across his three Big 12 games, Dybantsa scored 22 from the line in his 93 points, a high number, it seems. But on the same lines, KD, too, had 23 points from free throws across his three games in the Big 12 Tournament.

“Making a mark! @AJ_Dybantsa,” summed up a netizen. 

All in all, there’s no doubt that Dybantsa is one of the generational talents of the current. Already a top pick for the NBA draft in his freshman season, Dybantsa is redefining what it means to be a consensus No.1 recruit. His stats, boasting 25.2 ppg, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists, speak for themselves, and this Big 12 record on Thursday night was just icing on the cake for the BYU freshman.

BYU head coach Kevin Young summed up AJ Dybantsa’s specialty on the court with a perfect statement following the Houston game. “He can do everything on the court that you want a basketball player to do,” Young said. “I’m not trying to get snappy. I thought he played a great offensive game. He should have had 40 again.”

The loss against Houston cut the chase for Dybantsa and BYU’s automatic bid to March Madness. But with a 21-10 regular season and quarterfinal run in the Big 12 tournament, the Cougars remain a possible sixth seed projection for the Big Dance. How do you see that unfolding? Do share your thoughts with us.