Recent rumblings suggest that AJ Dybantsa to BYU is far from a "done deal"

The AJ Dybantsa train is preparing to leave the station, and Kevin Young's BYU basketball program may be without a ticket. In a classic Polar Express fiasco, the Cougs dug into their pocket only to find a gaping hole where their pass once was. Dybantsa is the goal, but this program will need to cross the finish line before looking back at their competition.

Can you remember when Dybantsa's 247 Sports crystal ball read that 100% of experts believed the Utah Prep product would commit to the BYU Cougars for his lone season of college hoops before jumping to the NBA?

Cougar Nation lost its collective marbles--I may have seen a parade float pass through Center Street adorned with a paper mache likeness of AJ arm wrestling Cosmo the Cougar. Maybe I made that up.

But regardless, BYU's inclusion--let alone consideration--to acquire the services of a player that many believe could one day become an All-Star talent is an unprecedented occurrence in BYU basketball. Nothing beyond a desperate media campaign to lure Jabari Parket comes close to this.

But in the frenzy, that same crystal ball projection that once got Provo on their feet in excitement may likewise bring the Cougar faithful to their knees.

Dybantsa's once unanimously confirmed intentions to join the BYU Cougars have turned from a clear blue sky to a riotous blizzard sending hopeless victims careening in every direction imaginable. It's no secret that BYU basketball doesn't possess the pedigree of the other programs in AJ's final four: UNC, Kansas, and Alabama. Learning that BYU's footing may not be entirely stable shouldn't come as a surprise.

The crystal ball projections for Dybantsa have been removed entirely by 247 Sports, leaving fans in the dark as to where the 6-foot-9 wing's destination may be. We're in the dark.

Is it doomsday? No, despite my recent weather report, so please put away your food storage and quit boarding up the windows. BYU made the cut in Dybantsa's recently-announced final four, and that's a step in the right direction as far as I'm concerned. The stretch Y stands out among basketball blue bloods like Kansas and UNC, but maybe that's a positive.

When you submit a job application, as the Cougars had when they pitched themselves to AJ, you're better off standing out rather than blending in. No, BYU isn't a traditional hooping power, but every moment the Cougars keep themselves in the mix is a moment where greater respect is measured in the national perception of the program.

BYU is in the Big 12 Conference now, however, and that means better resources, increased influence, and credibility when they claim that by committing to BYU, a player can better prepare himself for the highest level of basketball.

Alabama has picked up a lot of steam in the Dybantsa sweepstakes, and neither North Carolina nor Kansas will be content to stand idly by as the best player in the nation deliberates over his next move.

BYU is not a lock in this fight, but for my money, I still like the Cougars' chances.

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