In just a few weeks, Cougar Nation will retire the jersey of the great Jimmer Fredette. Jimmer spent four years at BYU and brought energy and excitement to the basketball program, which hasn’t been felt since. He was the 2011 National Player of the Year, led the Cougars to the Sweet Sixteen, and unleashed “Jimmer Mania” on the basketball world.
Now, more than halfway through the most anticipated season in Cougar basketball history, fans are warily watching and hoping AJ Dybantsa can propel the Cougars to heights even Jimmer could not reach.
Since the beginning, immortality at BYU has been defined by moments and memories, not championships and trophies. At the recent matchup between BYU and top-ranked Arizona, fan discussions seemed anchored more on the time Jimmer’s Cougars faced Kawhi Leonard’s Aztecs than on what was about to take place that night. Why? Because the program has entered a new era where success and immortality will hinge on March.
Fans were undoubtedly excited about the matchup, but there was a sense that this was one big game of many in pursuit of something much greater. It is no longer enough to capture a few big wins and make the tournament. Defeating Arizona would have been a great memory. But expectations have changed, and attention would have quickly shifted to the next team on the schedule.
This shift in demeanor at BYU will have a big effect on how fans remember AJ. Cougar Nation is still new to one-and-done players like him, accustomed to four-year players whose development we follow and come to love over time. The contrast will be felt as a traditional four-year player like Richie Saunders builds his legacy alongside AJ’s brief timeline. Without time, cementing a legacy will depend entirely on impact. AJ has just one season to make it count.
Cougar fans don’t need the number 32 hanging from the rafters to remember the name Jimmer Fredette. AJ, with just one fleeting year to leave his mark, will need more than a great regular season and an early tournament exit.
His legacy will hinge on what happens this postseason and the effect it has on the program moving forward. This is no longer an era of a few big games and flashes of success. There is a new standard for immortality at BYU that demands more, and it starts with AJ Dybantsa.