As I watched and enjoyed the final regular-season Saturday of college basketball over the weekend, I couldn't help but think of the future. I watched the home finale for my Ohio State Buckeyes, and a player who's been that program for the last four years is Bruce Thornton. I watched what could have been the home finale for AJ Dybantsa and Robert Wright III of BYU later that night. I couldn't help but notice the similarities in play between BYU's Wright and Ohio State's Thornton.
Both were critical to their respective programs, getting huge wins to close the regular season. They both are fantastic guards. The two are shooting nearly 50% from the field and average nearly 20 points per game this season. Could Wright also mirror Thornton in his longevity and commitment to the team he's playing so hard for?
While we never know what players will choose to do concerning their professional careers, it is impossible not to wonder. Players the size of Wright and Thornton often stay in college developing and improving themselves longer than players like Dybantsa. Names like Jalen Brunson, Damian Lillard, and Steph Curry come to mind. Watching Thornton wrap up four years as a starter for the Buckeyes made me wonder if BYU could have Wright for more than just this season.
Maybe Wright could stay at BYU for a while, and in doing so, have a greater impact than even AJ Dybantsa is having for the Cougars. Another season or two, and Wright would certainly leave his name all over the BYU record books. With the way Kevin Young has been recruiting, Wright will have talented, big-time teammates even if Dybantsa is a one-and-done player.
Wright is having a huge impact on BYU basketball and could be the point man to lead the Cougars into a great postseason right now. There's nothing wrong with appreciating a player's current greatness and envisioning more for them and the team that they could continue to be great for.
Time will tell, but whether it is only for this year or for a couple more, Robert Wright III is having just as huge an impact on BYU basketball as his more well-known teammate, AJ Dybantsa. Here's hoping BYU's Batman to Dybantsa's Superman continues to dominate in Provo a little longer.