SALT LAKE CITY — Following the conclusion of the Jazz game at Delta Center on Thursday, BYU forward AJ Dybantsa and Lakers star LeBron James exchanged some words and a hug.
Right after the final horn, James approached Dybantsa on the sideline.
game recognizes game 🤝 pic.twitter.com/iXrfGscOkU
— BYU Men’s Basketball (@BYUMBB) December 19, 2025
The Cougars’ star has been to multiple Utah Jazz games this season as the NCAA season winds up.
Dybantsa saw a Lakers win in which James posted 28 points and 10 assists, and Luka Doncic posted an insane stat line of 45 points, 11 rebounds, and 14 assists.
Jazz guard Keyonte George led the way for the home squad with 34 points and eight assists.
Los Angeles pulled away in the final frame, outscoring Utah 41-29 to secure the 143-135 victory.
two GOATs https://t.co/xH0f3yasQW pic.twitter.com/ja1EqrNdGt
— BYU Men’s Basketball (@BYUMBB) December 19, 2025
A Quick Comparison
At first glance, similarities between a freshman hooper at BYU and a 41-year-old NBA great would seem few and far between.
Looking a bit closer, there is something there. Dybantsa is almost 19 years old. When James was that age, he was starting his first NBA season.
Both are garnering national attention for their talent, and both are starting the next stage of their careers after high school. If there wasn’t a rule against it, Dybantsa could’ve absolutely gone straight to the pros out of high school.
Even their games have some striking similarities. Both stand at around 6-foot-8. Both can score at all three levels but thrive inside the arc.
So far at BYU, Dybantsa is averaging 21.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists on 55.6/32.1/74.3 shooting splits. In his rookie season with Cleveland, James averaged 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists on 41.7/29/75.4 shooting splits.
Now I’m not saying Dybantsa is the next LeBron James. But, there is enough there to warrant a post-game interaction when the King is in town.
Chandler Holt is a co-host of the Jazz Notes podcast, a Locals In The NFL Insider, and Digital Sports Producer for KSLSports.com. Follow Chandler on X for Utah Jazz and Locals In The NFL updates.
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