AJ Dybantsa sat in the student section during the WBIT quarterfinal game at BYU to heckle Stanford. His support of the women’s college basketball program presents a stark contrast to the frequent discrimination toward the Mormon religion.
It is not the same thing!
There is a big different between harmless college basketball heckling and direct, personal attacks on faith or character. There is nothing wrong with having fun.
BYU is often subject to discrimination.
Brigham Young University, founded in 1875, is the flagship university of the Church Educational System of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Approximately 98.7% of the student body is of the Mormon faith. Tuition is significantly lower for members of the church, with non-members paying double the member rate. Even the 1.3% that does not practice the faith must adhere to a strict honor code.
You get the idea. The university has deep and direct ties to religion.
As a result, the Cougars are often subject to anti-Mormon hate during sporting events. Providence’s AD had to beg students to silence their chants at a basketball game in 2024. The same chant broke out during an on-court scuffle at Arizona in 2025. It happens so often (in all sports) that a similar chant created additional controversy at Oklahoma State earlier this season.
BYU’s athletic programs are frequently subject to insult for their ties to the LDS Church. The schools that use explicit language against their religion are usually forced to apologize and subject to punishment by the Big 12 Conference. Not a year goes by where this is not an issue. It is a common occurrence.
Another example of this unruly behavior took place in 2011. Utah State apologized to BYU for “vulgarity” and “crude” remarks toward Brandon Davies, who was removed from the basketball team for an honor code violation. A line was crossed. Amends were made.
AJ Dybantsa’s heckling was harmless.
There is a stark contrast between harmless heckling and disrespect. The anti-Mormon chants is categorized as the latter. The comments toward Davies falls somewhere in the grey area.
It is not unusual for an opposing student section to heckle a player for his past mistakes. Texas Tech chirped Alabama over Aden Holloway’s arrest last weekend. I think it is fair game. You have to live with the consequences of your actions.
Others disagree.
Regardless of whether it is considered acceptable by the greater society or not, this kind of behavior does not fly at BYU. It would be hypocritical of the Cougars to be offended by unruly hecklers if they were just as unruly.
That was not the case at the WBIT in Provo on Thursday night despite what the haters might think.
Multiple members of the BYU men’s basketball team showed up to support the women against Stanford. They sat (stood) front row in the student section.
AJ Dybantsa was one of the most vocal fans in attendance. He got on the Cardinal at every opportunity.
Critics were quick to question why BYU allowed its star player to heckle the visiting players when the school itself is so quick to condemn such behavior at other schools. There is a very big difference.
At no point did Dybantsa use explicit language. Nor did he mention religion. Nor did he say anything disparaging about a player’s family or upbringing. Nothing like that. Nothing offensive.
AJ Dybantsa was just having fun. His behavior was harmless. It is not the same as “F— the Mormons.”