Portland, Ore. • AJ Dybantsa smirked a little when the topic came up.

With a towel draped over his shoulder and his legs sprawled out, Dybantsa wanted to have some fun after a first-round NCAA Tournament exit.

Would this be the last game of his college career?

“I don’t know,” he said, fighting a smile. “I don’t even know the answer to that question. I can’t answer that.”

Dybantsa, of course, is likely off to the NBA after an All-American season in Provo. The potential top pick in the draft led the nation in scoring, broke Kevin Durant’s records and nearly put up 40 points in his only tournament game.

But even if Dybantsa was being coy, his head coach Kevin Young knows what is coming.

“I mean, look, if he wants to come back for another year, obviously we’d welcome him with open arms,” Young said. “What a joy for all of us, truth be told, to watch what he did this year. So if it’s his last game, I just wish him well.”

Dybantsa said he needs a few more weeks until he makes the announcement official.

“Just talk to my family. My mom ultimately. She kind of is the big boss. She makes the decisions in life,” he said, finally letting out a grin. “My family, I mean, just talk to her, see what she says. Y’all will get an answer in the next couple weeks.”

But until then, Young will be sorting out his roster without Dybansta.

BYU guard Rob Wright III will have a decision to make to stay or go. That hasn’t been finalized yet. But Young is planning to build around the junior guard.

“Trying to get shooting around Rob and have some dynamic spacing like we did our first year is something that will definitely be under heavy consideration,” Young said.

For Wright’s part, he told television cameras that if he came back to college, it would be at BYU.

But after this year, nothing is certain. Dybantsa admitted this season has been a grind.

The Cougars came in with Final Four aspirations and didn’t get a tournament win. There were five season-ending injuries, including to veteran Richie Saunders.

“It has been rocky. Injuries before the season, injuries during the season. We lost key components to our team. I kind of had to step up in places I’m not used to,” Dybantsa said.

There will be plenty of time for Dybantsa to question whether he made the right decision to come to BYU, a school that has never made the Final Four in 33 tries.

But Dybantsa was content with his choice.

“I love this place. I’m happy I chose here,” he said. " I definitely made the right decision. As far as the season, it’s tough dealing with that type of adversity. But I’d rather do it with nobody else."

Young already parlayed Dybantsa’s year into another high-profile recruit, Bruce Branch. Seen as an NBA lottery pick, Branch would be Young’s third draft pick since coming to Provo.

“Egor [Demin] came in and set the foundation. AJ kind of took the torch,” Young said. “It’s cool to hear him say how much he’s enjoyed being here.”

Eventually, Dybantsa will declare for the draft. But until then, he’ll be wishing his first taste of March Madness wasn’t already over.

“It just sucks,” Dyabntsa said as he took off his shoes. “I wish I could play on Saturday.”