KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Inside some glass doors attached to the T-Mobile Center, echoes of bouncing basketballs and sneaker squeaks fade into something quieter and much more reverent, but somehow louder in meaning.
Going down the stairs inside The College Basketball Experience sits the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, a shrine to the past, present and future of the sport.
For BYU fans visiting downtown Kansas City during the Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament, the Hall can offer more than just a history lesson. It feels like stepping into a sprawling timeline — one that begs the question of where the Cougars might fit into college basketball’s grand story.
The Hall, established in 2006 by the National Association of Basketball Coaches, honors those who have shaped the college game. Its founding class alone reads like the sport’s Mount Rushmore: Oscar Robertson, Bill Russell, Dean Smith, John Wooden, and the family of James Naismith. Around them are legends whose names still echo in arenas and on social media posts — Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, to name just a few.
Walking through the Hall’s “Gallery of Honor” feels like wandering through a Mount Olympus of college hoops; real basketball mythology.
And yet, tucked among the legends is one familiar name for BYU fans: Krešimir Ćosić, the Cougars’ lone representative in the Hall as part of that inaugural 2006 class. The Croatian pioneer helped bring international flair to the college game while starring in Provo in the early 1970s.
For now, Ćosić stands alone.
But standing inside the museum, it’s hard not to imagine who might join him.
Displays throughout the Hall make the sport feel tangible. One interactive exhibit invites visitors to “Compare Your Feet” with giants of the game (both literally and figuratively). Size 17 for Hakeem Olajuwon, size 18 for Karl Malone and an almost cartoonish size 23 for Shaquille O'Neal.
Another station stops visitors in their tracks: a towering height comparison with Kevin Durant that reads in bold letters, “MEASURE UP!”
It’s impossible not to think of BYU freshman phenom AJ Dybantsa in that moment.
Durant has long been Dybantsa’s favorite player. And just steps away from that display, inside the same building connected to the arena, Dybantsa recently etched his own name into history during the Big 12 tournament, setting the record for most points ever scored in the event of 93 points in three days, a record that was just previously held by Durant.
Standing next to Durant’s silhouette, the phrase “measure up” takes on a different meaning. In Kansas City, Dybantsa already has.
The Hall also celebrates the present. Near the end of the hallway sits an exhibit honoring the “current champions of the game,” including the Florida Gators’ 2025 national championship team. Nearby, Duke's Cooper Flagg appears twice — once as the 2025 NABC Freshman of the Year and again as the 2025 NABC Player of the Year.
Outside the building, a massive photo of Flagg celebrates his season.
The question naturally follows: could a certain freshman at BYU replace it next year?
Dybantsa already appears destined to collect freshman honors, and his scoring exploits have made him one of the most feared offensive players in college basketball. Big 12 coaches have spent the entire season praising how difficult he is to contain.
But college basketball history is often written over time. Many Hall of Famers built their legacies over three or four seasons, something one-and-done stars rarely have.
That’s why another absence inside the Hall stands out.
For all the banners and trophies celebrating the sport’s past, there’s no sign yet of Jimmer Fredette, the star of BYU’s unforgettable 2011 season and the 3-point marksman that inspired a generation. His name feels destined for these walls someday.
Until then, walking through the Hall is a reminder of how vast college basketball history truly is, and how every generation adds yet another important chapter.
Maybe one day a BYU team will earn its own permanent display. Perhaps the 1981 squad led by Danny Ainge. Maybe the magic of “Jimmermania” and 2011.
Or maybe the story that began this week in Kansas City, with a Cougar freshman measuring up next to his favorite player.