BYU hoops narrows recruiting needs as transfer, key returner added

In this piece by Dave McCann, he explains how differently Young and football coach Kalani Sitake are using the transfer portal to get talent. Here is Jackson Payne’s story on what Young thinks of his recent transfer portal acquisitions and here is his piece on why Rob Wright returned to Provo.

The Cougars have also received commitments from Clemson wingman Jake Wahlin and Syracuse stretch forward Tyler Betsey.

Question of the week

How do you think BYU is doing in the transfer portal and what do you predict will happen as the roster heads toward finalization before the season?

Jay Drew: BYU coach Kevin Young has scored two big wins from the transfer portal to date, landing Collin Chandler from Kentucky and wooing back Rob Wright III when it appeared the all-Big 12-caliber point guard was headed to a blue blood. Young deserves a lot of credit for the big pickup (Chandler) and the big retainment (Wright). The presence of those two should keep BYU in the upper half of the Big 12 standings next season.

But there’s still work to do. BYU desperately needs a scoring center, a back-to-the-basket kind of guy who can get close to a double-double every game in points and rebounds. Obviously, those types of players don’t grow on trees. One guy who is still available in that regard is ASU’s 7-foot-1 center Massamba Diop. But the competition for the rising sophomore will be intense.

Young could also use another combo guard, in case Nate Pickens (coming off injury) is not quite the player coaches think he is.

Jackson Payne: Evaluating BYU’s transfer portal activity is simple: The Cougars are replacing rotation minutes from Kennard Davis, Tyler Mrus, Dominique Diomande and Abdullah Ahmed with incoming production from Collin Chandler, Tyler Betsey and Jake Wahlin, along with whoever else joins Kevin Young’s crew. That’s a clear upgrade, especially in terms of shooting ability and overall versatility.

BYU’s glaring roster hole is at the center position, where the Cougars are currently without both a starter and a backup. Reports are swirling that Young is in the mix for a number of top big men on the market, and I believe he will land one of those coveted 7-footers to bolster the starting five. If Young finds a center who can stretch the floor, even better. A stretch big playing in Young’s offense around other solid shooters could do some serious damage.

The roster is still incomplete, but it’s hard not to feel encouraged by BYU’s portal additions thus far. Young and his staff aren’t messing around.

Dick Harmon: While folks await the announcement of other transfer players, mostly for the post position, there is a certain theme as to what we’ve seen so far on the roster: shooters, culture builders and P4 experience.

I’ll address the culture aspect of these moves. This past year, the Cougars were very young, and it showed when senior Richie Saunders went down to injury. Redshirt guard Nate Pickens explained this as a critical bump this past year because there were some guys on the team that kind of checked out and struggled.

By bringing in Chandler and Wahlin, he has two veterans of SEC and ACC battles. It is doubly important because he’s getting two P4 transfers who are natives of Utah and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Put these two guys with incoming freshman and returning missionary guard Brooks Bahr and returning forward Brody Kozlowski and you have a core of players who understand where BYU basketball has been, is, and where it needs to go.

I’ll call it leadership. Last year’s team needed leadership sans Saunders and we saw AJ Dybantsa step up and try to fill that by simply taking over games with his play, but he was just a rookie and it was unfair to expect him to establish a lot of leadership in the locker room, on the court or off the court.

This team needs big, physical post players. I’m anxious to see how Young solves this. I do believe he has a plan in motion and has for some time.

Cougar tales

In a remarkable feat, freshman distance runner Jane Hedengren broke her third NCAA record this past week, easily pushing her to be one of the most remarkable athletes Cougar athletics has ever produced. Here is the story of her latest, a record set in the 10,000 meters at a meet in California.

From the archives

From X-verse

Extra points

• BYU signee Branch III shines (KSLsports)
• Which former Cougars will be drafted? (Deseret News)
• Highs, lows for BYU over weekend (Deseret News)
• How will BYU fill its front court? (Vanquishthefoe)

Fanalysts

Comments from Deseret News readers:

Not sure why Utah and USU fans think the only reason athletes choose BYU is because of money. There are other factors. AJ could have received the same amount of money from a lot of schools. His parents liked the standards and environment at BYU more than other schools. Get over yourselves and your jealousy of all things BYU.

— Down Under

Tanner Wall may or may not get drafted but he’s going to have an NFL career. He’s as solid a defender as Daniel Sorenson. Sorenson was about the same size as Tanner and their other numbers are very comparable. Tanner will play 10 years in the NFL and he will be a coach down the road after that.

— Homers

Up next

• April 23 | 5 p.m. | softball | @ Utah
• April 24 | 3 p.m. | track and field | @ Aggie Invitational
• April 24 | 5 p.m. | softball | @ Utah
• April 24 | 7 p.m. | baseball | @ Arizona
• April 25 | 1 p.m. | baseball | @ Arizona
• April 25 | 5 p.m. | softball | @ Utah