With lessons learned, BYU basketball analyst likes how BYU is rebuilding the roster

“The best teams have at least a 7-footer who is a rim protector so every shot for the other team becomes hard, because you have a 7-2 guy in there,” he said. “BYU had some really good athletes, but there was no scoring presence down low. You need to have the basic ability to put the ball into the hoop. The problem is everyone wants that and they are willing to pay. That’s going to be a challenge to see what BYU comes up with.”

The Wright move

Retaining Wright, who entered the transfer portal and even took a recruiting trip to Kentucky, is as big of a signing as Kevin Young could have hoped for.

“I think he can be an all-American player. He’s not big but he’s a guy who can score at any time from any position of the floor and those are rare to find,” Durrant said. “I think BYU has probably learned some lessons this year about who to surround him with, the depth and shooting and all of that, but he is the cornerstone of what BYU wants to do and wanted to do and to have him come back really answers a lot of questions for you where if he hadn’t come back, you are kind of scrambling a little bit.”

Signing Superman

Adding the 6-foot-5, multiple-use Chandler was another needed piece, especially with Richie Saunders moving on to the NBA.

“I love Collin. The comparison goes to Richie (Saunders) because they kind of look alike,” Durrant said. “When I was talking to Richie, when he was thinking about going to Kentucky (after the 2024-2025 season), one of his frustrations was, ‘I’ve been pigeonholed into a role here at BYU as a 3-point shooter. I want to show what I can do. I want to show every aspect of my game.’

“I think, and this is speculation, I think Collin felt that way a little bit at Kentucky,” he continued. “I think he feels if he comes here, he can have that same progression that Richie had and develop his full game. He is an out-of-this world freak athlete. You look at him, he looks like Clark Kent, but on the floor, he is Superman. He’s going to show everybody what he can do.”

Winging it

Young is still building his roster, but the additions of 6-7 Bruce Branch (five-star prospect with 7-1 wingspan), 6-8 Tyler Betsey (Syracuse), 6-10 Jake Wahlin (Clemson) and 6-8 Dean Rueckert (Timpview High), add depth to a position Durrant believes can change the game for the Cougars.

“My favorite guy to have on a team is a tall-wing player. BYU desperately needs shooting. It was a disaster after Richie got hurt — from the 3-point line. They need shooters,” he said. “The (newcomers) are decent shooters — really good shooters at times, but it helps immensely with rebounding on the wings and they can guard multiple positions.

“Defensively on the wings, an open shot is contested because of their length and wingspan. I love that BYU is getting some real depth — whether it’s Bruce, Jake, Tyler or Dean, I think that big wing is my favorite guy to have on the team.”

Strategic makeover

In addition to a new roster, Durrant sees BYU tweaking its recruiting strategy to less long-term and more here-and-now.

“The days of having project players are over,” he said. “I think part of the problem with this year’s team is you had too many projects, guys who maybe in a year or two or three can really help you, but they weren’t ready to go this year and they were kind of thrusted into that role because of injuries and you could see the problems with that.”

Freshmen Aleksej Kostic, Dominique Diomande, Xavion Staton, sophomore Abdullah Ahmed and juniors Kennard Davis, Jr. and Tyler Mrus are all gone after their initial seasons in Provo. For one reason or another, things just didn’t work out.

“I think what BYU is going to have to do going forward is know who they are getting and not have any more projects,” Durrant said. “You are going to help us this year. You are going to be ready to play, or we are not going to invest the time. I think Kevin Young is learning lessons and part of it is, ‘I need guys who are proven shooters that can make shots against the best teams.”

The Durrant starting five

• Point guard: Rob Wright III
• Guard: Collin Chandler
• Forward: Bruce Branch
• Forward: Tyler Betsey or Jake Whalin
• Center: TBD

Dave McCann is a sportswriter and columnist for the Deseret News and is a play-by-play announcer and show host for BYUtv/ESPN+. He co-hosts “Y’s Guys” at ysguys.com and is the author of the children’s book “C is for Cougar,” available at deseretbook.com.