All things considered, BYU basketball disappointed last season. Head coach Kevin Young made a fantastic entrance to Provo by winning 26 games and leading the Cougars to the Sweet Sixteen in his debut season. Succeeding a great coach in Mark Pope, the former NBA assistant had a lot of pressure but really excelled and has put this program in surprisingly good shape in the Big 12.
Unfortunately, the Cougars couldn’t quite build on that momentum despite a very talented roster last year. BYU won just 23 games and finished right at .500 in the Big 12 to tie for 7th place. Furthermore, BYU fell in opening round of the NCAA Tournament, getting upset by 11-seed Texas. However, last season’s disappointment doesn’t mean that this year can’t be fantastic.
Talent for the Cougars
What stood out for BYU last season was the importance of their Big 3, but now AJ Dybantsa and Richie Saunders are off to the NBA and that remaining star has to shine far brighter. In a way this also means that the Cougars might be far more balanced this season, not depending as heavily on a few specific guys. They added significant pieces from the portal and recruits and it’s fair to say that Young and his staff have not been sitting on their hands.
We will dive into the faces and names on this new roster, but let’s just establish one thing right away. If you look at this team and think they are less talented and less hyped up then last season then you might be right, but that doesn’t mean anything. Last year BYU fell short of heightened expectations while this team looks to carve their own way with experience and possibility in the Big 12.
Projected Starters
Guard – Robert Wright III (Junior)
The aforementioned returning star from last season, Wright was a major playmaker for the Cougars in his first season in Provo and will be even more vital as a junior. The Baylor transfer averaged 18.1 points and 4.6 assists per game while knocking down 41% of his 3-point attempts. He’s an experienced Big 12 playmaker, puts the ball in the basket all over the court, and is now an upperclassman ready to be an even more impressive floor general.
Guard – Collin Chandler (Junior)
Another massive win in the offseason is bringing Chandler back to BYU. He never actually played for the Cougars, serving his LDS mission before following Mark Pope to Kentucky in 2024. Chandler is a former Top 30 recruit who excelled last season in the SEC, putting up 9.7 points and 2.8 rebounds per game as a starter for the Wildcats. Expect elite shooting, shot creation, and impressive defense out of Chandler this season.
Forward – Bruce Branch III (Freshman)
One of the nation’s top prospects, Branch is a 5-star wing out of Arizona who should really shine for the Cougars this season. A major freshman asset much like Dybantsa last year, Branch is a potential lottery pick with outstanding size and potential. He’s a great and versatile defender, a fluid shot-maker, and has the potential to really affect games in multiple ways in what’s likely his only season in Provo.
Forward – Jake Wahlin (Senior)
Wahlin is a 6-10 forward originally from Provo who’s heading back to his hometown after two seasons at Utah and a year out at Clemson. A starter these last two years, Wahlin put up 5.3 points and 3.9 rebounds per game with the Tigers, leaning mostly on his long-range shot to score last season. He’s well-sized and brings both another outside shooter and length and versatility on the defensive end even if he’s not going to drop double-digits every night.
Forward – Jaxon Kohler (Senior)
The jury is literally still out but Kohler becoming eligible would be a monumental move for BYU’s season. The Utah native spent four seasons at Michigan State, including the last two years as a starter. A former Top 50 recruit, Kohler averaged 12.5 points and 8.9 rebounds across an impressive senior year and adds veteran experience and an edge in this frontcourt. If he’s on the court this season, BYU gets a veteran presence in the paint who has also developed his long-range game quite nicely.
Key Reserves
Guard – Nate Pickens (Senior)
This will be year two for Pickens at BYU, though injury kept him off the court for all of last season. The Arizona native spent three years in the UC Riverside backcourt, including 9.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists as a junior two seasons ago. Pickens is healthy and becomes an important depth piece in this backcourt while he’s also another nice shooter and a defender with plenty of potential.
Forward – Brody Kozlowski (Junior)
Another intriguing returner coming back from injury, Kozlowski played sparingly as a freshman before missing all of last season. In that brief taste two years ago, he had just 8 points and 4 rebounds across limited play in 9 games, though we’re expecting plenty more out of him this year. Kozlowski rates as a productive and versatile threat with multiple effective ways to score while on the court.
Forward – Khadim Mboup (Junior)
A 6-9 forward originally from Senegal, Mboup redshirted as a freshman before appearing in most of BYU’s games off the bench last season. He averaged 2.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, clearly establishing himself as fantastic on the boards. His development in the post has paid off already, though Mboup should make another big step forward as a playmaker around the rim.
Forward – Dean Rueckert (Freshman)
A 4-star wing and Top 100 recruit, Rueckert is another new weapon worth watching in the season ahead. While he’s not going to have a monumental role right off the bat, he’s a versatile player on offense who can score from outside, push the ball to the basket, and do great things even without the ball. Rueckert has great potential especially if he hits those outside shots off the bench.
Forward – Tyler Betsey (Junior)
It’s arguable that Betsey hasn’t lived up to his 4-star billing coming off the bench at Cincinnati and Syracuse as an underclassman. We’ll see what kind of performance he gives BYU after putting up 6.7 points and 2.8 rebounds per game in a similar role with the Orange last year. Regardless of numbers or role, he can shoot with the best of them, making 41% of his 3-pointers with Syracuse and hoping for even better here.
Guard – Dawson Baker (Senior)
An ACL tear last December was the latest roadblock in a long career for Baker. He spent three seasons at UC Irvine and emerged as a great guard in the Big West, though his three seasons with BYU have seen him on the court for just 42 games. He has this one final season of eligibility and hopes to make up for lost time as a dynamic shooter and solid ball handler who’s another veteran presence on this bench if he’s healthy.
Center – Petar Ostojic (Freshman)
A very recent addition for the Cougars, Ostojic is a 7-1 center from Serbia who adds significant length and size to this lineup. The 19-year old is still a relatively young prospect, albeit with that experience overseas in Europe. It’s like just a backup role for him this season behind those other bigs, but Ostojic projects as a reliable weapon around the rim.
Schedule Outlook
A quick start to the season sees BYU opening things up against Ohio State in Salt Lake City on November 2nd. They’ll be back home in Provo for four straight easier games, but then BYU heads overseas to Hawaii. A definite contender in the Maui Invitational, they’ll spend Thanksgiving week playing Washington, then Clemson or Ole Miss, and then a third opponent to finish November.
There are no true road games on this nonconference slate, but they do have another battle in Salt Lake City, this time welcoming Northwestern on December 5th. Many local eyes will be on December home games against Utah State and Weber State, though the last game that really stands out comes on December 19. The Cougars play San Diego State in Palm Springs, California in the Acrisure Series.
Early tests come in Big 12 play, with BYU hosting Kansas and then traveling to Arizona and Iowa State very early in January. The unbalanced scheduling gives them two shots at those Wildcats, while they’ll also see TCU and Utah twice apiece. That difficult January includes trip to TCU and Houston, though February is actually a bit easier. Oklahoma State is the final home game before a trip to Texas Tech on March 5th ends the regular season.
Season Outlook
We are proceeding under the assumption that Kohler is ruled eligible, as he currently stands at this very moment. Things look a bit different in the frontcourt for BYU without his services, though it’s hard not to get excited about the shape of the roster as a whole. Even with losing two stars in Dybantsa and Saunders, this is a talented group that is definitely deeper than last year.
Most of college basketball already knows what we’re going to see from Wright, but taking another step forward as a junior could make him one of the best guards in the country. Putting an experienced piece like Chandler next to him only strengthens the backcourt while veteran pieces like Baker and Pickens hope to prove their value as well. Either way, the shot-making should be outstanding across the roster.
Kohler brings substantial experience after his work with the Spartans and his presence would be monumental for this frontcourt. Around him you have one of the best freshmen in the nation in Branch, who’s expected to really stand out and be one of the best players in the Big 12. He’s not going to put up video game numbers, but Wahlin plays an important role too while Betsey and Mboup clearly can be major assets off the bench.
If the eligibility ruling goes their way then BYU has one of the most talented rosters in the Big 12 once again. You could argue that Branch, Kohler, and Wright form a new Big 3, but we can’t forget about what Chandler will bring alongside the rest of the talent off the bench. There’s more balance, better shooting, and a lot to like about the Cougars; we’ll have to see how they handle a tough Big 12 and the postseason pressure several months from now.
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