Kevin Young enters his third season with a talented roster that should once again have BYU among the top Big 12 teams. The Cougars return point guard Robert Wright III to go with a cast of seasoned transfers and talented freshmen. BYU made the NCAA Tournament in each of Young’s first two seasons but will look to bounce back from a disappointing first-round exit in 2025-26.
Wright returned to BYU after briefly entering the transfer portal and gives
the Cougars a talented and experienced backcourt leader. He can score in bunches. Wright averaged 18.5 points and 4.6 assists as the team’s starting point guard last season. Bruce Branch III has the skills to become the third straight BYU freshman to be an NBA lottery pick. He's a dynamic scorer on the wing. Michigan State transfer Jaxson Kohler is a reliable shooter and passer in the middle. He averaged 12.5 points on 50% shooting and 8.9 rebounds with the Spartans last season.
The Cougars brought in several experienced transfers to help fill the void left by AJ Dybantsa and Richie Saunders – two of their top three scorers from a year ago. Kohler, Syracuse transfer Tyler Betsey and Kentucky transfer Collin Chandler are expected to compliment Branch and Wright on offense. Chandler averaged 9.7 points and shot 41% from 3-point range with the Wildcats last season. Freshman forward Dean Rueckert could play his way into a larger role. He is a scorer and defender in the mold of Saunders. Clemson transfer Jake Wahlin gives the Cougars another reliable defender to pair with Khadim Mboup off the bench.
BYU opens on Nov. 2 against Ohio State in Salt Lake City. The Cougars will play in the Maui Invitational from Nov. 23-25 as part of an eight-team field that also includes Arizona, Clemson, and Ole Miss. Home-and-home games with Arizona on January 12 and Feb. 22 highlight the Big 12 slate. The Cougars host Kansas on Jan. 9 and will take trips to Houston on Jan. 30 and Texas Tech on March 5.
Chandler and Whalin both originally committed to BYU out of high school before serving two-year LDS missions. Chandler eventually signed with Kentucky after his mission and Whalin went to Utah and then Clemson. … BYU has made the NCAA Tournament three straight seasons as a No. 6 seed. The Cougars were upset in the first round by a No. 11 seed twice. … BYU has ranked in the Top 25 nationally in scoring in each of the past three seasons. The Cougars averaged 83.5 points per game a year ago.
___
Sign up for Top 25 poll alerts here, visit the Top 25 here and see AP’s full men’s basketball coverage here
