The Kevin Young era with the BYU Cougars has been a success story. Now that we're entering Year 3 of the former NBA assistant at the helm, what can be expected after losing some of the best talent the program has ever seen? Losing AJ Dybantsa after a one-and-done season was expected, but doesn't lessen the sting.
The Cougars will look different from last year's group. Especially with how the offense will flow with Robert Wright III returning for what's likely his career year in Provo.
It's been an interesting offseason for BYU. Young and his staff have worked to find the right pieces going forward. Not the easiest task considering the current landscape in college basketball. The Cougars have chemistry and will use it to their advantage. Outside of Wright, five-star freshman Bruce Branch III is expected to take over where Dybantsa left off. It's the same case for Collin Chandler, who will recreate the magic established by Richie Saunders.
Not to mention, Jake Wahlin and Tyler Betsey will be looking to contribute. So where does this leave BYU's search for a center? At this point, Young says the program is sifting through the pile, and we'll have a decision made soon. This comes down to clearing a couple of hurdles with the NCAA as well.
“We’ve been heavily engaged with a number of bigs for a while, Young told CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein. "There’s a lot of logistics, a lot of hurdles to get through on some of these kids. So we’re just being, I want to say patient, but we’re just going through the checklist of all the logistics with the NCAA and making sure everything’s where it needs to be and we’ll end up being in a good position.
“I feel good about a few of the guys that we’re right there with, and I’m excited to ultimately get guys on campus so we can get our full crew together.”
The Cougars roster is two spots away from being complete before next season. One, if not both, of them should go to BYU's depth in the front court. There have been a ton of rumors this offseason about which direction Young and his staff might go with a big man. It's still very much wait and see.
However, being able to have Wright return to BYU was huge. The floor general will be able to use his talents more effectively with a group of coaches he already knows. He's one of the best players in college basketball, and we'll prove it again this season. The combo of Wright and Branch is shaping up to be one of the most underrated in the Big 12. Ironically, both are five-star players in different classes, ready to pitch in when needed.
What Young has been able to do with the program in a short amount of time is outstanding. It's not a continuation of what Mark Pope established before he vacated for Kentucky. Young has taken his vision of an NBA-ready program to another level. Several top-tier recruiting teams are curious to see what's happening at BYU.
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