It’s safe to say that entering the 2025-26 season, there has never been, and may never be, more hype surrounding the BYU program than there will be this season.
The Cougars made a splash this offseason by landing prized point guard transfer Robert Wright III from Baylor in the transfer portal. The Cougars also return First Team All-Big 12 selection Richie Saunders and may have the potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft (AJ Dybantsa) — the No. 2 ranked player in the 2025 recruiting cycle by 247Sports — on the roster.
In his first season at the helm of the BYU program, coach Kevin Young worked magic. The Cougars reached the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2011, when Jimmer Fredette was leading the program to glory. BYU hasn’t been to the Elite Eight since 1981 and seeks its first Final Four appearance in program history this spring.
Dybantsa is a top contender alongside Duke’s Cameron Boozer and Kansas’ Darryn Peterson to be the No. 1 pick next summer. For the first time since 2004 (Babby Araujo), BYU produced a top-10 pick. Egor Dёmin, who was Young’s first prized recruit, was selected with the No. 8 overall pick in June’s draft. Shawn Bradley (1993) was selected No. 2 overall and there is a chance Dybantsa could surpass him as the highest-drafted player in school history.
Dribble Handoff: Michigan State, Maryland among college basketball teams expected to regress in 2025-26 season
David Cobb
With college basketball’s player movement all but done, it’s time to start breaking down the rosters of the sport’s top programs. For this installment, we’re taking a look at BYU and trying to decipher what its lineup could look like when the season begins.
One of the best analytics-based teams in 2025? The BYU Cougars. The Cougars have continued to load up in the portal, adding freshman phenom Rob Wright III among others. The team also brings in potential No.1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa. Gary Parrish and special guest Evan Miyakawa look under the hood at what BYU can be in 2025-2026.
Projected starting lineup
1. Robert Wright lll | 6-1 | 195 | So.
Wright was the biggest name BYU brought in via the transfer portal this offseason. The former Baylor star was the No. 8 overall player available in the 247Sports transfer portal rankings and is coming off a phenomenal freshman campaign. Wright averaged 11.5 points, 4.2 assists and 2.1 rebounds and started in 21 of 35 games. Wright brings an immediate scoring punch to BYU’s lineup and has big-game experience.
2. Kennard Davis Jr. | 6-6 | 215 | Jr.
Davis was the No. 56 overall player available in the 247Sports transfer rankings and is expected to start next to Wright in the backcourt. The former Southern Illinois star averaged 16.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists. Davis provides shooting (37.6% from the 3-point line) and defense (1.3 steals) to the BYU lineup.
3. AJ Dybantsa | 6-9 | 210 | Fr.
Dybantsa is the headliner of the new faces on BYU’s roster for obvious reasons. He will be the most talented recruit to ever suit up for BYU and has a real chance to be picked No. 1 next summer. At 6-foot-9, Dybansta already has an NBA-ready frame and is the prototypical jumbo wing that teams at the next level covet. If he can develop as a three-level scorer this season, the sky is the limit on what BYU can accomplish.
4. Richie Saunders | 6-5 | 200 | Sr.
Saunders is the most experienced player returning to the program. He averaged 16.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists and earned all-conference honors. During his career at BYU, he has appeared in 103 games, with 35 of his 38 career starts coming last season. He connected on 43.2% of his attempts from beyond the arc. He provides more shooting for an offense expected to be elite this season.
5. Keba Keita | 6-8 | 231 | Sr.
Keita started in all 35 games, similar to Saunders, and averaged 7.4 points and 7.9 rebounds. He began his career at Utah, where he made 13 starts across his first two seasons in college basketball. Keita averaged a career-high in blocks (1.2) and field goal percentage (67.3%) last season. He won’t have to do much offensively, but he can provide value with his ability to finish at a high clip around the rim.
Off the bench
Nate Pickens | 6-3 | Sr.
Pickens comes to BYU after spending the first three seasons of his career at UC Riverside. He appeared in 96 games across those three seasons and started 31 of 33 games last year. Pickens averaged 9.8 points and shot 39.2% from the 3-point line.
Dawson Baker | 6-4 | 190 | Sr.
Baker will be a depth piece for BYU. The former UC Irvine star transferred to BYU in 2023 and has appeared in 40 games across those two seasons. He averaged 7.5 points and shot 38% from the 3-point line last season.
Tyler Mrus | 6-7 | 205 | Jr.
Mrus is one of many new faces on this BYU roster. He averaged 9.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 0.6 steals in 31 games last year at Idaho. He ranked as a three-star transfer in the 247Sports rankings.
Mihailo Bošković | 6-10 | Sr.
Bošković was on BYU’s roster last season and appeared in 30 games. He averaged 3.6 points, 1,7 rebounds and 0.4 assists. His role should increase this year after he logged just over 11 minutes per game last season.
Dominique Diomande | 6-8 | 190 | Fr.
Diomande joined Washington’s roster late (in January) and did not appear in a game last season. He most recently played 26 games for ADA Blois of the France-ProA U21 league. He averaged 16 points and shot 51.9% from the floor in those games.
Filling out the roster
BYU finished with the 13th-ranked recruiting class in the 247Sports rankings, in large part due to the addition of Dybansta. However, the Cougars were also able to add two more four-star recruits to the roster in Xavion Staton (No. 37 overall) and Chamberlain Burgess (No. 101 overall). It’s unclear if either player will play a significant role because of the depth on the roster. Regardless, they could get an opportunity at some point this season.
Xavion Staton | 6-11 | 207 | Fr.Chamberlain Burgess | 6-9 | 205 | Fr.Dawson Baker | 6-4 | 190 | Sr.
Market watch
BYU’s odds to win 2026 NCAA Tournament (via Fanduel): +2000
BYU is tied with Louisville, Texas Tech and Kansas at 20-1 to win the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Purdue (9-1) is the current favorite, followed by Houston, Duke, Florida, Kentucky, UConn, Michigan and St. John’s. It’s not surprising that BYU has favorable odds to win the national title because, from a pure talent perspective, BYU ranks above most teams in that department.
My prediction for BYU is that, at minimum, they will be a team that reaches the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament. The ceiling for this team — depending on how Dybansta plays — is clear. BYU will be a very popular Final Four pick and should challenge Houston for the Big 12 regular and conference titles. If all goes well, BYU could be playing for the right to play for a national title during the last weekend of the college basketball season next spring.
