Kevin Young and the BYU Basketball team has faced a ton of changes lately. And it keeps coming. We will look at the recent transfer news and potential guys to join the team. We will also talk about the BYU Football team a little as projected wins for each Big 12 team were released.
New Commit from Utah
As soon as I had sent out last weeks post, the news came out that Keba Keita had committed to BYU. Of course, I just missed it. But this is a huge signing for BYU! He transferred from Utah after Chris Burgess left. Once Burgess signed with BYU as an assistant coach, BYU immediately become the favorite to land Keita. He is physical and a rim running 5 that BYU is looking for. He can score off the pick and roll, you can lob it up to him, and he is a great rebounder.
I am interested to see what the playing time will be now with him and Fouss. They are both great friends and both from Mali, but two total different play styles. I would look to see them both start, but I think Coach Young wants a shooting 4(More on that below). So I would expect Keita to start and Fouss come off the bench. Keita reminds me of a more polished Atiki.
Waterman Is On His Way Out
Noah Waterman was entered the transfer portal. The transfer portal closed on May 1st, but Waterman was able to enter the transfer portal because anyone can enter 30 days after a coaching change. He told Coach Young last week. One of the main reasons for him leaving is NIL. He wasn’t pushed out to leave and Coach Young was excited to have him on the team as a big man shooter.
But Waterman, with his emergence last year, should get a pretty big deal from a team. He isn’t ruling out a potential return to BYU though, so he could come back. Ultimately, that would be huge if he came back. Its a slight blow to BYU if he leaves, as BYU is rather thin in the front court right now.
BYU Sets Visits with Transfers
With Waterman leaving, the UCLA transfer, Berke Buyuktuncel, becomes a huge focus. He has a very similar game to Waterman. He’s 6’9 and could come right in and start at the 4 for BYU. He plays like a guard and is able to put the ball on the floor and get to the basket and can shoot the 3. In the 2025 NBA Mock Draft, he is ranked 42nd. So he has NBA potential and could really break out next year and contribute a ton. Berke is visiting Nebraska after BYU this week. Both Nebraska and BYU are his final two schools that he will decide between. He should make a decision soon after the visit to Nebraska.
The other person BYU was able to secure a visit with is France’s Maxim Logue. He is also 6’9 but only 18 years old and is a freak athlete. His athleticism would give him high upside and potential to be a great player. He currently plays for the club Paris basketball. Logue is more fo a 5 man in college basketball. He has elite hops and protects the rim at ease. He is the type of rim running 5 that BYU wants. Similar to Keba that just committed to BYU. With him being only 18, he is more of a developmental piece, but he would give BYU great depth in the front court along with Brody Kozlowski.
Big 12 Football Win Totals Revealed
You can find the article here, but this is how the Big 12 is shaking out.
- Kansas St – 9.5
- Utah – 9.5
- Kansas – 8.5
- Arizona – 7.5
- Iowa St – 7.5
- Oklahoma St – 7.5
- TCU – 7.5
- Texas Tech – 7.5
- UCF – 7.5
- West Virginia – 6.5
- Baylor – 5.5
- Cincinnati – 5.5
- Colorado – 5.5
- Arizona St – 4.5
- BYU – 4.5
- Houston – 4.5
It looks like the top 2 teams most likely to win the Big 12 are Kansas St and Utah followed by Arizona closely behind them. Then there are a ton of teams just a couple of wins off the top 2 teams at 7.5. The bottom 3 teams are Arizona St, BYU, and Houston.
I personally look at this win total for BYU and think they will definitely have more than 4 or 5 wins. They did go 5-7 last year, but this year seems to have a little more momentum. We will have another year under new defensive coordinator Jay Hill and anther full year and offseason under possible QB starter Jake Retzlaff.
The uncertainty at the QB position gives this season a hinderance for sure. Who is going to start? Will it be Retzlaff or Baylor transfer, Bohanan? And will either of them be any good? I think BYU gets to 6 or 7 games with some decent QB play from Retzlaff. We also get to play Utah this year in conference play and that always gives some more excitement to the season.
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