BYU basketball roster tracker for 2026-27 season
Apr 6, 2026, 11:18 PM | Updated: May 5, 2026, 11:49 am
PROVO, Utah – The BYU basketball roster for year three under head coach Kevin Young will be fascinating to watch.
Throughout the offseason, KSL Sports will keep this article up to date on all the comings and goings as the 2026-27 BYU basketball roster takes shape.
BYU coach Kevin Young on the upcoming Transfer Portal season: "It's a buckle up type of deal." pic.twitter.com/nq8Y02UzV5
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) March 20, 2026
BYU basketball roster: Players with eligibility remaining
- Brody Kozlowski
- Khadim Mboup
- Nate Pickens
- Rob Wright III (Withdrew from transfer portal)
NBA declaration
- AJ Dybantsa
AJ Dybantsa put together one of the greatest seasons by a player in BYU basketball history. Dybantsa earned the Julius Erving Award for best small forward in college basketball.
He entered the BYU program as a No. 1 overall recruit and moves on as the potential No. 1 NBA draft pick.
Medical year?
- Dawson Baker
Dawson Baker suffered a devastating season-ending injury in BYU’s win over Miami (FL) on Thanksgiving. Baker had a completely torn ACL, torn lateral meniscus, mild PLC involvement, grade 2 MCL and LCL sprains, bone bruising, muscle/tendon strains, and small impact fractures.
BYU guard Dawson Baker helped off the floor by teammates Brody Kozlowski and Jared McGregor after suffering an injury. pic.twitter.com/Oy4wJCiHtD
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) November 27, 2025
The loss of Baker was a significant blow to the offensive firepower on BYU’s bench. Baker shot 38% from three-point range during the 2024-25 season, which saw BYU reach the Sweet 16.
Months later, back in February, during a BYU Coaches Show, an update on Dawson Baker was discussed with BYU head coach Kevin Young and assistant coach Brandon Dunson.
It created hope that maybe Baker could run it back for the 2026-27 season.
“As long as he was hurt within the first half of the season, and played in less than 20% of the games, he would have a chance to come back,” Dunson said on BYU Basketball with Kevin Young in February.
KSL Sports asked Baker in March at the Big 12 Tournament if his not participating in Senior Day at the Marriott Center last month was a sign that he was returning. Baker said he had no official update.
When asked if he would pursue a medical redshirt season, Baker replied, “Yeah. I mean, if that option is there, I’m always gonna take that.”
Baker has already been part of six college basketball seasons, with one of those years being a free season of eligibility due to COVID. He also served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Guam from 2018 to 2020. That means he is eight years removed from the conclusion of his high school career.
No more eligibility remaining
- Richie Saunders
- Keba Keita
- Mihailo Boskovic
- Jared McGregor
Keeping track of eligibility for college athletes these days remains a chore. Some players have taken their eligibility cases to court to seek “TROs” (Temporary restraining orders) to allow for additional eligibility.
On this past year’s BYU roster, the Cougars had four players who would appear to have exhausted their eligibility, headlined by All-Big 12 performer Richie Saunders.
Saunders suffered a season-ending ACL injury in the opening minute of BYU’s home win over the Colorado Buffaloes.
Saunders is now turning his attention to a potential NBA career.
BYU will also look to replace starting center Keba Keita. The two-year starter averaged 6.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game this past season.
Mihailo Boskovic was a reserve frontcourt player who earned a handful of starts after Richie Saunders suffered a season-ending injury in February.
Jared McGregor was a walk-on guard the past four years.
Incoming freshmen to the BYU basketball roster in 2026-27
- Bruce Branch III
- Dean Rueckert
For the third consecutive year since he was hired to be BYU’s head coach, Kevin Young has a five-star freshman joining the program. First, it was Egor Demin; then it was AJ Dybantsa; and now it’s Bruce Branch III.
Branch III is a potential NBA lottery pick in the 2027 NBA draft. He will likely draw comparisons to AJ Dybantsa, but they are different players.
BYU commit Bruce Branch is preparing to play in the @McDAAG tonight.
Branch on committing to BYU: "Honestly, I'm just so thankful for them. And basically everyone in the BYU community." pic.twitter.com/IWRjRbHSs3
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) March 31, 2026
Branch excels as a catch-and-shoot player and plays with an excellent feel at the young age of 17.
Branch had an accomplished high school career at Perry High School in Gilbert, Arizona, where he was teammates with Koa Peat, and then transferred to Prolific Prep in Florida.
Timpview’s Dean Rueckert is expected to join the BYU basketball program later this month.
Rueckert was one of the risers in the high school class of 2026 rankings. He climbed to No. 42 overall in Rivals’ rankings after an accomplished senior year for the T-Birds.
Returning missionary
Bahr signed with BYU basketball in the 2024 recruiting class. He picked BYU over the likes of Wake Forest, Saint Mary’s, Utah, and USC.
Bahr was the 10th-ranked recruit in the state of Texas for the class of 2024. A combo guard from Keller, Texas.
Transfer Portal commitments
Total: 4 (As of May 5, 2026)
- Collin Chandler | Combo Guard (Kentucky)
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- Tyler Betsey | Forward (Syracuse)
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- Jake Wahlin | Forward (Clemson)
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- Adam Stewart | Center (TCU)
Committed! 🔵@BYUMBB pic.twitter.com/dHSewREVPo
— Adam Stewart (@adamstew22) April 25, 2026
BYU players who entered the NCAA Transfer Portal
Total: 8 (As of April 21, 2026)
- Xavion Staton | Center
Former four-star center Xavion Staton was the first BYU basketball player to announce that he is entering the portal.
Love you, Cougar Nation 🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/6LMibpwfkK
— Xavion Staton (@XavionStaton) April 7, 2026
- Dominique Diomande | Forward
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- Kennard Davis Jr. | Wing
NEWS: BYU wing Kennard Davis is entering the transfer portal, he told @LeagueRDY.
The 6-foot-6 junior spent one season at BYU after playing his first two seasons at Southern Illinois. He started all 32 games he played in this season.
Averaged 8.5PPG, 2.7RPG, 1.3APG and 1.1SPG… pic.twitter.com/zeuUZ564N8
— Sam Kayser (@KayserHoops) April 9, 2026
- Tyler Mrus | Guard
Much Love, Cougar Nation💙 pic.twitter.com/unBCr2SP2B
— Tyler Mrus (@MrusTyler) April 9, 2026
- KJ Perry | Combo Guard
NEWS: BYU's KJ Perry will enter the transfer portal, Gabe Hekmat of @WEAVE told DX.
The 6-2 guard was ranked the country's No. 1 JUCO player, per JUCO recruiting, after one season at Citrus College.
Enrolled mid-season, but redshirted. Will have 3 years of eligibility. pic.twitter.com/qejvGuSja0
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) April 9, 2026
- Abdullah “Bido” Ahmed | Center
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- Aleksej Kostic | Guard
NEWS: BYU's Aleksej Kostic will enter the transfer portal, agent Ivan Asanin tells DraftExpress.
Kostic was thrust into a major role for the Cougars down the stretch and responded with some big outings. The 6'5 Austrian guard hit 37% of his 3s on the season. pic.twitter.com/ygfdQtktA0
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) April 13, 2026
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSL and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast daily on KSL Sports YouTube and KSL NewsRadio (SUBSCRIBE). Harper also co-hosts Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL NewsRadio.
Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU athletics in the Big 12 Conference on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram: @Mitch_Harper.
