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Speaker 2: Health dot com. Let's get out to the hotline. Welcome in.
Kevin Reynolds of the Salt Lake Tribute. Kevin, how that
are you?
Speaker 4: I'm good man, how are you doing?
Speaker 2: Fantastic? Appreciate you joining me. This is a bittersweet Kevin.
I want to say congratulations on your call up to
cover the Utah Jazz.
Speaker 3: But I'm angry.
Speaker 2: I'm not happy about it either that you're leaving the
Cougars forwards the b YU beat brother, But give us
a little breakdown what's going on.
Speaker 4: Yeah, well, first of all, thank you, and I also
won't be leaving the YU entirely. I'll still be covering
the NCAA tournament and I'm sure I'm going to be
around quite a bit in the football season two before
the NBA and the jazz season ramps up kind of
in October, so and I think I don't think there's
a world where I don't cover at least parts of
YU football and kind of BYU Utah for sure in
the college space. But yeah, moving moving to cover the
Jazz and completely going to be a new experience. I've
never really been around the NBA, didn't really watch the
NBA growing up, so I think it'll be fun to
just learn something different, do something, do something a little
bit new for me.
Speaker 2: So you'll do some Utah football, b YU football, but
the majority of your bandwidth will be allocated to the Jazz.
Speaker 4: Yes, that is the plan.
Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, man, that's awesome.
Speaker 2: Well, congratulations on the next step and can't wait to
read all your content there at the at the Salt
Lake Tribune covering this jazz tamed out.
Speaker 3: I mean, there's you.
Speaker 2: You penned your first piece, right was it? You know,
what was the title? What would what did you break down?
Speaker 3: Yeah?
Speaker 4: I mean to get into it. I have a lot
of room to grow in terms of understanding what's going
on on the Jazz, obviously, but started out talking a
little bit about Ace Bailey, the the rookie and kind
of his development where he's at. Obviously came into the Jazz,
and he had quite a chaotic draft process where people
had him trying to be ESPN reported that he was
trying to manipulate where he wanted to go in the
draft and whether it was him or his his agent
Omar Cooper at the time, and but the Jazz really
didn't have any concerns. They didn't really they felt like
they were drafting a guy who wanted to be in Utah.
And so I kind of talked to him about that
process of you know, working out for not working out
for the seventy six ers, not working out for the Jazz,
and then landing in Utah and what the first couple
of months of his career have looked like and why
he thinks that Utah and the Jazz are the right
fit for him right now in his career, and she's
kind of playing better ofly. I know he's had some
nights where he's been really good, had some nights where
he struggled, but averaging I think almost sixteen points of
games since the early February kind of time caraing and
went to the Right and Stars game. So yeah, I
think it's just the guy trying to figure out who
he is while everybody else also had their had their
own opinions of who he was that weren't necessarily accurate.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's it's interesting what's going on with the Jazz
right now? Should they tank? Should they not tank? They
got fined. Now they have to play kind of this
game of public relations and optics, this optics game. What
route will they? Will they go down?
Speaker 3: In this?
Speaker 2: Uh, this NBA tanking game that everybody has participated in,
And all of a sudden, Utah Jazz seemingly are participating
in it. And they get cast gad, they get reprimanded,
they get their hands lapped.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean I think that's a story that I'll
definitely be working on over the next few weeks of
reporting that out and what it looks like and what
the Jazz's play ins are moving forward, of how they
will approach the last two months of the season and
what the pick is and trying to keep their top
eight protected pick in this next draft. But I still
have a lot to learn ontaf front, and you know
this is this is an unknown territory for me. I
can talk about college football, I can talk about college basketball,
but the NBA is still something I really need to
definitely need to ask questions on for me and and
for our readers, but definitely for me too.
Speaker 2: Love the breakdown, Kevin, Let's talk some BYU football here
for a moment. We have Camp Killani right around the corner.
I know it's basketball season. We'll get to that here momentarily,
but Camp Killani right around the corner. What are you
keeping an eye on during springball? Yeah?
Speaker 4: I think the the development of where this offense goes
with Bear under a year two is something I think
that will definitely be center stage and where this offense
can grow from last year where I thought they did
take a step up from twenty twenty four. You know,
in that season, I thought they took a step up
in a lot of different areas, but I think there's
still room to grow. I mean, we saw the Texas
Texas Tech games. Both of those games, you kind of
have to think that, you know, if you just have
a little bit more offensive firepower in certain areas, then
maybe the Big Twelve title race shakes out a little
bit differently for BYU because I thought the defense was
strong in both of those games for a large part
of the game. You know, it's just they kind of
wore them down both times that they played the best
team in the conference. So where do you kind of
make up that firepower? And the things I look for are,
you know, receivers first of all, Like I thought they
missed Darius, I thought they missed Kilan Marian. I thought
they missed the ability to kind of just make big
plays and make plays out of nothing. I thought they
missed that a little bit last year. So where did
they go this year? And also at the tight end
position as well, like how do you replace Carson Ryan
because that was such a security blanket for Bear Bachmeier
and we haven't seen by You really utilized that tight
end spot in the passing game very much Over the
last few years, finally they had it. So ken Walker
line step right in? Is it seamless? You certainly think
it will be. It's definitely definitely a big transfer portal
pickup to pick up a guy from USC who was
very highly recruited, and he also had BYU ties before
even going to USC because he was recruited there amongst that,
you know, really highly touted recruiting visit right before they
went to the Big twelve. So can he step in seamlessly?
And then the last part for the offense, I'd say
l J. Martin coming back is a huge deal, but
how do they use him and how do they get
him some help because he's been injured quite a bit.
I don't think that's necessarily his fault, but I'm just saying,
you know, his usage is extremely high in this offense.
Can they get anybody to contribute to the run game
so you don't have a situation where you're going into
Lubbock where you know l J. Martin's a little hurt
and it's just like what they had no answer for
where the running game goes from there. So those are
the big things. And then defensively, obviously to replacing J. Hill,
Kelly popinga should be pretty similar defense. But what are
the tweaks? What are the intricacies that Kelly Popinka brings
that maybe J Hill did not bring? And what does
that mean to this defense moving forward?
Speaker 2: Yeah, they're great storylines that we're going to definitely be
keeping an eye on, no doubt about it. Give me
your thoughts on this b what you're coming off of
two very successful seasons the last time this happened, there's
a little bit of a dip. Do you see a
dip occurring in twenty twenty six?
Speaker 3: Yes? Or no? Why are why not?
Speaker 4: I My answer says no, And the reason is because
I think this team is far more talented and they
have a lot more depths in the team that you know,
last time tried to defend essentially you know, to back
to back double digit win seasons, right like this, This
team is more talented, it should have more depth as
the Big twelve team, and they also have a lot
of continuity on the coaching staff. I know J Hill left,
but I mean you BYU did a really good job
retaining pretty the offensive staff for sure, but also limiting
the fallout after J.
Speaker 3: Hill.
Speaker 4: It's not like you saw a mass exodus in terms
of the roster. First of all, I mean you bring
back pretty much every single impactful player that did not
graduate or ran out of eligibility is back on this defense,
So you figure there's a lot of continuity there, and
most of the coaching staff too. I mean, Kelly Papa
is an in house guy. He learned under Jay Hill.
He's he's been around this by U and kind of
the BYU Utah, Kyle Whittingham, Jay Hills type of defensive
scheme for a long time. So if there's anybody that
is going to kind of pick up the mantle of
pick up the place where Jay Hill left off, which
I'm not saying is easy, but if there's one person,
do I think Kelly Papinka definitely is. You know, Hashole
has all the things on the resume that you would
that would indicate to you that he's going to be
able to do it. So that to me is why
this team doesn't take a huge step back. Although you know,
I will say I'll preface it or a little caveat
to say, it's hard to win ten games three years
in a row, well digit games, no matter who you are,
So I don't think it's a shoeing, but I don't
think it's going to be a huge step back now.
Speaker 2: Well, and to that point, it's like, you know, the
injury bug really hasn't crept in and bit BYU.
Speaker 3: The last two years.
Speaker 2: And I think that's it's always predicated on health, especially
in your key.
Speaker 3: Positions, right.
Speaker 4: I mean we also said two years ago, I think
before the Jake Reslaft and that twenty twenty four season,
it was your quarterback is never healthy throughout the whole time.
Keen Slovias didn't make it through the full season, Jaron
Hall was significantly banged up for parts of that twenty
twenty three or twenty twenty two year, I think it was.
But the last two years, you know, Jake Reslaft played
every single game and then Bachmeyer played every single game,
and Bear Bachmeyer runs quite a bit. And I know,
I'm not even talking about the other injuries. I'm just
talking about quarterback. They've had a lot of successive quarterback
and it's been you know, how long can you have
this run. I'm not wishing injuries on anybody. I'm just
saying it's very abnormal. If you look throughout college football,
teams and even BYU teams in the past, have a
quarterback play thirteen fourteen games, you know, I mean they're
playing fourteen games now, So yeah, it's a lot.
Speaker 3: It's a lot, no doubt about it. Kevin Randall Suggs reviewing.
Speaker 2: He we're on ESPN the Fan for a little Cougar
bee Kevin Bau basketball. Have they righted the ship? Are
they on the right track? After getting their best win
of the of the basketball season over Iowas State, They've
won three out of the last four, the only lost
to U of A. They've had some close ones during
that time. But are they on the right track or
still to be determined?
Speaker 4: I think I'm in the still to be determined camp.
But I think the game on Saturday was a huge
step in the right direction in terms of finding what
the post Richie identity of this offense looks like. And
and you know, I was talking to some people after
that game and I thought, honestly, it's it's weird to say,
but it does start to feel like a little bit
like twenty twenty five and that twenty twenty four twenty
five team and that run that they made where they
kind of just hit their stride at the end of
February early February. You remember they beat Iowa State last
year on the road, and it kind of translated into
them playing really good basketball for the last little bit
of the regular season and then obviously come turning in time,
they were the best version of themselves. And I think
it's I still think they're reinventing themselves. But the offense
was so much more like what it did a year
ago in terms of a lot of guys contributing the
bal movement. You know, it didn't look as static as
sometimes I think it's looked throughout throughout the Big Twelve.
You know, when they've had their struggles in the Big Twelve,
how statific addicate looks. And also I have to say,
I mean aj debonds. I know a lot of people
have said it that was the best game I thought
he's played since he's been at BYU against Iowa State,
and I think, to me, it's how much can he
also contribute on the defensive end. I mean, if he's
giving you that effort on the defensive side, I think
it definitely changes the feeling of this team. And we've
also seen the number I look at is the assist
number too, is can he get Cannard Davis going from
you know, you have to make up eighteen nineteen points somehow,
some way from what Richie Saunders gave you every night,
and can Oar Davis gets you seventeen and he's driving
the basket. Now he looks a lot more comfortable in
this role instead of just being a strict three and
D guy. He looks a lot more comfortable in this role.
And then you can look down the bench. Finally again
some bench scoring too, which has been a huge problem
throughout the entire season. Is the bench just really didn't
really contribute much offensively, and now all of a sudden
you're seeing that. So I still need to see more
in terms of can you replicate that for foremance, I
think it starts to night, but I think it definitely
is trending. I would say, for the first time in
over a month, trending in the right direction.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Speaker 2: I was looking at last year's final ten games, right,
and so they went on a nine game winning street
West Virginia, Kansas, Kansas State, Arizona, Arizona State, West Virginia,
Iowa State, Utah, Iowa State, and then they lost their
final game to Houston, and I was looking at you
know what they what they've done so far in their
final ten, right, and you gotta you gotta win.
Speaker 3: Versus Baylor.
Speaker 2: You know, they they very well could almost replicate what
they did last year if they went out. They got
a win versus Baylor, They got a win versus Colorado.
They lost to U of A. They they beat Iowa State.
Now they got what four games remaining, they they could
end up, you know, eight and one in their last nine.
Speaker 3: Not too shabby to end the season.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean, I'm not saying the end of season
schedule is difficult, so I'm not saying they're gonna win
out either, But I do think there are very similar
parallels to what they did to last year. And I
think the most important thing, too, is can you get
Mihaila Boskovic going offensively or just really contributing, because I
think a lot of the time we've seen from him
last year. I thought he was really good down the
stretch of last year. And it's not like, you know,
he was a knockdown shooter last year, either, but he
picked his spots and he was playing. I mean, he
brings so much length on defense, but if you can
get him going offensively just a little bit, then I
think it changes the kind of the trajectory of the team.
And last last game, I thought he did exactly that.
I mean, it wasn't like he had an overly efficient
shooting night. I think he was two of seven still
from three. But you know, he does give you, you know,
five plus points, and he can help you out defensively
and and and if he can do that, I think
he gives BYU a very different look on the defensive
side that maybe they didn't have with Ritchie. And I'm
not saying this is a better team without Ritchie Richie
Richie Saunders I said after the Kansas team he might
not be they's best, most talented player, but I think
he might be be what be the team's best or
most valuable player. But at the same time, you can
you can find ways, you can kind of find silver
linings in how you reinvent yourself and you become a
lot a lot bigger on the front line with mihiele
Boskovic out there, and maybe that just gives you something
that the team did not have and it kind of
lacked for the first two thirds of the year.
Speaker 2: Love the breakdown Kevin Reynolds Ladies and gentlemen.
Speaker 3: Final thing before we let you go?
Speaker 2: Kevin, Uh, what's the ceiling and what's the floor of
this BAU men's basketball team?
Speaker 3: Do you think this year ceiling?
Speaker 4: To me sweet sixteen, I think that's I guess I'll
go back to what it was last year. I think
it's still a huge ask to to to think, Okay,
the ceiling has to be an Elite eight or a
Final four right now without Richie Saunders, I don't know
if I've seen enough to say that at this point. Obviously,
you're one really good aj Debonds the game away from
beating anybody, as you've seened with Iowa State, but I
don't know how good Iowa State is still. Like to me,
it's I was going to say the ceiling was final
four lead. I'd have to see this team really really
compete against Houston, or really really compete and not be
down twenty against Arizona. You know, like I'm I'm not
taking away anything, but you know, I don't know how
much I put into that. If you're making miracle comebacks
to the last second of the Marriott Center, so that
to me is that and the floor to me is,
I think it's still possible first round exit just because
there's no depth on this team right now and you
still have to build that up. But I think you
feel a little bit better about the depths than if
we were having this conversation three weeks ago.
Speaker 2: Kevin, always appreciate our time, great content, great insight. We
appreciate you, brother. Don't be a stranger now. We'll still
have you on for Cougar beats right every now and
again with.
Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, still around. I'm still around and we'll talk
to them, and I know it all right, brother, guys.
Speaker 2: All right, I appreciate you support. Kevin Randalls there at
the Solly Tribune. Great Cougar beat brought to you. Buyer
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Speaker 1: Let's get the latest news coming out of BYU Athletics
with a Cougar Sports press release.
Speaker 6: This is Ronald the three and Mail Weaver bringing you
the Cougar Sports Press Release number nineteen. BAU wraps up
a brief two game stretch at home tonight Tuesday, February
twenty four, as the Cougar's host the UCF Knights at
the Marryout Center tip off a set for nine pm
Mountain Time. The matchup Errol on ESPN two and Mike
Monaco and Miles Simon provided the commentary. Tonight marks the
fifth all time meeting between the two programs. BUYU owns
a four to zero advantage in the all time series,
including the victory in.
Speaker 5: DCF's only prior visit to Program Nights.
Speaker 6: Head coach Johnny Dawkins is zero to six against the
Cougars during his tenure at Stamford and UCM. After facing
three times during their inaugural Big twelve seasons, each matchup
falling on the thirteenth. The teams met just once in
twenty twenty four to twenty five that contest and in
eighty one seventy five victory for YU. At the addition
of Financial Arena in Orlando, the Cougars trailed by two
at the break before using a forty three to thirty
five second half time edge to full away, earning their
second row win in that build.
Speaker 5: The top King Richie Saunders let Byu with twenty two points,
shooting eight to fourteen from the floor in six to
nine from three point range.
Speaker 6: Mo what Mack added nineteen points five assists, connecting on
five of six threes from b as Byu finished fourteen
to thirty two from bye.
Speaker 5: Ark aj De Bons is chasing a little bit of history.
Speaker 6: He's totaled six hundred and seventy nine points to season,
matching Chase Fisher for the twelve highest single season score
mark in program history. Fisher reached that in thirty seven
games during the twenty twenty five to sixteen campaign.
Speaker 5: If Deboncea scores twenty seven points tonight.
Speaker 6: He would surpasses seven hundred point mark, becoming just a
sixth player in BYU history to do so in a
single season. The freshman has already set the program first
to your scoring record Eclipse and Danny Aingels mark and
BYU's game in number four Arizona.
Speaker 5: Twenty four to thirty five points.
Speaker 6: A seven hundred point season would also pays Devonsa amongst
just twenty freshmen nationwide this century to reach that milestone
and make him the first non duke player from a
Power five conference to achieve that since Oklahoma's Trey Young
scored eight hundred and seventy six points in a.
Speaker 5: Twenty seventeen eighteen season.
Speaker 6: For more Cooper Sports Press releases, to inkup Your Sports
on one of three nine and ninety eight three ESPN
The Man every day from two tam to six, follow
me on x last, Twitter, on Instagram, aroon a three
man we for all things surrounding are.
Speaker 5: Related to the UYU.
Speaker 6: This Cougar Sports press release was brought to you by
Odon Menswear use a Crital fifteen discount coupon code.
Speaker 5: You'll get fifteen percent off your order in store.
Speaker 2: Purchase a device. Call us today eight oh one four
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hundred five three one eight, or visit us at Authorprosivutah
dot com.
Speaker 1: Welcome back this so March is right around the corner
and the Cougars are in the metal level. It's time
to talk some college basketball on Cougar Sports with Ben Cribbin.
Speaker 2: Welcome back Gugar Sports one of three, nine ninety point
three EESB and the fan. I've been Brittal broadcasting from
our Vanderwelth Studios Vanderwealth dot com. If you're looking for
a wealth management firm that can agent support you in
your quest for financial stability and sustainct ability, contact Gleane
Anderson and his crew at Vanderwelth. A aid and support
BYU student athlete for the last five years now they
want to and support you as well. It is time
for a little college basketball on Cougar Sports. Going to
welcome in UH, an expert in all things recruiting in
college basketball.
Speaker 3: Don't miss it.
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Speaker 3: Let's get out to the hotline. Welcome in.
Speaker 2: Jamie Shaw, Senior, National recruiting analysts for Rivals and on
three Sports.
Speaker 3: What's up, Jamie?
Speaker 7: Then, man, I'm good.
Speaker 3: How you doing living the dream?
Speaker 2: Man? Appreciate you hopping on you know Jamie, I gotta
give you a tip of the cap.
Speaker 3: Man.
Speaker 2: You know you'll you'll post things on Twitter and you
will get all manner of conversation brewing, and you are
responding to all of these comments. Jamie, I salute you man,
you're you're I used to do that, U and I
just gave up because I felt like I was just
spinning my wheels. But man, you were engaged over the
last few days, engaging with the fans.
Speaker 7: It's the fans of what makes it go. Fans are
the fanatics. They're what there would kind of drop the
whole sport. You know, if the fans weren't engaged, if
the fans weren't there, you know, we wouldn't be able
to watch these game little TV like we do, and
we won't be here talking about them on the radio
with people listening. Man, fans of the absolute best. So
it's always good to engage in conversation, see where their
mindsets they're at, and kind of talking away through things. Yeah.
Speaker 2: The one that I'm referring to is you put out
this question the freshman class continues to be special. This
was on February twenty third, just a day ago. AJ Debonza,
Cameron Boozer, Darren Peterson, Caleb Wilson, Darius Acuff junior or
someone else.
Speaker 3: Who do you pick?
Speaker 2: What was the feedback that you got on the best
freshmen right now? But one game, one win today? Who
you take and what's the feedback you got?
Speaker 7: It was all over the board. I think maybe those
guys are there. There's a lot of Darius A Cup love.
There's a lot of Ajent advanced love you know in
there as well. So yeah, I think that that's one
thing that's beautiful about college basketball this year, both the
teams and individually, there's a ton of parody. There's a
ton of guys that are just really good. There's a
ton of teams that were just really good. So that
feels can't make it exciting from here on, allens, because
getting down the stretch and in the tournament playing all
that stuff is the parody that we have within the
game right now is incredible.
Speaker 2: So who do you pick? Who would you pick to
win the games right now?
Speaker 3: For you?
Speaker 7: Well, I put out my number one, my player of
the year Tali earlier than player in college basketball, also
a freshman. So right now, week seventeen, I'd have to
lean on Cam Boozer to be that.
Speaker 2: Cam Boozer is a great player. How would you describe
Cam Boozer? You know, individuals who tried to do player
comps of him. What's his ceiling in the NBA? Who
do you compare him to?
Speaker 3: Who is he like?
Speaker 7: I think the archetype is there. I kind of like
the Kevin Love talk. I kind of like that his dad,
Carlos Boozer. You know, obviously his range extends a little
bit further than that. What can is as a grinder,
He's somebody who just understands the game. His feel for
the game, his IQ for the game is so high
in his understanding of angles and leverage and all that
type of stuff in order to continue to make plays
but also have an offense run through him as a
power forward.
Speaker 3: He's truly a fantastic player.
Speaker 2: He's great fundamentally, He's he's well rounded, no doubt about it.
He's he's producing at a high level.
Speaker 3: For Duke right now.
Speaker 2: What's the It's the curious case of Darren Peterson though
like he seems like he's the best scorer in college basketball,
and other times it's like, well he's got flu he's
got cramping, he's got injuries. What do you make of
the whole saga surrounding Darren Peterson right now?
Speaker 7: Oh, you know, it's one of those things that's where
when he's playing, he's unbelievable to watch. It's a situation
that's where Kansas can beat anybody in the country whenever
he's on the floor because he goes down and he's
had stretches of games this year. You know, you'll follow
in the first half of that Yu gave where he's
just simply unguardable, you know. So you know when he's
on the court and play and he's super exciting to watch,
super exciting to play, and he gives Kansas legendary coach
Bill Self a chance for an opportunity, you know, to
make a run.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's it's crazy. What's happening in college basketball this year?
Aj Devonso over the last six or seven games has
been pretty elite. How would you evaluate AJ thus far
this season and especially in the last five or six games,
ay j.
Speaker 7: My first time seen AJ was eighth grade going into
ninth grade when we debuted our rankings with on three.
At the time, he was number one in his class.
And he stayed double one throughout the entire high school year,
his career, even through the reclas and he stayed number
one coming into college this year. Aj has been the
number one player in my eyes, in this class, in
this cycle, throughout the entire duration of his career, and
he keeps getting better, which is which is the thing
about it. High school incredible flashes, three gold medals with
Feeble USA Basketball, put up incredible numbers. But now you're
seeing him, You're seeing him streamline his game, You're seeing
him put things together. You're seeing him play efficiently, seeing
the floor better, hitting his spots when that's not there,
getting off the ball, fighting teammates, the passing. These last
three games, I think it's seven or more assists in
three of the last four games that he's played. Slart
with the triple double, which would have been a second
one of the of the season this past game against
Iowa State, the game is just looking very easy for him.
He's playing very confidently, and it seems to him and
Kevin yall were really really playing on the same accord
right now.
Speaker 2: Yeah, no doubt about it. They're getting on the right
track right now. At By He's winning three out of
last four. They had their best win of the season
over Iowa. Stayed and definitely going to help them in
the seeding in the Big twelve Tournament as well as
the NCAA Tournament in my opinion.
Speaker 3: A couple other.
Speaker 2: Things that you've broached on Twitter. Dean Rukert has been
an intriguing prospect on the recruiting front, and I know
you had a recruiting this is what you do all day,
every day. Jumped one hundred spots in the latest Rivals
one fifty and you've broke down the six foot seven wing.
What do you see from being How did he jump
so aggressively into your top one hundred? He was kind
of a borderline top one fifty. Now he's right smack
in the middle of some of the best in the country.
Speaker 7: For sure, He's all He's a guy who's had who's
been able to play. He's always been a lanky six
to seven player who can elevate the floor.
Speaker 3: Of a team.
Speaker 7: He played as a cohesive piece. Now all of a sudden,
he's becoming the He's being okay with being the guy.
He's on the top of the opposing team scouting reports.
He's the one that's taking the shot, he's the one
that's making the pass, has the ball in his hands,
and he's the one getting downhill dunking on kids. The
upside is incredibly massive with him when it comes to
the athletic fluidity, when it comes to the links that
he has, when it comes to the ability to scale
up or down the lineup, both being able to play
and initiate on the ball or finish plays off the ball,
shooting and stretching the floor and all that. More than
just a floor spacer, he's somebody who can actually run offense.
He's one who can actually lead offense as well. So
he took a huge step when it didn't like he grew.
It isn't like he all of a sudden came into
some skill set. He's always had the skills that now
all of a sudden, he's turning it on in order
to instead of being able to dribble shooting pass, now
he's dribble shooting and passing toward an advantage consistently throughout
the course of the game. And that trajectory. It's very
intriguing when it comes to the scalability of what he
brings to those to a team.
Speaker 3: Yeah, you wrote a nice piece on him.
Speaker 2: We invite everyone to read it on three dot com
and Rivals dot com. YBA, you committed Dean Ruker jumped
one hundred spots in Rivals one fifty top one fifty. Uh,
do you got a player confor Dean? What does he
look like? What does he feel like? For those that
haven't been able to watch him, he's a b YU recruit,
obviously hard commit for for the Kug's gonna be a
b YU cougar and uh, but what what is it?
What's in store for Cougar fans?
Speaker 3: Uh? In the future.
Speaker 7: Man, I'm just trying to think, because there's a he's
got a lot of stuff to his game. I'm not
entirely sure. I haven't. I haven't thought of a player
comp when it came to him. But yeah, again, somebody
who's six seven, six eight, lengthy, athletic fluidity. He can
shoot the ball in to pass the ball, and he
can also get downhill and put it with two hands,
go chest to chess with your big man. So there's
a lot there's a lot of stuff there that's intriguing
and I'm fascinated to see what Kevin Young does with him.
Speaker 2: Yes, and indeed b yu uh Is has done well
in the two seasons under Kevin Young. What's the buzz
like on the recruiting front surrounding BYU? What are prospects
saying about b Yu? I know there's been a few
high profile players that have taken a visit to Pro
Bowl recently.
Speaker 3: Give us a little breakdown for sure.
Speaker 7: Well, BYU has been very selective with the high school
guys that they're going after, you know, So the buzz
is is there intrigue, especially with what Aj Yegor kind
of opened the door of this past year. Now getting
Aj is seen what Aj is doing, seeing that he's
continuously getting better now all of a sudden, it's almost
helping in their advantage that he started to season outside
of the norms talk for number one. Now of a sudden,
he's becoming the consistent number one type guy in that conversation.
It's almost helping BYU, especially when it comes to those
linkedy wings like an agent that bands like Yegor David
Is lots of positive buzz. They're there are a place
now as a square where if they call, every profect
want to take a call. But they've also been very
selective with guys who spit what they're trying to do,
what they're trying to build and bring in in place.
So it's the Yeah, what they are now is completely different.
What they wore two years ago is very different what
they were five years ago.
Speaker 2: It seems like BYU's targeting aggressively. Bruce Branch the third
of five star at a prolific prep in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
I don't know if he's got a top five a
top three right now, the six foot seven, two hundred
pound wing small forward first Branch, but they give us
in the latest on Bruce Branch's recruitment.
Speaker 7: Yeah, so so b Yu has taken an approach with him.
Who's they've got his first official visit Kansas and USC
or throw other schools that are in the midst there,
schools that you hear mentioned. Bruce opened his eyes again
with the AJ stuff. You know, you got a six
with seven long armed player out out there on the wing,
and it's intriguing to him to see the development of
a Jay's brought. Been told that his decision is not
necessarily close. To play it out and how the season goes,
then maybe dip its toe into the portal a little
bit and see how things are starting to line up
as people declare for the NBA Draft and the portal
and and do all that on his end. But he yeah,
b B YU squarely when they you had him on campus.
They were the first ones to get him on campus.
And they're still in the.
Speaker 2: Conversation Jamie Shaw Rivals dot Com on three Sports here
on your Utah ESPN Radio network talking some excuse me,
college basketball right now, senior national recruiting analysts for Rivals
and Uh, Jamie, want to get your thoughts right now
on the approach that BYU is taking. Uh, they've been
very strategic about the high school players that they're taking
and who they're recruiting. They've they've definitely got the transfer
portal route. What's the right I guess ballants for these
college basketball programs and teams, the vipercation of and splitting
up of high school recruiting and also the transfporter recruiting.
Speaker 7: Well, talking to most coaches out there, a lot of
them appreciate Rockster continuity, So being able to have guys
multiple years, maybe not even four or five like they
used to be, but you know, having guys multiple years,
a year two and being able to grow within the
system like that. But also I'll starting to a coach
the other day that said that they were they still
recruit high school players because the high school players are
the guys that can be pros. You know, you come
in one and done and all that. You're not getting
that out of the transferportal. If they were a pro
and the transporportal for the most of love, they probably
would have gone. Now you're able to get a guy
because they have to go to college for a year.
So you're seeing a lot of talent and you're seeing
that this year in the college ranks as the guys
I think what the first eight, nine, possibly ten projected
players in the draft this year is going to be
one and done freshmen, you know, so they won't roster continuity.
They want to passwork at through the portal, and they
want to be able to get the best freshman possible.
If they can get a pro as a freshman, you
know they're gonna look to do that. But also you
know you got the Nile price tackle on that and
everything too, So it's not as easy as it sounds.
Speaker 3: No, it's not.
Speaker 2: Right Now you're looking at the the talent though, that's
coming through college basketball. Uh, that's coming back to college basketball.
G leaguers they try to come back, yeah uh uh,
you know, really qualified players. Uh, maybe staying a little
bit longer rather than going to the G League or
going overseas. Are we seeing the product of college basketball
improved over the last two years as a whole?
Speaker 7: I mean, I think it's watching these games this year,
the stakes they have, and then following it on Twitter,
and following on the social media impressions and people that
are writing about it, covering it and see it on
TV and the news and everything. It seems like college
basketball is an incredibly healthy point. You know, anytime you
can have talented players playing in the game, whether guys
five ten years ago would have gone pro, would have
made their way through the G League and work their
way up, guys that are possibly coming back now to college.
You know, anytime that you're able to have more talent
on the floor, it's good for the game. You know. Now,
obviously they're gonna have to get their hands around the
rulings and figure some some premers out and all that
type of stuff, but not to get all track the game.
It seems looking at what everybody's talking about, looking at
all the ratings, and looking at all the you know
what leads in the news and everything, it seems the
college basketball game is that is high right now?
Speaker 3: Yeah, it seems like it's at an all time high.
Real quick, Jamie.
Speaker 2: But you know, let's talk a little NBA though projected
Draft big board. I know you put up your twenty
twenty six AMBA Draft big board, it's live, you publish
sit on February and I tea. I'm sure he's made
maybe a few updates as well. Uh, what do you
stand right now in the twenty twenty six NBA draft?
Speaker 3: Do you take? You know, who do you take first? Overall?
What does your sequence look like?
Speaker 7: Aj Di Vast has been number one for me the
beginning of the year through the year, haven't moved off
of that. I think that he's kind of in a
tier of his own, continues to be in a tier
of his own. I don't think that. I don't think
right now that the I don't think it has been
all year a conversation for number one. Now, I think
the number two pick is going to be an interesting conversation.
You have Darren Peterson there, you have cam Buza there, candleb.
Wilson has had a very good year. I'm there as well,
and a couple other guys too. But I think the
race for number two is going to be a very
interesting one to see how that plays out. I think
Aj is in the tier of his own at number one, though.
Speaker 2: Yeah, he's He's definitely showcased that. I think in the
last six games. He's a well rounded player. I mean
in this last I Was State game, I don't know
if you were able to watch it, but I mean,
he almost had a triple double. He probably should. He
should have had a triple double. There were plenty of
missed opportunities that his teammates just didn't drop, wide open
shots that they just didn't hit. But a rebounding effort,
a defensive effort, a distribution and scoring that is unparalleled
in college basketball.
Speaker 7: One of the things about Aja, even going back to
being able to watch in the USA Basketball training camps,
those close practical and stuff, it's the competitive nature that
he brings. He's very vocal and he wants to win,
and you're seeing that. Obviously, Richie goes down, there's a
couple of injuries, throw out the lineup, obviously the bigger
one being Richie. But he's adapted. The whole team's adapted,
and now he's running through the offense of that and
he's and he's making plays for the team, not only himself.
Obviously he had the twenty nine, but then you had
the nine assists with a couple of them mill less
on the table. Aja's competitives as incredibly competitive that he's
incredibly talented, and that's an awesome cross road to be at.
Speaker 3: No doubt about it.
Speaker 2: Uh, there's uh with with the high quality college basketball
that's being played right now because the high quality players. Uh,
it seems like there's more parody in college basketball than ever.
You asked the question, only one team can cut down
the nets. Who's your pick right now? No hedging? Who
do you got? Is it Duke Arizona, Michigan? Ioways stayed
someone else?
Speaker 7: Man, I gotta tell you, I think there's about ten
teams out there that could win it. And as we know,
it all comes down to the massups. Whoever you get
matched up with and paired with. An NCAA tournament can
go a long way, you know, making it all the
way through injuries and and just riding the hot wave
and everything too. But I do think there's about ten,
eight to twelve teams in college basketball who could end
up winning the national championship, and that's gonna be that's
gonna make for an incredibly exciting march.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's it's gonna be a fun one, no doubt
about it.
Speaker 3: Is the do you have a.
Speaker 2: Like a favor like like from a personal standpoint, who
you're rooting maybe to win it all out of those
nate like ten teams, Is there's like a storyline You're like,
it would be really cool to see this storyline play out,
uh in the uh in the finality of the of
the college basketball season.
Speaker 7: Not really, you know, it's there's there's a storyline anywhere
if you just look for it and tell the right
put the right set of words together. You know. So
don't really pull for anything outside of just really great matchups,
like competitive matchups, and you know, just the best basketball
we can possibly see. I want to see somebody break
a scoring record every night.
Speaker 2: Yeah, love that real quick evaluating great out for me.
The twenty twenty six by U basketball recruiting class, they
got Dean Ruker kJ Perry Abdullah Achmed and will open chobously.
Abdullah is already there from the G League coming in,
you know, kind of an interesting acquisition. kJ Perry is
red shirting this year, coming out of Citrus College. Dean's
finishing up his senior season and will open shop finishing
up his senior season. And what's crazy is two guys
on the same team, same high school team getting recruited
to a particular school.
Speaker 3: Kind of crazy, no, for sure.
Speaker 7: And we talked about Dean earlier. I think Dean's got
incredible upside him. Fascinated to see what he does. You know,
once he gets in the strength and conditioning program at
the collegiate level and learns how to really streamline his
game and get his footwork right and do all that well,
will open. Saw is a is a is a big
that you need in college. He's somebody who who's a
big that plays big, you know, going over the days,
the you know, the dewn on the block, guy who
just plays out on the block and bruises and sump
show around a little bit and all that. And that's
what will open. Shaw is going to need to get stronger.
We're going to need to continue to grow his game
and all that type of stuff. But he's the guy
who's not afraid of the physicality. And once he again
gets to the strengthen conditioning program eighteen years old, turns
twenty years old, twenty one years old and starts to form,
there's there's a lot of life there with what he
can bring. His contributor u kJ Athletic downhill guy, one
of the best players this past year. Lots of lots
of injuring us not there. You might have let usism
that he breaks to the wing potential two way type
stuff and we're seeing what the big guy is doing
now in the rotation.
Speaker 2: Jamie, I always appreciate your time. Best way to support
you what you do, how you do it, and teesus
with any content you're going to be dropping you shortly,
no for sure.
Speaker 7: On three dot com is the website on three but
rivals earlier this year. So on three covers the college side,
Rivals covers of the high school recruiting side. You'll see
my biolows on both. So yeah, that's the best way go.
Jamie Shaw five is the Twitter feed at Jamie Shaw
five J A M I E. You know, go check
it out there working on a top transfers list right
now that will probably come out tomorrow. I'm actually working
on a j devance the piece that I'll be working
for the game tonight, so hopefully be able to put
that out as well.
Speaker 2: Love your content, man, love conversating with you as well. Brother,
Thanks for hopping on today. We invite anyone everyone to
follow you and rejaed on three and rivals.
Speaker 7: Then, thank you so much. Maank you doing a great job.
Speaker 3: Yeah, appreciate you.
Speaker 2: Jamie Shaan, Ladies and gentlemen, great segment under our belts.
They're getting to know this BAU basketball team. Get Jamie
Tho's comments on what's going on in the recruiting world
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