Speaker 1: It's time for Cougar Sports one three, part of Utah's
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guys all tuning in, chiming in where you're gonna be
tuning in and chiming in from It's Monday, March thirtieth
edition of Cougar Sports, getting closer and closer today, April
Spring is here, and hopefully you had a wonderful weekend
spending time with friends and family members. And we got
a ton of news and notes to get into Camp
Kalani Conversation, Alumni game Conversation by U Basketball Conversation. What
is it that they're gonna be trying to acquire via
the portal, what is needed, why is it needed? And
much more here on your Uti. ESPN Radio network a
lot of cougars in the pros conversation as well, So
keep us locked. We're gonna keep it loaded full of information.
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star start of cash.
Speaker 2: You want to guess for this Monday edition, Little Fag
edition of Cougar Sports.
Speaker 3: Behind the Glass, the architect of the show, our executive producer.
Let's welcome in Ronald the three man Weaver to the show. Ronnie,
how you living?
Speaker 2: Brother?
Speaker 4: Living good? Just a reminder for folks.
Speaker 5: I know people keep texting me I've gotten this, you know, question,
why are there basketball players going into the portal?
Speaker 4: What's going on? The portal opens for basketball.
Speaker 5: For men April seventh, for the women in April six.
There's a fifteen day window. It closes April twenty first.
Just a reminder to people. You normally don't see BA
basketball players jump in though after the season is over.
Speaker 4: Normally, though later they go in the weekend.
Speaker 2: Up.
Speaker 5: Now, I know this weekend, ben is general conference weekend,
so I think this could be the week that you.
Speaker 4: Maybe see what's gonna happen.
Speaker 5: Right, So I just wanted to preface that because that's
kind of a little to update on, you know, the
notes of the transfer portal window for basketball.
Speaker 3: Yeah, look, they're gonna be active at the portal just
like everybody else.
Speaker 2: Tis the season to be poor.
Speaker 3: Don't be surprised if BYU even though you know there's
a good culture there, there's plenty to play for.
Speaker 2: You got a great fan base.
Speaker 3: Don't be surprised if a lot of these guys are
heading to the portal and that you have a completely revamped, remodel,
restructured roster this next year. Just don't be surprised about it.
It is hard, I think for BYU fans. I think
it's hard for college athletics fans to We're storytellers. Humans
are storytellers, and you want to hear about the stories
you want, Like these legacies that are created through continuity
and through you know, just these the the you know
coming up from the bottom, right, Like I'll give you
an example. Legacy player TJ. Hawes, phenomenal high level recruit.
Obviously he was at BYU for his entire career, even
after his mission. Like he didn't really become a star though,
a star legendary Cougar until his final year as a senior.
Speaker 2: Right, but he had build up.
Speaker 3: He he he grew, he was he got bigger, faster, stronger,
more efficient, became a better shooter, a better distributor, a
better rebounder, all those things, and there was a culmin
aiding effect, I think, And now he's revered as one
of the best point guards in Bau basketball history. It's
hard to build that, right, It's hard to build that
legacy without some time. And even though it did, what's
Jegor's legacy at b YU as a one and done well?
Bau fans love the fact that he's playing high level
basketball right now in the NBA. So he created a
legacy by leading BYU and aiding a sporting Bou to
a Sweet sixteen run. They've only done that, you know,
two other times in Bau basketball history. So he cemented
himself as a legend aj to a degree. Right, because
he's the one and done, he will continue to rep
the y in the NBA. Is the first overall pick
in the NBA draft. I think he has a bit
of a legacy because he was the leading.
Speaker 2: Scorer in the nc DOUBLEA this this past season.
Speaker 3: So yeah, there's even though you didn't get far into
the big far enough in the Big twelve tournament or
far enough in the NCAA tournament, there's still a legacy
built there. But what would it take for Rob right
the third to build a legacy. He's not a legend
right now, He's a mercenary. Does that make sense, Like
Rob right, the third has to come back this next
year and do something special for him to be embedded,
to be emblazoned in the archives of BYU basketball history.
Speaker 2: He's got to come back. Does that mean he is
coming back?
Speaker 3: Well, he said that he's either going pro or coming
back to BYU. That doesn't necessarily mean he's not gonna
go portaling and at least be a little flirtatious with it.
Speaker 2: I wouldn't be surprised if that happens.
Speaker 3: So don't be surprised if plenty of guys enter the
portal and you may be able to get him to
come back, no doubt about it. What will the What
will the payroll be this next year though?
Speaker 2: Without AJ? Is my question? Right?
Speaker 3: That's how much are you going to be saving this
year by not having AJ on the roster. We'll delve
into that as well here on your Utah ESPN Radio network.
Let's also welcome in Hammertime show, Brett always bring the hammer.
Speaker 2: What's up? Hammer Time Man? March Man. I love March.
Speaker 6: Look, I get it, some people as soon as BYU loses,
the terrest of the tournament is not for them, And
I understand that.
Speaker 2: I feel you. I know that you're hurting. I know
that you feel the pain.
Speaker 6: But I'm telling you right now, do not give up
on the rest of March, because if you missed Yukon
Duke yesterday, you missed more than just and oh my goodness,
Braylen Mullens shot, you missed a Yukon team that was
down fifteen to twenty points in the first half. You
had Terrence who was had two fouls at the end
of that first half, looked like he make it his third,
and he was the only offense they were shooting I
think one for sixteen from three in the first half
of that ball game. There's no reason Duke and d
and there's no reason Yukon and Hurley should have.
Speaker 2: Won that game.
Speaker 6: But my, oh my, Braylan Mullens has it. Hit a
three pointer all game? He says, I'm going from the logo,
I'm doing a Jimmer style. I'm just throwing up a prayer.
And the March gods heard it. They granted it, and
Yukon is rolling to the final four. And oh my gosh,
it was so much fun to watch because you watch
these games and you're like, all right, well, I'm turning
this thing off, right, because every other game in the
lead eight has sucked. Michigan's blowing everybody out, Arizona's blowing.
Speaker 2: Out Purdue, the lead A. It's just not good.
Speaker 6: And then you watch yukon Duke and if you were
one of the lucky few who chose not to turn
that game off at halftime, and I almost did. Man,
this is why we love March.
Speaker 5: We also add that the senior gave him the ball,
Alex Caravan could have been selfish, could have said no,
I'm gonna go get a shot and asked it to
the freshman.
Speaker 3: That's crazy, Yeah, pretty crazy to see it. Some would
fall apart for Duke. You know, they had that game
of control and all you really had to do is
hang on to the basketball in the half court, and
they didn't do that, you know, And and it's unfortunate.
It's unfortunate that it happened. But at the same time,
Marches is built for madness, and the mad news makes
for a lot of monetization as well. There's a lot
of taking awe in that game, no doubt about it.
And it was great entertainment, great entertainment. Hurtley's is his
own entertainment too, just watching him just scrunt around.
Speaker 6: To forehead with the ref after the game. I know
we're supposed to hate him, but I love him.
Speaker 3: Man.
Speaker 2: He is so entertaining.
Speaker 3: Yep, yep, yes he is. He's he's entertainment in and
of himself. So yes, there's plenty to get to in
the march madness of the of the bracketology. And I
think most brackets are wrecked, and that's okay. You love
to see wrecked brackets because that means they're surprises. You
don't want chock. Who wants chock? Nobody wants Chok. You
want at least a Cinderella or two having a nine seed,
you know, in that in that Elite eight, in Sweet
sixteen and eleven seed, you want to see that, even
if they are somewhat bigger brands. I want to see
those seeds survive in advance. And I do want disruption,
no doubt about it. Guys, we have a tremendous show
for you. Keep us locked in. We're keep it loaded
full of information. We got Kelly Pepina commentary from Camp
Kallani coming up at three zero five, Aaron Roderick chiming
in on his quarterback room and the BYU offense.
Speaker 2: Jody Gennessee.
Speaker 3: Former Deseret News in Utah, Jazz Ryder talking some ball
in the world of BYU sports Jody Gennessee. At four
o five, we got an interview a little player profile
with kate Uluave. Ronald the three Man Weaver was able
to catch up with Katu Lauave, who I've been.
Speaker 2: Extremely impressed by.
Speaker 3: He's like a combination of Rob Morris and Brandon Ogletree.
Speaker 2: For me, That's who kata u Lave is.
Speaker 3: He's a phenomenal athlete, twitchy, explosive, violent, heroon fire type
of football player.
Speaker 2: Get to know him.
Speaker 3: At four thirty five O five, keeping up with the
Cougars with Jonathan Devnard talking to some BAYU basketball, and
then I caught up with four star tight end recruit
and transfer Walker Lyons. How much twelve personnel? Well we
see why did he choose BYU? Why did BA you
miss out on Walker Lions the first go around? We'll
listen to that at five thirty. All that and more
here on your Utah ESPN Radio Network. Let's get into
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Speaker 3: All right, I want to start off with this blow
Officially Blou Basketballs officially now officially has three McDonald's all
Americans coming through their pipeline, and two of them in
the last two years. Shout out to Garner Meads. He's
a big fan of the program. Former BYU great Garner meads,
he was the first. Then you got Aj this last year.
AJ Devonsa very excited to have him as a part
of the Herald did archives, Harold did.
Speaker 2: A crew of BYU basketball.
Speaker 3: Now Bruce Branch the Third gets his McDonald's All American
honor just five hours ago posting a picture of this.
Speaker 2: This is gonna be common thing.
Speaker 3: We asked the question last year, Okay, will BYU will
ky continue to accrue acquire one and done's and first
round lottery picks every single year? And I think we
kind of concluded that, Yeah, this is gonna happen. Yegor happened.
AJ happened. Bruce branch the Third has now happened. You
have three consecutive one and dons. You will have at
least one one and done every single year with KYA
at the Helm. Now, that doesn't necessarily mean you're gonna
win championships. That doesn't mean you're going to go deep
in the NCAA tournament. Coach Klapari at Kentucky, before he
took his talents to Arkansas, he was getting one and done's,
like four or five guys, like he was going deep,
you know in this fab five freshman type of deal,
like that Michigan once upon a time did, but they
couldn't survive in advance. It was difficult to do that
at Kentucky for whatever reason. So just because you get
the guy that's one and done doesn't mean you were
going deep in the tournament.
Speaker 2: But it is something to herald, it is something to celebrate.
Speaker 3: Three now McDonald's All Americans, all time in BAA basketball history.
So will this continue with the one.
Speaker 2: In DN era? I know yeg Or.
Speaker 3: If Yego was playing high school ball here in the
in the States, he probably would have been a McDonald's
All American.
Speaker 2: He was that good. He was doing great things overseas.
Speaker 3: Will this continue to be the sequencing BYU signs a
five star, he's a McDonald's All American, he's won and done.
Speaker 2: He's a lottery pick.
Speaker 6: I think as lung as you keep getting to the tournament, yes,
if you have a year where you get it like
a like a Rutgers. Rutgers I think is a great example.
And I think a lot of people don't know this
because of the fact that they had Ace Bailey and
Dylan Harper who are now dominating at the NBA level,
and you go back and you look and you say, wait,
what happened to them in college? Oh? Yeah, they went
to Rutgers and Rutgers sucked while they were there. They
had incredible performances, they put up highlights, but nobody remembered
who they were. As long as you continue to make
the tournament and have full teams around the Bruce Branches
of the world, then yes, However, you have to continue
a pattern to kind of keep the flame alive. I
kind of think this year was a little bit of
your make or break because if AJ doesn't make the tournament,
then you look at BIU and you and you have
these recruits guys like for Bruce Branch, who go like, yeah,
Kevin's awesome, But like, if this team is on a
downward's trajectory, like.
Speaker 2: What is it going to look like when I get there?
Speaker 6: So I almost feel as though it's a little bit
like a passing of a baton for BYU, where Jaegor
keeps the team good enough to pass the baton to AJ.
AJ keeps the team good enough to pass the baton
to Bruce Branch. And obviously we know the nature of
college basketball with transfers and nil and such. But if
you can keep the energy around the team high, then
you will constantly have players of a high quality who.
Speaker 2: Want to come to the school.
Speaker 6: And as long as that happens, as long as you
have supplementary and complementary foundations to build upon, then you
will have the Bruce Branches of the world and the
aj A Bounces of the world who will want to
continue to come.
Speaker 2: But it's not I don't know that.
Speaker 6: It's like it's gonna be a guarantee, or we're gonna
have three this year, We're gonna have two this year.
Like it is something they're gonna have to constantly be
working towards because I will.
Speaker 2: Say, I feel like.
Speaker 3: If you don't have aj like if you had Yegor
this year instead.
Speaker 2: Of aj, I don't know that you performed as.
Speaker 6: Well as you did. I guess, is what I want
to say, because like we loved Yegor. Yeah, Yegor was
not a I'll put the team on my back and
go get you forty type of guy.
Speaker 2: He was.
Speaker 6: I am an elite point guard, I'm an elite playmaker.
Speaker 2: I passed the ball really well.
Speaker 6: But one of the things that we felt like Yegor
didn't do well was put the team on his back.
AJ was the guy you needed this year because you
had games where you needed somebody to put the team
on their back, and AJ was that. And so I
kind of think this was the hinge point for that,
because if you didn't have AJ, this might have been
a year where you missed the tournament.
Speaker 2: And if that happens, then you're looking and you're going,
holy cow, what happened to be?
Speaker 6: What they imp Now it's a small margin, right because Bo,
you made the tournament and lost game one. But as
long as you continue to make tournaments and have supplementary foundations,
I think you will continue to get McDonald's All Americans.
Speaker 3: Yeah, Ronnie, I don't know how you feel about that,
but I mean, look, I would like to have at
least one one and done every single year. I think
too many one and Dune's is not a recipe for
longevity and success and deep tournament runs.
Speaker 2: That's my personal opinion. And we saw a little bit.
Speaker 3: We saw a little bit of like the challenges that
a three headed monster of fansively creates ball dominant players
like AJ, Rob and even Richie. Richie played somewhat second
fiddle to the dominant, you know, the ball dominant playmakers
rather than distributors in AJ and Rob. So, I think
too many stars limits maybe your deeper runs unless you
have really really really really good culture, really really good
culture that supersedes at your thoughts on.
Speaker 5: That, yeah, I think in order to keep the culture
as listen to what Brett said, and I do think
getting to the UNCUAA is the first step. Ben right,
if you booked, if you win the Big twelve tournament
and you book your ticket to go, but getting there
is the first thing. And then I think with the
high level of talent, the quote is always going to
be winning one game because I think the reason why
people say is the most disappointing season is they lost
to Texas. All Right, they played a team that played
the game before. People are saying it's not a good draw.
So it's not just it's getting to the tournament and
then winning, but the culture and everything has.
Speaker 2: To be great.
Speaker 5: I truly believe you can have two one and dons
on the team. I believe two one and duns can
be in the starting lineup and it can work.
Speaker 4: Here's the issue.
Speaker 5: I think what they did this year and look, AJ's
worth every penny. I think maybe, you know, looking back
at it, what needed to maybe be restructured amongst the
other two.
Speaker 4: And I'm not saying that they didn't.
Speaker 5: Deserve it, but you know, how do you you know,
do the lebron Chris Bosh, you know Dayne Wade of Okay,
you know, we got the two, but who's gonna be
that third guy that's willing to maybe take this pick
or to play that role? Because they needed more depth.
And I say that because I look at Arizona and
I know that again different basketball, but the depth that
they have like Coin Pete and Branden Burry's and Jayden
Bradley all exist on the team. But you got two
star freshmen, you have a senior guy, so it goes
that they have to mix that so you can have
more than two.
Speaker 4: I think if you start getting.
Speaker 5: Too much into the you know, the Minutia ben, if
you start bringing in three guys for I really think
that's gonna be a problem. But if you can, and
I'm serious, you have to mix the local talent like
the Dean Rukers, the Dawson Bakers, you know, the Rob
Rights and the Bruce Branches.
Speaker 4: If you mix all of that together.
Speaker 5: I think you can have it and having enough depth
a depth in my opinion, but it has to be
the right cultural fit guys to get it in and
then you gotta get to the tournament and then you
gotta win a game. So there's multiple steps to doing
and building the roster and getting there. But that's my
personal opinion, no more than two. I've seen what Arizonas did,
but you need guys that have been around the program.
That's why I think Brett said to other people that
thought about it this weekend, I think the most important
piece coming back to this Blie basketball team and that
they need out of everybody, it's not Rob, It's not
the guy's coming in.
Speaker 4: It's Dawson Baker.
Speaker 5: I think they need Dawson Baker on this roster to
keep the glue together because if he goes or he's like, Okay,
I'm done, I'm not gonna play. I don't know where
they turned to for that. We saw what happens. So
you try to put that on a freshman in AJ
and Rob who that wasn't you know truly what they
did of leadership, that's hard to put on Dean Ruker.
Speaker 4: In my opinion. So I don't know, but those are
my thoughts on the matter.
Speaker 3: Ben Yeah, and so everybody knows, like, look, our roster
as is and the potential returners is heavily laden with guards.
Guard play now to be determined whether or not Dawson
Baker is healthy enough. I think he's going to get
his year back. I think he's gonna be able to play.
I think he I believe that. I just don't know
at what state of health he's going to be in.
That to me is a variable. I mean, he hasn't
finished he finished like one season maybe in the last
three that he's been healthy.
Speaker 2: Do you want that? Do you need that?
Speaker 3: Obviously you want it from a culture and a cohesion standpoint,
but do you really want to run that risk? Like
to me, I think you know, as long as you're
not allocating a significant amount of cash to him, and
you're gonna go through that process of like, hey, like
we just we have to reduce your pay because payroll
is gonna be high. Let's say payroll was you know,
twelve thirteen million this year for basketball.
Speaker 2: I wouldn't be surprised it gets back up there.
Speaker 3: Why because you could have Rob Bounce into the portals like, hey,
I just want to at.
Speaker 2: Least evaluate my value.
Speaker 3: And if you want him, you're gonna have to pay
probably more than what you got this last year. Why
because he's more ten ured, he's more experienced, etc. You're
gonna leverage that. And why wouldn't she if you're trying
to make top dollar And because like how much is
rob Ry bought into building something great at BYU rather
than just getting a transactional bag said Okay, we're heaving
the guard line. This was a report British point guard
quinn Ellis will play in the NCAA next season. The
Olympia Milano player, who averaged twenty five minutes per game
in the EuroLeague, has received significant offers from top us colleges.
Louisville and Duke were the first to make concrete moves,
but Kentucky, Texas Tech and others are also interested. The
decision hasn't been made yet, but quinn Ellis is sure
to be one of the standout stars of March Madness.
In twenty twenty seven, Kristin Peak joined in on this.
NBA dot COM's Kristin Peak color analys for NBA Future Now.
She chimes in and says b Yu is also in
the mix with the four schools mentioned here. Quinn was
the starting point guard for Olympia Milano this season, and
the six foot four to twenty three year old average
eight point four points.
Speaker 2: And four point two assists this season. I think what
this shows is.
Speaker 3: Like you have kJ Perry, you have Nate Pickens, you
have Dawson Baker potentially coming back in, Rob Wright competitive
and the Alexi Coast Dick.
Speaker 2: That's that's all of your guards. You can even say
Tyler Russ is.
Speaker 3: Like a two two three right that there are a
ton of guards here and you're going out and you're
gonna attract this guy who's gonna get twenty plus minutes.
Speaker 2: A game right as a point guard.
Speaker 3: If you're really in the market for a guard and
you're in contact with them along with these these four
other schools, what does that tell you contingency plan? Is
this a better culture fit for BYU? Is it better
to go out and get a yegor type player because
of you know what I mean?
Speaker 2: Like maybe a better culture fit at BYU.
Speaker 3: I don't know that only only those individuals justin Young,
the ex Stewart and the coaching staff know that, but
I found it very interesting that March twenty ninth, over
the weekend, just yesterday, they were in contact with quinn Ellis.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 6: The thing that that because you've said a couple of
times that like, you're we're guard heavy right now. But
here's the problem, Ben, that's not just a oh you
just found out you were guard heavy. You came into
last season without a front court. Like, let's be real
about that. Abdul Ahmed was not the plan. You were
not banking on having him. You got him as an extra,
added bonus, which now I look back, and I also
think it's interesting that Houston was interested in him.
Speaker 2: I can't believe that Kelvin Sampson wanted.
Speaker 3: An adept any depth. You need a shop blocker, I mean,
that's what there.
Speaker 6: Don't know that Abdullah's partly by Houston, maybe not, but
but either way, the point being, like you are so
full at guard line because you haven't really gone after
the front court super well. And obviously we love Hadeem
and we love Camba, but like none of them are
true size.
Speaker 2: Back to the basket, the Manovicas of the world, the
the the Sars of the world, like so the the world.
So you do need that. But then you see this
sport and you're like, okay, Quinnellis.
Speaker 6: Yeah, I will remind people we have not yet seen
Nate Pickens play, so banking on Oh, Nate Pickens came
from UC Riverside, YadA YadA, YadA, like yeah, but we
also sang the praises of a couple other guys we'd
never seen play and they didn't necessarily blow our minds
out of the water this season. And so it is
you're gonna have to gamble on somebody. That's basically what
we're saying here. It's like somebody you may miss, you
may let somebody walk and say, man, should we have
kept that guy? Or you keep somebody and say, man,
should we have let that guy go? And that's kind
of the position that you put yourself in when you
have such a deep guard line. And then you look
at Quinnellis. Quinnellis again, I'm inclined to believe in him.
If the Louisville's and the Dukes of the world, if
they want him, that makes me feel good. I don't
want to just go into oh, well, Kevin Young did
it with another international guy. So like, therefore this is
gonna work, even though I believe there is a propensity
for that. I guess what I'm saying is like, at
this point, given what I've seen over the last year,
I don't really feel like you have any guarantees at
this point other than who had who you have seen play,
and that is Rob Wright.
Speaker 2: That's the only person I feel right now is a guarantee. Ronald,
you want to chime in on this, give me some
insight here.
Speaker 5: Yeah, I think when you look at the roster and
and I want to preface this and say, guard play
is so important for the tournament. I mean you're seeing
it right to stretch. You know threes Sawid mull and
hit and shot like you need guard play. You need
guys that can shoot the three. We know that for
a fact. Look at Houston. You know Emmanuel Sharp and Kingston,
I mean just didn't work maybe in that game. And
then Illinois has a great offense. We see with Keaton Wagley.
They got a great team. You see with you know
what is it Paige's son like Andre like he can
he can shoot the ball. Like you see that with
the these teams been that are in the final four,
but I also have to bring up for the fact
of what Brett said, never seen they play. Never saw
kJ play in a Big twelve game. No, he played, Juco,
not saying he's bad, right, never seen him play. This
guy can play. So if you're asking me again now
that I and again my my changes every week, right
when if we get information, you update obviously the.
Speaker 4: List to take the list as fluidous.
Speaker 5: A certain guy would say, I'm starting to think that
it's not gonna be one guy that's leaving by from
this from this room that's a guard.
Speaker 4: I'm starting to think it's gonna be two now.
Speaker 5: And if I had to, if I had to take
a guess at Gander, I think it's the two that
didn't play, because if he didn't play, you know, the
guy they red shirt, and then the guy that you know,
unfortunately you know, didn't play in the game and got hurt,
which was probably in practice or somewhere before that. I
would have to think that those two guys probably would
maybe be on the outs. If you're gonna bring someone
in and you know, you let them go there, they're
their way with that. I know that's gonna sound crazy
of me to say, but it just they all can't
coexist together. There's not enough basketball to have not guards
on the team and they all play on one time.
I look at all of these guys and I think
all these guys are Division one Power four guys that
can play. Now, whether they start to come off the
bench just nor here nor there, that's not the discussion
I'm having. But they all can't be on this roster
and play. Some people think they can, but one or
two guys are not gonna get in the game been
and touch the ball because as Brett said, they have
no front court.
Speaker 4: Houston is great. You know what they do. You can
have as much.
Speaker 5: Shooting, but they have about two or three bigs they
can rotate through. Or you have the guy that can
go small ball, stretch five and Sanak Junior. They don't
have that on BYU yet. So look, before they do
anything with getting you know, more guards, they need to
fix that front court and have that discussion. Because I
think Kevin Young can get guards and he can fit
that into his offense. What he did with Devin Booker
and Chris p He's phenomenal with that. He needs to
find guys that are six ten, six eleven that can
help that are seven foot that can do that, and
there's a bunch of guys out there, and I'm sorry,
it's gonna sound crazy. Tell somebody to take a pay
cut and pay one of those guys. I'd rather be
Why you pay that guy high money at big that
can coming to make an impact and actually means something,
and split the rest of it between shooters and have
depth at the guard line, because if you don't have
a front court again, I'm being serious, you're gonna meet
another Voca Titis and he gonna daddy you. And I'm sorry,
I'm just being real, and it's gonna be very bad,
and it's gonna be very ugly, and Cougar Nation is
gonna go through all this up and down emotionalness again
because you're neglecting that. You can neglect that be who
is probably gonna stay on this roster, but he cannot
be the main guy. You need another main guy and
another another stretch five that can make the make defenses
respect them from three.
Speaker 4: And they don't have that. So to me again, front court,
front court, front court.
Speaker 3: Right now, you're looking at your your your seniors that
are graduating with Richie obviously Keba Jared McGregor potentially Mihilo.
Speaker 2: Mihailo mate try to get his year back.
Speaker 3: I don't know if he's gonna be at b YU,
though it sounds like if he does get a year back,
he'll probably be moving on, and I would like actually
be able.
Speaker 2: To move on. No offense. I like Mihailo. He's a good,
good player. He just progress enough.
Speaker 3: And now is that him you know, is that his
internal you know, habits, et cetera, or is that more coaching,
whatever it is, it doesn't look like it's a good fit,
and they'll probably have to move on from each from
each other. And you're looking for a stretch for like
which component do you want BYU to prioritize the most
a stretch for the seven footer that can compete in
the Big twelve, or you're looking for shooters, like if
you were a sequence most important the least important for
you in payroll, what is it that you're looking for.
We'll discuss that as well as some of the other individuals,
the other players that are either in the portal right
now that could be by you bound and the other
players that could ultimately be interested in by you coming
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Speaker 2: Today.
Speaker 3: We got Ronald three man Weaver behind the glass as
well as Brent always bringing the hammer in studio. We're
gonna get into our questions and polls.
Speaker 2: Of the day. One of the things that one approaches this.
Speaker 3: Okay, we are are in the mode of its transfer
portal season right April seventh is when it all it
all comes about. But there's already this early portal season
where guys are hopping in or at least agents handlers
are are are pushing out to the local and national
media that they are going to be entering the portal.
What is it that, b what you was looking to acquire?
Is it number one shooters? Is it to a stretch four,
number three, a seven foot five man? Like, how would
you prioritize these from a payroll standpoint? If your byuk Ky,
Justin Young, Doug Stewart, Brian Santiago too, because Brian has
to oversee some of this stuff as well. So what's
your priority right now knowing what your roster could potentially
be with retention? Does that make sense? Like what's most
important the least important in your mind?
Speaker 6: I mean the I don't know, Like because issue number
one for me and you could solve it a couple
of differs, but like issue number one is spacing, because
you're not just gonna magically go in from year to year.
Take the spacing that AJ didn't have and make it
for Bruce Branch. The only way you are going to
make that spacing happen is if you get a player
who is worth spacing a defense for now that can
be defense or sorry not to see defense, that can
be shooting. It could also be a big time seven footer.
What I will say is, I think a big time
seven footer solves some solves more of your problems.
Speaker 2: Like, I think it's harder to find the seven footer guy.
Speaker 6: I think it's easier to find shooters, not that it
is by any means easy to find shooters. I just
think like these crevas, these the sars, these these guys
like that I think are harder to find who are big, athletic,
but can also be effective from an offensive perspective to
a point where like you have to account for them
down low, because I never felt like defenses really wanted
to account for Keba or for Abdullah Ahmed from an
from a defensive perspective. They kind of just said, if
you got to put back man, that is what it is.
But like we're not worried about you getting a bucket
on us. So if I have to pick between a
high level shooter or that big seven footer back to
the basket offensive threat. I think that's what I'm taking
because if maybe that way you can get defenses to crash,
get a kickout. And I think Alexi, if he gets
more time, he can be a good time shooter that
you need. But I think that big time seven footer
would would would cause those defenses to crash and give
you that kind of opportunity.
Speaker 2: With Bruce Branch and some other guys.
Speaker 3: Ronnie, where do you stand at his guard's wings shooting
just like a stretch for b true seven footer with
like back to the basket game or just d like
best available regardless of particular position.
Speaker 4: Stretch for back to the basket guy. I'm going with that.
Brett emphasized the great point of shooting.
Speaker 5: Given a Lexi more time, he saw him come on
and get iny, go down and stretch. In the words
that Kevion that sucker can shoot, he can't. Alexi's a
good basketball player. In my opinion, He's gonna have confidence
coming back as a sophomore to build on that back
to the basket though. You know why, here's the thing.
Defense wins championships. You need to get the defense and
the boards in order by you allowed too many people
to get to the basket. And I know what people
are gonna say, but the three point shoots back, that
can be fixed. But you know what happens when guys
fly past you want to drive in How many times
people saw Tugler in Houston.
Speaker 4: I don't know if I want that smell like.
Speaker 5: It makes it just it forces teams to think differently
and how they score in the paint. Like think a
team like Arizona that they bully you and they score
in the paint and they they can take threes, they
just choose not to like think about that. So I
think rebounding and I think defense is important, Ben, So
I'm gonna go back to the basket stretch four or five.
That's what I'm gonna go with first, because the rebounding
was an issue at point in Kiba Well, I felt
like sometimes he was out there alone. My highlighting playoff
to expectation. So I'm like, I've seen enough of a
senior undersize guy. Go get the six foot you know,
eleven or seven foot or Ben, I'm ready to see
it now.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: I mean you look at your competition of the Big twelve,
and what would you say hurt be what you the most.
It's lack of three point shooting or did it? Was
it the lack of rebounding, limiting second chance points, back
the basket type of game like which one was more
of a pain point though?
Speaker 2: You know what I mean?
Speaker 6: I think I think this last year defense was your
bigger issue more than shooting, because like they found a
way to look at their look at their points per game. Yeah,
Like they found a way to get on the board.
It may not have been the most efficient, it may
not have been the prey prettiest, but.
Speaker 2: They found a way to get buckets.
Speaker 6: Now, largely that was Ajabontso, which I don't know if
Bruce Branch is going to be the number one score
in the country. I still think he'll be top ten,
top fifteen, whatever, But I don't know that he's.
Speaker 2: Gonna be number one in the country.
Speaker 6: So from that standpoint, like I think, you gotta figure
out defense because you're just not gonna be able to
get away with all right, man, we'll just be in
a shootout every single night in fifty to fifty it'll
go our way. You've got to figure out how to
slow guys down on the defensive end.
Speaker 3: Yeah, he look at the roster as is, and you're
wondering who's coming back current roster, you know, without your seniors, right, Richie,
Jared Caba, et cetera. AJ is going to the NBA. Right,
you have to imagine there's gonna be at least half
of this roster gone. Rob right, the third Tyler marauss Berdikoslowski,
Mihailo Boskovic could get a year back. I'm keeping him
there because I've just heard that he's trying to get
that year back. Alexi Kostik, Hadem Boo, Nate Pickens, Dominiue Diamonde,
Dawson Baker, Kennard Davis Junior's Avian State and Abdullah Akhmed
and then kJ Perry. Half of these guys are probably gone.
That's kind of how vial I feel like there's gonna
be half of those guys that could be out, And
who do you move on from? Are they they? Do
they believe in Tyler Morass? Do they believe in Alexi
coast It?
Speaker 2: Yes? I think so? Do they believe that that? Do
they believe in Kennard Davis Junior?
Speaker 6: Right?
Speaker 2: Obviously they've played another stretch.
Speaker 3: Do they believe in Xavi and Styton, Abdullah, Achmed, kJ Perry.
I mean half of these guys could be gone.
Speaker 6: I don't even think you need like intel to say that,
Like I think just living in the world of college basketball,
in the world of college sports we're in, like that's
not even a shot at anybody. It's just like, hey man,
odds are people are leaving or or to your point
about Rob Wright, like at least just going to see
what does my market look like. So I don't think
that that's crazy to say at all. If you had
to ask me, like which guys I feel most confident
are staying, I'd say Canard and Alexi strictly based off
of those are the guys who played the most minutes.
But to Ron's point, like if they haven't played, then
the coaching staff really hasn't put any stock into you,
and so they feel probably better off keeping guys who
they've played than guys like kJ Perry, who may be
elite and other worldly, but like you just haven't seen
in place. You don't know what you're getting with him,
and you can't live in this world of like, oh man,
well look at what he did at the other level.
It's like, Okay, this is not the WCC dog, this
is the Big twelve. This is playing with the big
boys like Arizona State in the Houston, Like this is
Elite eight basketball.
Speaker 2: It's not.
Speaker 6: Oh man, he was really great in JUCO or he
was really great and great and like the Midwest OHI
Dental Ohio Dental College Conference, Like you have to be
ready to play with the best of the best. And
so from that standpoint, like you have to kind of
you can't really rely on faith, I guess, is what
I'm saying, Like you have to take what you see,
and what you've seen is Kinnard, Yes, Alexi, when Alexi's hot, Man,
he's hot. I don't know about guys like kJ Perry
and Nate Pickens who haven't played, who could absolutely be
other worldly, but like we just don't know that.
Speaker 3: Yeah, well right now kind of like what I'm so,
let's get into what Robert booc Coombs has to say.
Speaker 2: There are two clear needs b OI will need.
Speaker 3: To address this offseason, uh and other needs will depend
on who's transferre out, he says, shooting k Why has
said since he stepped on a campus that you can
never have too much shooting, and immediately following Bili's loss
to Texas, Ky said b Yu needs more shooting next season.
One source told Robbie that BA will not prioritize non shooting,
non five.
Speaker 2: Men in the transfer portal.
Speaker 3: So if you're a one through four that isn't a
great shooter, I don't think BA will have many of
those on their big.
Speaker 2: Board, which it kind of felt like they had a
few of those. Yeah, yeah, yep, yep, yep.
Speaker 3: Big man bou starting center is not on the roster.
He says he expects a dual docmented transfer out and
Xavian stateon UH to stay on the roster. He's not
ready to be your starting center UH day one next season.
Kay Why said after the Texas lost, BLI needs a
more rugged big man to compete at the Big twelve.
Robbie says he expects a starting center to be one
of Billie's three or four highest paid positions on the roster.
Three potential names to watch if they hit the portal
Arizona State's Masamba jop Uh and then Cincinnati's Mustafa them
and then UNC's Henry Vassar all three our future NBA
players and had their head coach fired, any one could
instantly be a top five or ten player in the portal,
and all three would carry a massive price tag north
of two to three million dollars. Every top school would
be interested be what you included. So those are the
two spots right that he's looking at.
Speaker 4: Eta Mustafa can play.
Speaker 2: Yeah, is interesting.
Speaker 6: Yeah, because first of all, Bo you saw UNC and
that exhibition game earlier of the season. But Vassar also
is interesting because if you believe the Tommy Lloyd rumors
to UNC. If I'm not mistaken, Vassar was playing for
Arizona last year.
Speaker 2: Was he not run.
Speaker 4: Like it?
Speaker 6: Maybe if Tommy Lloyd goes to UNC, then Vassar is
not leaving because his head coach is coming back. Or
maybe he's saying, I transferred away from you for a
reason because you didn't play me. I don't want to
stick around out that you're coming here. But I think,
like of all the of all those three guys, the
guy I think that worried me the most was the
sarv sarg Bou problems, the problem, but the last the
season before, I think that would be a really interesting one.
Speaker 3: Most recently, there was a big man they just hopped
into the portal from Saint Mary's.
Speaker 2: I don't know if you guys saw this.
Speaker 3: The seven foot three, uh big man that could be
following his former coach Sink Mary center Andrew McKeever playing
Andrew the transfer portal. Sources told on three this is
from Joe Tipton said foot three sophomore average eight point
two points per game, nine point two rebounds in twenty
three minutes per game. So h McKeever could be an
individual that BYU evaluates as well, big man that could
fit into I guess the BYU culture as well.
Speaker 2: But I'm sure Randy Bennet's hat on his trail right now.
Oh yeah, that's right, didn't even think about that. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
so yeah, they followed it.
Speaker 5: They're not getting him. No, I'm just gonna say it
right now. He's going with Randy and rightfully. So I mean,
look that that dude's a problem too. He can pass
and look, I think going back to Brett's point of that,
I think those are your guys depending on it, Uh,
you know, Vasar, you know, it just depends how much
he's getting paid a U n C.
Speaker 4: Obviously you know they're they're blue Bud b A.
Speaker 5: You can pay too, but I don't know if you
want to pay that with the other needs that you have.
Speaker 4: But again I go Mustapha. You know a team Ben.
Speaker 5: I like that he can shoot the three, defend NBA
prospect of Vasar gate Bo you a bunch of problems.
So between those two, that's tough because I like the
skill set of both of what they bring.
Speaker 4: But if you're talking about a guy that.
Speaker 5: Can do it all all around level, it's probably bizarre,
then you're probably gonna go with.
Speaker 4: But we'll see what they're able to do.
Speaker 5: But if that's that ballpark of two to three of
Vasar's four to five, I think if they they have
to go into the portal, of course, I think they'll
take you know, Mustafa, and I think that would fit
great because it's a guy that doesn't complain about shot
selection and who's just gonna play defensive rebound if that's
what it comes down to.
Speaker 3: Other players that Robbie has pointed out for shooters, Stefan
Vox from Providence, who's a six foot seven freshman, made
the Big East Fall Freshman team, averaging fifteen point eight
points on ninety one of two hundred and sixty three
point shooting, so thirty five percent from the three point
line on two hundred and sixty attempts. So someone to
take a look at Jake Jahleen, the stretch forward. He's
six foot ten stretch forward that started twenty nine games
for Clemson, shot thirty three percent from the three point line.
He's He's a former BYU commit, late at Utah and
has been at Clemson the last year. Ryder Frost, Notre
Dame wing four star prospect got a high school Frost
had at quiet freshman season for a Notre Dame. Frost
averaged just two point seven points per game, but did
shoot twenty to fifty two to thirty eight percent from
from three point line in his minimal time. So someone
to look at. Carson Templand, Utah State ford in center.
Templand is an ELDS player who plays three years who
has played three years at Utah State and recently announced
that he will enter the portal. Templan was the Mountain
West Conference sixth man of the Year after eight eight
point eight points per game, four point two rebounds, in
one block in just nineteen minutes, and was twenty one
sixty four from three, so thirty two percent.
Speaker 2: A six foot nine big man, Parker Fredrickson Davidson guard.
Speaker 3: The six foot four guard played two seasons at wake
Forest before transferring to Davidson and Ethan Copeland Stetson guard.
Copeland is a return missionary who had a big season
for stets N. Listed at six foot two, Copeland average
fifteen points and was one of the nation's best shooters,
shooting forty three percent from three on two hundred and
fifty four attempts. Jackson Holcombe UVU wing, another return missionary.
Holcomb had a great season for UVU. Jackson led UVU
in points per game. That's sixteen point point sixteen points
per game, rebounds of seven rebounds per game, and.
Speaker 2: Two point two steals.
Speaker 3: He's a six foot seven wing and that can shoot
the three decently. Actually, he shot only six to thirty
seven from three, not a not an. I don't know
how good of a three point shooter he is. I
apologize for that. He doesn't look too good right now.
Trevin Lionheart UVU point guard, another return missionary, average twelve points,
six assistem five point four rebounds, will shooting set thirty
seven percent from the three point line. Isaac Garrett is
an Oakland forward. The Pleasant Grove NATed native had a
good year for Oakland after a nice run at Snow College.
Speaker 2: Six foot eight forward center.
Speaker 3: Garrett average thirteen point seven points per game and seven
point eight rebounds. Isaac Finlandson a Hawaii wing LDS kid
after playing at you Tech Snow College, Finlands and had
a nice season for the Rainbow Warrior six foot eight
wing Finlands and averaged nine point two points per game
and was thirty nine percent from the three point line
on eighty seven attempts. And why I got to the
NCAA tournament. So good, good, good player from a good roster.
Nicholas at vallis a six foot nine international point guard
who had lottery pig aspiration. Someone to keep an eye on.
And then Cole machat Charleston Center and then Anton Bunk
of Charlotte another b way you recruited hit this guy
out of Juco when Mark Pope was head coach. After
a season at Providence, two hundred and seventy pounds big
Man went to Charlotte this year. He averaged ten point
six points per game, eight point three rebounds, one point
five blocks, and was was a nice player for Charlotte.
It could be in the portal here. So other buzz
is around, like Colin Chandler and maybe Mason false Lev
is what Robbie was. There were some reports coming out
of like certain insiders from the Big Blue there at
Kentucky saying that that Colin's wife has moved her business
to Utah.
Speaker 2: Is Colin going to enter the portal?
Speaker 3: It seemed like after the NCAA tournament loss that he
was all in on Mark Pope, very positive on Mark Pope,
that he wants to ride or die with Mark Pope.
We can maybe find that sound bite, but I think
I don't know. I don't know if Colin is really
up for grabs right now. Mason false Levet. I chat
with a few people close to Mason, and they said
they'd be really surprised if Mason left. He's kind of
building roots in a legacy there at Utah State. They
just hired their next head coach from Northern Iowa, and
so they have their The next day they went out
and got a guy immediately, and so hopefully they can
retain the star of the Mountain West Conference. And in
Mason false Levet.
Speaker 6: Yeah, I was really surprised to see the Colin Chandler
stuff on. And I don't know if there was anyone
that really official, It was fan sites that were discussing it. Yeah,
and I don't I don't think he's coming to be
it because the argument for BUYU is, oh, he was
recruited by Bolliott, but yeah, who was he recruited by
Mark Pope?
Speaker 4: Yeah?
Speaker 2: He's with now ye, So yeah.
Speaker 6: The only argument that you could really make is if
his wife was like, I really want to go back
to Utah, and if for some reason, because again, like
he still kind of sounds like he's pretty committed to
Mark Pope, so like, as fun as that would be,
and I actually think Colin Chandler would be a great
fit for the athlete that.
Speaker 2: He is, the shooter that he is, I think that'd
be an awesome pickup. I just don't think it's gonna happen. Roddie,
what do you got for me?
Speaker 1: Yeah?
Speaker 4: I think, uh, you look at his college.
Speaker 5: They're committed to coaches, right, So as long as Mark
Pope there, Colin Chandler's there unless something you know, I
shouldn't say dramatic, you know, catastrophic would have happened, or
if there was like really a you know, a bad
like you know ending, But I don't think that. I
think as long as Mark Pope is a coach, and
I told you then, because he won a game and
because he got it together, he's gonna keep his job again.
I don't think he's gonna go anytime soon. Unless he
has a bad year next year, then he's out. But
if he does what he did this year next year,
I can see it finishing up. But Colin will be
in a Kentucky Blue jersey as long as marp Pope
as a coach. And even then Ben, if Mark Pope
leaves and goes elsewhere and it becomes the head coach,
who's to say Colin Chandler wouldn't fall like let's say
follow him, Like let's say he came to be a
Big twelve coaches, Colin Chandler probably would either would think
about going to back to BYU, but he also think
about following Mark Pope if he was at another program.
Speaker 4: I think that's just what the relationship is.
Speaker 3: By the way, Ben Jacobson is going to be the
new Utah State head coach five year deal after twenty
after twenty seasons.
Speaker 2: That's the Panthers head coach. That's pretty crazy.
Speaker 3: Jacobson, Ben Jacobson taking his talents to Logan and Utah State.
Let's take a time out. But that's a question and
Polly chied then on it. Who are you prioritizing? What
are you prioritizing in the portal for BYU men's basketball.
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Cougar Sports one O three nine ninety eight point three