BYU Basketball: Three things to watch in tonight’s Cougar Tipoff
By Shaun Gordon
3 – The Newcomers
BYU has five brand new faces this year, and four of them are 4-Star recruits.
Gavin Baxter, Connor Harding, and Kolby Lee are all back from missions and will look to contribute immediately.
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Each of the three could prove invaluable if they’re up to speed and earn minutes this year. Both Baxter and Harding provide athleticism and length on the wings, something the Cougars haven’t had in the past few years.
Baxter is an athletic monster who also has a good shooting touch. Oh, and he’s 6’9. He could be a versatile wing/stretch four scorer and a long defender.
While Harding isn’t quite as athletic as Baxter, he’s still long, moves well, and has a polished game. He’s a Kyle Collinsworth type of player with a better jump shot.
Lee is a big-bodied post presence with a solid low-post game and just enough of a shooting touch to be dangerous from the outside. He’s the only true post player besides Yoeli Childs and Luke Worthington, so he’ll get plenty of playing time if he proves he’s ready.
Taylor Maughan is a junior transfer from BYU Hawaii. It’s not likely that he’ll see the court too often this year, so the Cougar Tipoff may be one of the few times Cougar fans get to see him play.
And then there’s Jesse Wade. The 4-Star guard will sit out this season after transferring from Gonzaga. He’ll be a big part of BYU’s future, but the scrimmage will be the only chance he gets to play in front of Cougar Nation this season.