The final recruiting rankings for the men's basketball class of 2026 have dropped, courtesy of ESPN, and BYU basketball is squarely in contention among some of the toughest, most dangerous programs in the nation, finishing 12th overall.
12th place slots the Cougars ahead of recruiting giants like Purdue, Illinois, and Arizona, and near the level of blue-bloods like North Carolina and Michigan State.
FINAL 2026 men’s basketball recruiting class rankings 👀
— SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) July 10, 2026
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Not a bad offseason.
After managing to secure 5-star freshmen in the previous two seasons, Kevin Young and his team managed to commit 5-star All-American Bruce Branch III, confirming the program's sustainability after consecutive seasons of a miraculous recruiting boom ignited by Young's arrival. Presenting BYU hoops as a premier destination for prospective NBA talents to develop their abilities and prepare for a successful career at the highest level.
That's clearly payed off for products like Egor Demin and AJ Dybantsa, who are currently showing the basketball world that they're here to stay, and promise to be afflicting opposing gameplans for years to come. Young's development program has likewise elevated senior guard Richie Saunders to a player deserving of a guaranteed contract, as he was taken in the very early stages of the second round and promises to be a day-one contributor for the rebuilding Memphis Grizzlies.
Today, BYU basketball is a mainstay in prominent recruits' list of top schools, with a demonstrated track record of developing and elevating NBA talent.
Retaining Robert Wright III, a 5-star transfer and the best point guard in the nation, according to Kevin Young, was a major boost to the team's recruiting numbers, as was Collin Chandler, Tyler Betsey, and Jake Wahlin, who join the program through the portal and bolster the Cougars' lineup.
But the incoming freshman class is incredibly fascinating, as freshman 4-star Dean Rueckert could provide a fascinating punch off the bench in his first year, and newly-added 4-star international prospect, Dovydas Buika, is a bit of a wild card in his first season in college.
And though these are ESPN's final recruiting rankings, BYU basketball is still hot on the trail of a starting center, as well as two more slots to fill before the roster is complete.
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