BYU basketball loses its first player to the transfer portal, and this one hurts

BYU basketball will be without 7-foot rim protector Xavion Staton in 2026-27, as the sophomore center entered the transfer portal upon its opening.

"I want to sincerely thank my coaches, teammates, and the entire program for pushing me, believing in me, and helping me grow every day," Staton shared on his social platforms. "To Cougar Nation -- thank you for embracing me, supporting me, and showing love throughout the journey. It never went unnoticed."

Losing players through the transfer portal is inevitable in the modern age of college athletics. Face it: with the amount of cash circulating around the country, the possibility of greater opportunity, or the simple allure of a fresh start, there are countless reasons why so many student-athletes bet on themselves in the offseason.

Especially after a season that saw AJ Dybantsa's Team USA and high school teammate spend most of his time at the end of the bench nursing an injury, it stings to see Staton pack his bags before we really got to see what he could do under head coach Kevin Young.

Whether his departure is motivated by hope for a larger role (think Elijah Crawford, Kanon Catchings) or the potential of incoming talent creating a redundancy in the depth chart for his services (think Dallin Hall), BYU basketball saw just a sliver of Staton's capabilities as a college athlete.

A former 4-star recruit out of high school, Staton's physicality was still catching up to his play style. 7 feet tall, though incredibly gangly, he wasn't strong enough to battle down low against the biggest and baddest of the Big 12 Conference as a freshman. It'll be fascinating to learn what level of college hoops he draws the most attention from, opting to flash in a non-power conference or make more of a lateral move across the spectrum.

Staton received interest from Kansas, UCLA, Michigan, and Arizona among others out of high school. It's unclear at the moment whether he'll receive a similar level of interest after an uninspiring freshman year at BYU. Playing in just a few games before falling to injury, he may be eligible for a medical redshirt, promising four remaining seasons of eligibility.