BYU basketball: Two freshman players have entered the transfer portal

Upon the harsh conclusion of BYU basketball's 2024-25 campaign -- the first season under head coach Kevin Young -- it was only natural that certain players would take a trip to the transfer portal to weigh their options as collegiate players moving forward.

That doesn't make the news any more difficult to swallow.

The portal's opening waits for no entity -- not even the conclusion of the NCAA Tournament. As BYU's season came to a close, the doors were open for players to jump out and in at their own volition.

Kanon Catchings, the 4-star flip from Purdue, was the first to step aside.

This news was widely expected by many following the program, as his freshman season at BYU didn't quite meet expectations as the schedule matured. Coach Young "tightened the leash" on the young star, whose defensive limitations and other shortcomings buried Catchings near the end of the rotation during the postseason. Though he could have benefitted from another season in the BYU system, it was becoming apparent that the young forward was becoming frustrated with his situation.

The season began without a hitch against non-conference competition, as 20+ point outbursts and strong shooting numbers lined Kanon's escalator to an NBA emergence.

Once the Big 12 came knocking, however, Catchings found himself outmatched for physicality, and his declining minutes quickly became impossible to ignore.

Factor in an odd few injuries, and Kanon became a footnote for his team's postseason run.

Kanon will be a highly sought-after transfer thanks to his top-50 designation in his recruiting class --he has already been rumored in connection with big-time programs like North Carolina in the ACC -- and he'll always be remembered for his offensive eruptions against Baylor and Arizona as a freshman.

The next jump to the portal wasn't altogether unexpected, either, but a bit more disappointing. Elijah Crawford, a Stanford flip that never saw significant playing time in a deep Cougar backcourt of Demin, Hall, Saunders, and Baker, was announced to have entered the portal on the 31st.

Though he didn't see the floor much in his freshman year, optimism was abundant surrounding Crawford's role on the team as a sophomore and beyond.

Unfortunately, his potential as a Cougar will remain a hypothetical, barring a return to Provo. Crawford won't be waiting around without first weighing his options and measuring the market.

An important, yet often overlooked, reality of the transfer portal is the possibility of a players' return. Saunders and Hall both stuck to the Cougars after last season's coaching carousel shifted the status quo at BYU, despite having one foot in the portal should they find a better path.

Whatever results from their portal exploration, Cougar nation will forever be grateful for their contributions in the first season of a new era of BYU hoops.

More BYU Cougars News: