Kevin Young and BYU basketball have been enjoying a remarkably high-quality romp through the transfer portal. Sure, they've lost core players like Kennard Davis Jr, Xavion Staton, Aleksej Kostic, and Abdullah Ahmed -- and most of those losses stung -- but there is far more reason for excitement than anxiety for BYU basketball with their portal yield.
Now with just two days before the transfer portal closes, we're officially in the home stretch. Like an efficient and driven 11-year-old on Halloween night, let's take a moment to appreciate the haul that we've brought back in our pillowcase before going back out for a second round of sugar-coated glee.
The transfer portal is a candy store for college basketball fans, and BYU hoops is coming away with a fist full of Reese's.
So, ranking from most valuable down, let's evaluate and discuss the incredible array of transfers in Kevin Young's barracks.
BYU basketball transfer portal commitments
1. Robert Wright III (from: BYU)
Does it really count as a transfer portal addition if he's returning to the program he transferred from in the first place? For our purposes, absolutely. Retaining Rob Wright through the portal is incredibly impactful and deserves plenty of praise, considering his value both as a player and to BYU basketball as a program.
Wright was the top-rated point guard in the transfer portal, per 247 Sports, and he was out the door early into its opening. BYU lost a five-star guard, and they got him back. Just as when Richie Saunders and Dallin Hall shrugged off Mark Pope's Kentucky offer two seasons ago, Kevin Young needed a top-of-the-line point guard to pair with Bruce Branch III, and he got one.
Continuity is a very important factor for success in college basketball, and Wright is the only returning starter for BYU hoops. His re-acquisition will be instrumental for Kevin Young's third season.
2. Collin Chandler (From: Kentucky)
BYU needed a Richie Saunders replacement, and you can't do much better than Collin Chandler to fill the void.
Once the highest-rated recruit in BYU basketball history, the Farmington, Utah, native returned to his home state after two up-and-down seasons with Mark Pope's Kentucky Wildcats, and brings leadership, hustle, and -- most crucially -- leadership for Kevin Young's program.
Collin Chandler is a traditional BYU basketball recruit. LDS, born-and-raised Utahn, and an absolute sniper from long-range (he knocked down 41% of his three-pointers as a sophomore).
3. Jake Wahlin (From: Clemson)
Wahlin was once a BYU basketball commit once upon a time, but he bucked tradition by leaving BYU hoops after his missionary service to join Utah, where he spent two seasons, and a single year at Clemson, where he watched firsthand as Rob Wright snatched the Tigers' hearts with a Madison Square Garden buzzer-beater.
Clearly, Wahlin could appreciate what was happening in Provo just as much as any lifelong BYU Cougars fan, because he'll be spending his senior season with Kevin Young in Provo, Utah.
Though he's not the most prolific shooter or scorer (Wahlin is a capable floor-spacer, just not an assassin from distance), his defensive impact and energy on the floor should elevate BYU basketball, and could potentially earn him a spot on the starting lineup.
4. Tyler Betsey (From: Syracuse)
Betsey is a shooter. Last year's team desperately missed reliable three-point shooting on the wings a season ago, as stars Rob Wright and AJ Dybantsa struggled to find their happy place in the paint as opposing defenses clogged the lane. There was little threat from the likes of Kennard Davis or Khadim Mboup -- why bother worrying about the three?
Betsey remedies this issue. He shot 44% in conference play as a sophomore at Syracuse, and standing 6'8" with that type of shooting stroke will ease most of the pressure from the Cougars' lineup, serving as the oil keeping the offensive machine from grinding.
We'll see if his physical tools can manifest on the "D" half of 3-and-D, but as-is, Betsey will take plenty of three-pointers this year. BYU will gladly take it.
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