Though it was practically a foregone conclusion by now, Michigan State transfer and American Fork, Utah, native Jaxon Kohler has officially committed to BYU basketball. He'll fill in for the Cougars as the starting center in place of recently signed Jakub Urbaniak from Poland and provide much-needed rebounding, defense, big-game experience, and versatility for Kevin Young's roster.
BREAKING: Former Utah Jazz forward Jaxon Kohler has committed to BYU, @JoeTipton reports😼
— On3 (@On3) August 21, 2026
Kohler played college ball at Michigan State. https://t.co/WppUMysrHE https://t.co/gD4oYRDu49 pic.twitter.com/7ssSFBPA8J
He benefits from an injunction that grants players of his class a fifth year of eligibility, and another injunction that grants access to the transfer portal. And while the NCAA is fighting these rulings tooth and nail, Kohler is now a Cougar.
With Kohler filling in the final slot in the starting lineup, here's how Kevin Young's starting five could look in 2026.
BYU basketball's starting lineup could dominate the Big 12 Conference
PG: Robert Wright III, Junior
SG: Collin Chandler, Junior
SF: Bruce Branch III, Freshman
PF: Tyler Betsey, Junior
C: Jaxon Kohler, 5th Year
Just seeing that sends chills rattling down my spine.
It's an incredibly well-rounded lineup, and one with reliable shooters at every position. Wright, Chandler, and Betsey each shot over 40% from three-point land last season (Betsey hit 44% from three during ACC play at Syracuse). Branch is an excellent shooter and scorer; he's a five-star prospect and Team USA member for a reason. Kohler was one of the top shooting centers in the nation last season, hitting 38.9% from deep on 4.3 looks per game at Michigan State.
Kohler is an excellent interior defender and rebounder to boot, fortifying areas of the game where BYU struggles last season.
After seeing a top-heavy roster topple against Big 12 Conference competition last season, Kevin Young learned from his mistakes and built up a well-rounded team that features self-creation and competence deep into the bench.
Dawson Baker and Nate Pickens return this year after missing last season with injuries. Jake Wahlin brings veteran leadership and athleticism to the power forward spot. Khadim Mboup will have the luxury of playing in a specialized role, maximizing his strengths while avoiding being relied upon too much at the center position. A fascinating crop of youngsters like Dean Rueckert and Brooks Bahr will begin developing in Kevin Young's system. And the list goes on.
Simply put, this is a team capable of making a deep run in the postseason.
They're talented, experienced, and well-constructed, dipping into the features of the previous two years that worked well, while avoiding the bugs that limited them.
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