3 BYU Basketball players who could have a breakout season

Following their inaugural season in the Big 12 Conference, BYU basketball shocked the college hoops world by showing they are a real contributor to this incredible basketball league. Before Kevin Young and the NBA-ready Cougs, we had Mark Pope and his ragtag bunch of hoopers who struggled their way through a WCC gauntlet that included Pepperdine, Loyola Marymount, and San Francisco.

And yet, when essentially the same team from the WCC fell into the Big 12, they caught fire, finishing in the AP Top 25 and finishing in 5th place in conference play. BYU hoops is moving in the right direction for the first time in a long time.

Now, by installing head coach Kevin Young into the lineup, it's like when some crazy lady named Ruth Wakefield spilled her chocolate chips into a batch of butter drop cookies and created a timeless masterpiece. With the new status quo, few care to remember what used to be and instead focuses on what could become. BYU hoops has entered a new dynasty--may its rule last a lifetime.

Since Coach Young joined the team, he's assembled a tremendously talented bench to assist him in his goal of making Brigham Young University a premier location to develop NBA talent and springboard its players into the next level of basketball.

With this dream in mind, recruiting one-and-done players like Egor Demin and Kanon Catchings was essential, and they'll certainly get fans on their feet. Keep in mind, however, that much of BYU's emerging talent from last season is still on the roster from last season, and the old guard will still be looking to make an impact this year.

Remember last season, how Jaxson Robinson, Richie Saunders, and others rose to the level of their competition and made waves across the basketball world? As the new year draws closer, right now is the perfect time to speculate on which players can make the jump and breakout for a career-best season, and I'm never one to let the perfect time pass me by!

1. Trevin Knell

Trevin Knell is a polarizing figure in BYU basketball lore. At his best, he's a flamethrower from beyond the 3-point line where he's averaged nearly 39% from long range during his first year in a power conference. In a Mark Pope offense that had the audacity to fire more 3-balls than anything inside the paint over the year, Trevin Knell was the perfect player to spread the defense and scorch the nets.

While he's great, he's fantastic, but when the well runs dry, he can be a liability. He fired 174 shots from beyond the arc last season--44 more than the year before despite playing 2 fewer games. On high volume, he improved his percentages for the most part but often struggled to find a rhythm against the swarming defenses of the Big 12.

This season will likely be Trevin's last with the team (though who really knows when a college athlete is forced to leave nowadays), and with an influx of talent saturating the roster, he could see more open looks at the basket. Let's hope that means he knocks them down when he gets the chance.

2. Trey Stewart

Look, I know in his career with the Cougs, Stewart has shown limited improvement in even more limited playing time. He averaged career-highs in points, rebounds, and assists last year, though his totals were 2.2/1.8/1.1 respectively.

Yet, with the team going through combine testing in practice, Trey displayed tremendous athleticism when he broke the combine record for the 4-way agility test, which was something not even the NBA talent on the roster could accomplish.

Let me be perfectly clear: I don't expect Trey to carve out a starting role for himself, become a deadeye shooter, or lead the team in points off the bench. After 3 seasons at BYU, we have a solid idea of who Trey is as a basketball player, but this season, we could see him enjoy a more consistent role off the bench.

His jump shot is still a bit herky-jerky, and beyond defensive effort, I'm not positive how he'll become a consistent contributor, but I expect to see more of Trey, as the coaches unlock his role with this talented roster.

3. Dawson Baker

Injuries suck. They suck! No one can relate to this sentiment better than BYU's Dawson Baker, who missed nearly all of last season with a foot injury that plagued him while at UC Irvine and refused to heal properly.

Early statistical projections insist that Baker will lead the team in points by a wide margin. Though I don't believe he'll put up insane numbers with this loaded roster--especially since he may come off the bench--Baker is a certified bucket-getter. I believe he's currently majoring in unstoppable scoring with a minor in catching fire.

If he can shake off the rust quickly after a whole year with nearly no basketball, BYU has a real gem in Baker, and he can fill it up when he gets the chance.

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