Kevin Young nearly delivered another high-profile recruit yesterday in Joson Sanon, but Sanon stumbled at the finish line.
Following the commitment of international star Egor Demin, rumors began circulating that another significant commitment was imminent. Though no one would drop a name, multiple sources verified this information.
On Wednesday evening, the news finally dropped that Young's target was a 5 star small forward from the 2024 class, Joson Sanon.
According to Michael Luke, Arizona Basketball Insider and Host for PHNX Sports, BYU almost locked up Top 25 Player Joson Sanon (who was originally committed to Arizona) for the 2024 season, but he couldn’t get through admissions pic.twitter.com/QpYyZSU5aQ
— The BYU Flash (@TheBYUFlash) May 30, 2024
Sanon was the 25th best player in the 2024 class, and would have perfectly filled a hole in BYU's roster. Unfortunately, Sanon's academic resume couldn't outmaneuver BYU admissions, and he wasn't admitted. We'll still see him this season, though, as he instead landed in Tempe, Arizona to play for new Big 12 foe, Arizona State.
If you're just hearing this information for the first time, please take a moment to grieve what could have been. To discover a 5-star talent who was all-in at BYU, only to have him immediately ripped from you is a tragic reality to digest.
What can we take away?
Sure, this whole situation was a major tease, thanks to a surprising wrinkle, but we can still take a few positive notes from our disappointment.
First of all, BYU admissions proved today that the university still holds students to a high standard--even student athletes. Tutors and other resources are available for student athletes on campus, so Sanon's academics must have been pretty terrible to get rejected. Not just anyone will be allowed admission, no matter how well they can bounce a ball.
Secondly, despite the fact that he won't be joining the team this fall, Sanon was all-in at BYU. Kevin Young is still aiming high and this instance proves that landing real talent like Demin wasn't a fluke. Though you probably shouldn't plan on seeing another 5-star signing this offseason, BYU is still capable of luring some of the nation's best players.
Some questions remain...
On social media, the largest question remains as to what standard one-and-done players should be held to academically. If a player likely won't be staying in school for long, is it necessary to hold that player to the same academic standard? The modern age of collegiate athletics is much more athletic than collegiate. Is BYU behind the times, or will this prove to be an important distinction for the university?
After this significant disappointment, be sure to keep a positive mentality towards BYU basketball. After all, the fact that players of this caliber are even considering BYU is unbelievable, and we have players who are jumping at the chance to lace up their shoes for the Marriott Center and Kevin Young's squad.