Last year, the BYU men’s basketball team reached the Sweet 16 in Kevin Young’s first season as head coach. There has been significant roster turnover as the Cougars look forward to the 2025-26 season, and the new-look squad will be filled with new faces via the transfer portal and incoming freshmen.
But there are six players from last year’s roster running it back this season: Richie Saunders, Dawson Baker, Brody Koslowski, Khadim Mboup, Mihailo Boskovic, and Keba Keita.
Let’s take a look at which of these returning players could enjoy a breakout season in 2025-26.
When it comes to this type of analysis, definitions matter. I’m defining “breakout season” as contributing significantly more this year than the player showed last season. So, my view of a “breakout” doesn’t mean they’re going to come out of nowhere and be named to the All-Big 12 team, but rather they impact the team much more this year than last.
Breakout candidate No. 1 - Mihailo Boskovic
Last year was Boskovic’s first season playing in the United States after several professional seasons in Europe. The 6-foot-10 big man fit nicely into Kevin Young’s system in a reserve role averaging 11.1 minutes and contributing 3.6 points and 1.7 rebounds per game. However, Mihailo’s offensive efficiency wasn’t stellar last year shooting just 38% from the field and 27% from the 3-point line.
Now entering his second season in Kevin Young's offense, Boskovic has a prime opportunity to shine.
While Keba Keita will continue to start at center, backup post player Fousseyni Traore graduated and won’t be returning this year. BYU has stocked up on guards and wings this offseason, but the only true big man joining the team this year is 7-foot-1 incoming freshman Xavion Staton. While Staton was arguably the best rim protector in the nation as a high school senior, he’s still a bit raw and pretty thin, so the transition to the Big 12 will likely take time.
If Mihailo Boskovic can improve his 3-point shot, he could get a lot of minutes and open looks in BYU’s offense. Rob Wright and AJ Dybantsa are excellent creators who can collapse defenses. Richie Saunders is a great scorer coming off an All-Big 12 First Team campaign and will draw a ton of attention. The Cougars should have a plethora of additional wings who can shoot around 40% from the 3-point line.
In those offensive rotations, Boskovic is going to frequently find himself spotted up at the 3-point line without a defender anywhere near him. If he can get his 3-point shot closer to 35% this year, Boskovic could see a significant uptick in his minutes and scoring this year.
Breakout candidate No. 2 - Brody Kozlowski
I’m a big believer in the two-time Utah 6A Player of the Year and former Top 100 recruit.
As a freshman last year Kozlowski rarely played, which isn’t uncommon for a first-year college player on a Big 12 team loaded with talent that reached the Sweet 16. Last year he appeared in nine games, playing 30 total minutes and scoring eight points with four rebounds while also dealing with injuries.
Frankly, I was afraid he might hit the transfer portal after seeing so little playing time last year.
The fact that Kozlowski stayed in Provo rather than transferring like other talented freshmen such as Kanon Catchings and Elijah Crawford leads me to believe the coaching staff assured him there’s a viable path for him to crack the rotation this year.
At 6-foot-8 he’s solid on the boards after averaging 8.6 rebounds per game during his senior year of high school. The Cougars are going to need help on the glass, and Brody can contribute there. He’s also a really good 3-point shooter and, like Mihailo Boskovic, could often find himself open on the wing.
A “breakout season” from Brody Kozlowski in what should be his redshirt freshman season means he cracks the rotation and plays consistent minutes on a nightly basis, and he’s more than capable of doing just that.