An Updated Look at the 2023-2024 BYU Basketball Roster
The BYU basketball program and head coach Mark Pope are relentlessly recruiting the transfer portal to improve the roster for next season. Today, we take an early look at the 2023-2024 BYU men's basketball roster and where it stands today.
Departing Players
BYU only lost two seniors to graduation from last year's team. As of today, two players have entered the transfer portal since the end of last season. These are the players from the 2022-203 roster that will not be on the 2023-2024 roster.
- Rudi Williams (Graduation)
- Gideon George (Graduation)
- Braeden Moore - (Transfer Portal)
- Hao Dong - Forward - (Transfer Portal)
More players could enter the transfer portal in the coming weeks. The transfer window for college basketball opened on March 13th and will close on May 11.
Returning Players (Name, Position, Eligibility)
- Noah Waterman - Forward - SR
- Trey Stewart - Guard - JR
- Jaxson Robinson - Guard - JR
- Atiki Ally Atiki - Forward - JR
- Tredyn Christensen - Forward - SO
- Tanner Toolson - Guard - SO
- Richie Saunders - Guard - SO
- Spencer Johnson - Guard - SR
- Trevin Knell - Guard - SR
- Tanner Hayhurst - Guard - SO
- Dallin Hall - Guard - SO
- Fousseyni Traore - Forward - JR
- Jared McGregor - Guard - SO
BYU has a young core that it can build around in Dallin Hall, Fousseyni Traore, Richie Saunders, Jaxson Robinson, and Atiki Ally Atiki. Retaining those five players will be an important storyline this offseason. The transfer portal can only sustain a program for so long. In the long term, BYU will need to consistently hit on high school recruits and retain them in the program. So far, Traore, Hall, and Saunders look like the three most promising high school recruits in the Mark Pope era.
Over the last two seasons, scoring and creating offense has been a glaring weakness for this team. If BYU wants to have a chance to succeed in the Big 12 in 2023, it needs to add players from the portal that can score. As of right now, BYU only has one more scholarship available for next season.
2023 Recruiting Class (Name, Position)
- NA
BYU hasn't signed any players as part of the 2023 recruiting class.
2023 Transfers (Name, Position, Eligibility)
- Aly Khalifa - Forward - JR
The BYU basketball program landed its first transfer portal commitment of the offseason when Aly Khalifa committed to the program. Khalifa, who is listed at 6'11, is a native of Alexandria, Egypt.
Khalifa has two seasons of eligibility remaining, and he is arguably the best passing big man in college basketball. It is his passing ability that stands out most when you turn on his film. Khalifa was also a proficient scorer for Charlotte, averaging 11.7 points per game last season on 51% shooting from the floor. He shot 38% from three while adding 6.3 rebounds per game last year. You can check out his highlights below.
As long as Mark Pope is the head coach at BYU, the transfer portal will be an important part of the program. BYU's coaching staff continues to contact dozens of players in the transfer portal in search of difference makers.
2022 Returned Missionaries (Name, Position, Eligibility)
- Jake Wahlin - Forward - FR
Coach Pope's second recruiting class is returning home from the mission field. Jake Wahlin, listed at 6'8 195 lbs in high school, committed to the Cougars over Arizona State, San Diego State, and New Mexico among others. Wahlin prepped at Timpview High School just down the road from BYU's campus.
Time will tell how prepared Wahlin will be to take on a meaningful role as a freshman. In football, freshman returned missionaries are typically limited due to injury risk. In basketball, the returned missionaries have a few more months to prepare their bodies for the season.
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