BYU Basketball to Prioritize Shooting with Offseason Acquisitions

The Cougars are looking to add better shooters to next year's roster

Mar 18, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; BYU Cougars head coach Kevin Young watches his team during a practice session ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

The BYU basketball season came to a disappointing conclusion on Thursday when the Cougars were knocked out of the first round of the NCAA Tournament. BYU lost to 11-seed Texas who would go on to upset 3-seed Gonzaga and advance to the Sweet 16.

Shortly after the game, BYU head coach Kevin Young met with the media. In discussing BYU's roster construction for next season, Coach Young emphasized the need to add more shooting.

"There's just no substitute for shot making," Coach Young said. "End of story. We were 4 of 22 from 3. We had a hard time shooting the ball the last couple of weeks of the season. Our spacing was not where I'd like it to be...I think for sure just shooting is always for me something that there's no substitute for."

Coach Young added that in the Big 12, you have to combine high-level shooting with a few "rugged" players as well.

"I've been very clear since I've taken this job to me shooting is the holy grail. Bottom line, you've got to be able to make shots at a high level, and we didn't have enough guys that could do that this year. So shooting will for me always be my first question. I think in the Big 12 specifically you have to mix that with some rugged guys as well. That's just how our league is. But there's just no substitute for shooting, so we'll have that's at the top of the list for me every year, but definitely, you know, this was a double down on how important it is."

"Shooting is the holy grail."

Coach Young shares his thoughts on the importance of finding shooters for his team. pic.twitter.com/giHKkAlSFH

— BYUtv Sports Nation (@BYUSportsNation) March 20, 2026

Young said that it's hard to evaluate this season's roster given the season-ending injuries that decimated the rotation.

"In terms of this year's team, it's hard, it's hard to really judge what we constructed because we were never able to see it with five season-ending injuries, which is crazy. You know, I think there's not, there's not guys like AJ that come around too often, right? So I think we [tried] to build it around a unique player, and now as we fast forward for next year trying to get shooting, you know, around, around Rob and and have some dynamic spacing like we did our first year is definitely something that will be under heavy consideration."

As it currently stands, BYU doesn't have a lot of roster spots to fill in the transfer portal. That will likely change when the transfer window opens.