BYU Five-Star Freshman Bruce Branch III Arrives in Provo

The five-star freshman has arrived in Provo to begin preparing for the upcoming season

Mar 31, 2026; Glendale, AZ, USA; Bruce Branch III (3) during the McDonalds All American Boys Game at Desert Diamond Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Five-star true freshman Bruce Branch III has arrived in Provo, he announced on Instagram. The top 10 recruit is a few weeks removed from playing in the McDonal's All-American game. Now, Branch III will turn his attention to preparing for his freshman season at BYU.

Branch was the top prospect in the 2027 class before he re-classified to the class of 2026 and committed to Kevin Young and the BYU basketball program. Branch is ranked sixth nationally in the 2026 class per 247Sports. Branch is the third five-star recruit to commit to BYU in as many signing classes for Kevin Young.

Young has elevated the talent on BYU's roster across the board, Branch is just the latest example of that. Branch has the potential to be the third consecutive lottery pick to come out of BYU in the 2027 NBA Draft.

Meanwhile, BYU is still building the roster that will surround Branch next season. Branch will start at one of the wing spots. BYU returns point guard Robert Wright III who will be the lone returning starter from last season. Then there is Kentucky transfer Collin Chandler who was brought in to start right away. Chandler has two years of eligibility remaining and will be one of the more experienced players on the roster.

At the five spot, BYU's starting center has not been added to the roster yet. The Cougars are still looking at various centers from both the high school ranks and the international ranks. They will also need to add a backup center as well. The lone center on the roster is TCU transfer Adam Stewart who will join the program as a walk-on.

One position that is still a question mark is the four spot. Clemson transfer Jake Wahlin could start there after starting multiple games for Clemson a year ago. Khadim Mboup could also start depending on the development of his offensive skillset. Then there is Syracuse transfer Tyler Betsey who could also play the four, although he is probably better fit to play the three.

If BYU is going to have the depth it needs to compete in the Big 12, the Cougars are going to need Dawson Baker and Nate Pickens to be healthy as well. Both Baker and Pickens suffered season-ending injuries that limited their availability last season. Pickens will be BYU's backup point guard assuming he is healthy. Baker is a combo guard that can provide a scoring punch off the bench.