Scouting Report: BYU International Commit Jakub Urbaniak

The biggest story of BYU's offseason so far has been the search for a center. The Cougars finally landed one last month as Jakub Urbaniak committed to the program.

The 23-year-old Polish big man is 6'9" and can play both forward and center, filling a huge need for the Cougars in the frontcourt. It's hard to know where things will end up with the "5 in 5" ruling for last year's seniors seeking a fifth year of eligibility, but BYU will likely bring in another center to compete with Urbaniak for the starting role.

Background

Urbaniak began his professional career at Trefl Sopot, the same Polish club where BYU assistant coach Chris Burgess played during the 2011-12 season. After a limited rookie year in Sopot, Urbaniak moved to Spain and spent two seasons in the Gran Canaria system, first with the club's third-tier affiliate and then in a brief stint with the senior Liga ACB roster.

Last season, he returned home to Poland to play for WKS Slask Wroclaw in the PLK, the country's top division, while also playing regular minutes in the Eurocup.

Beyond his club résumé, Urbaniak has represented Poland at multiple levels of FIBA competition. He averaged 8.7 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game for Poland's U20 national team at the 2023 European Championships and he made his senior national team debut this year during World Cup European Qualifying.

Urbaniak turns 24 in January, so it’s expected that this will be his only season of eligibility.

What kind of skill set will he bring to Provo? Let's take a closer look at his game.

Player Profile

Urbaniak's style of play fits the mold of the modern big man. He is comfortable operating in the paint and out on the perimeter, which lets him slide between forward and center.

At heart, he is a fierce competitor who takes pride in crashing the boards and playing defense. His motor also helps him impact the game in a variety of ways, whether that's going after loose balls or getting a chase-down block.

In the paint, Urbaniak has great footwork. He uses his strength and post moves to score at the rim, and any time there's an open lane, he loves to bully his way through and dunk with authority.

One thing that sets him apart from a traditional center is his ability to run the floor and score in transition. Whether he's catching lobs, attacking off the dribble, or handling the ball, he shows nice mobility for someone his size.

Perimeter Shooting

Urbaniak's shot diet is very intriguing. Last season, about a third of his field goal attempts came from beyond the arc. He still gets plenty of paint touches, but he stretches the floor more than a traditional center.

Though he isn't lights-out from three, Urbaniak is a respectable perimeter shooter, especially for a big man. Last season, he shot 34% for Slask Wroclaw across the regular season and playoffs, going 25-of-74.

He has good shooting form and a fairly quick release, and most of the threes he takes are spot-up looks.

Rebounding

With his strength and physicality, Urbaniak is a solid rebounder. He averaged six boards a game last season and posted double-digit rebounding games seven times across all competitions. His rebounding average climbed to 7.2 across five playoff games.

While playing for CBA Gran Canaria during the 2023-24 season, Urbaniak had a career-high 19 rebounds against Maderas Sorli Benicarlo. That season, he averaged 7.7 rebounds a game.

It's no secret Urbaniak is a bit undersized for a center. However, his physical traits and motor should translate well to the Big 12. He has the potential to play much bigger than he is.

Defense

At 6'9" and with his mobility, Urbaniak is able to guard multiple positions and isn't fazed much by defensive switches. He's also patient with his timing when it comes to contesting and blocking shots.

The box score doesn't fully capture Urbaniak's impact on this end of the floor. He makes whoever he's guarding earn their baskets. He struggles most against smaller, more explosive guards, but still works hard to keep up with them.

His size and athleticism give him strong defensive potential at the college level.

Production and Efficiency

Urbaniak's production has evolved throughout his career as he's worked to develop his game.

During the 2023-24 season in Spain's third division, Urbaniak had a breakout year, averaging 15.2 points and 7.7 rebounds across 26 games. Last season, back in Poland's top league, he delivered his most productive season yet against high-level competition. He averaged 9.4 points and 6 rebounds in 24.5 minutes per game across 30 appearances, shooting a career-best 55% from the field.

Taking a closer look at his three-point shooting reveals some interesting trends tied to the level of competition he's facing. For his career across all competitions, club and country combined, Urbaniak is a 30% three-point shooter (75-of-250). Breaking things down further, in Spanish and Polish league play, including the playoffs, he shot 33% from three. In the Eurocup and for Poland's national teams, that number dropped to 19%.

In other words, as the competition got tougher, his three-point efficiency worsened. However, his volume dropped considerably too, with just 57 three-point attempts in Eurocup and national-team play compared to 193 across domestic regular-season and playoff games.

Fit at BYU

Urbaniak checks a box BYU has been chasing all offseason: a frontcourt player who can defend the rim and rebound while also offering enough shooting touch to space the floor in Kevin Young's offense.

Defense and perimeter shooting are what will keep Urbaniak on the floor, and he's proven at different points in his career that he's more than capable of both. Now it's about consistency and adjusting to the pace and physicality of college basketball.

It will be interesting to see if Young ever plays Urbaniak as a forward. With new forward additions like Jake Wahlin and Tyler Betsey and a returner in Khadim Mboup, there are probably more minutes available for Urbaniak at center. If needed though, it's nice that he has the flexibility to play both positions.

Urbaniak won't be the tallest center in the country, but his motor, bounce, and physicality should be enough for him to be a contributor for BYU next season.

You can watch his highlights below.

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