Where BYU Basketball's Roster Stands After Dovydas Buika Commitment

The Cougars still have multiple roster spots to fill following the Dovydas Buika Commitment

BYU basketball coach Kevin Young against Iowa State | BYU Photo

After months without new additions to the roster, Kevin Young and the BYU basketball program added Lithuanian combo guard Dovydas Buika on Wednesday. With Buika on board, BYU still has multiple roster spots to fill for the 2026-2027 season.

In this article, we will get an updated look at next year's BYU basketball roster.

Departing Players

Between graduation, the NBA Draft, and the transfer portal, BYU will be replacing 12 out of the 17 players on last year's roster. Seven BYU players entered the transfer portal and all seven have found new homes. Three out of seven landed at high-major programs. Most notably, BYU will have to replace two NBA Draft selections in AJ Dybantsa and Richie Saunders.

1. Mihailo Boskovic - Eligibility expired
2. Keba Keita - Eligibility expired
3. Richie Saunders - NBA Draft
4. AJ Dybantsa - NBA Draft
5. Jared McGregor - Eligibility expired
6. Tyler Mrus - Transfer Portal (The Citadel)
7. Aleksej Kostic - Transfer Portal (Northwestern)
8. Dominique Diomande - Transfer Portal (Pitt)
9. Kennard Davis Jr. - Transfer Portal (Missouri)
10. Xavion Staton - Transfer Portal (Oregon State)
11. Abdullah Ahmed - Transfer Portal (UMass)
12. KJ Perry - Transfer Portal (Fresno State)

Returning Players

BYU will only return five scholarship players from a season ago, and three out of those five missed the majority of the season due to injury. Dawson Baker tore his ACL during the non-conference, and Brody Kozlowski and Nate Pickens never played.

The most important transer addition of the offseason was retaining Robert Wright III. Wright III entered the transfer portal and took a visit to Kentucky before withdrawing and returning to BYU.

1. Robert Wright III
2. Brody Kozlowski
3. Khadim Mboup
4. Nate Pickens
5. Dawson Baker

Incoming Players

So far, BYU has added seven scholarship players to the 2026-27 roster. Three from the transfer portal, two from the high school ranks, one returned missionary, and one ineternational prospect.

1. Collin Chandler - Kentucky transfer
2. Tyler Betsey - Syracuse transfer
3. Jake Wahlin - Clemson transfer
4. Bruce Branch III - High school signee
5. Dean Rueckert - High school signee
6. Brooks Bahr - Returned missionary
7. Dovydas Buika - International signee
8. Adam Stewart - Walk-on

Bruce Branch III will get a lot of attention as the latest five-star freshman to join the program. Branch III has a very high ceiling, but he is not ready to score at the level that AJ Dybantsa did at BYU.

Remaining Spots to Fill

The Cougars still have three two or three scholarship spots to fill. Two of those spots need to go to centers. After months of searching, the Cougars still haven't found their starting center for next season. They are also in need of a backup. The BYU coaching staff has been recruiting the international ranks to find its next starting center. That's partially why it has taken so long, as BYU is waiting to sort out enrollment complications.

According to Kevin Young, the Cougars have been in "lockstep" with one center in particular.

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