Grace Hollars / USA TODAY NETWORK BYU’s roster and staff is beginning to take shape. Kevin Young has hired the full allotment of 5 assistant coaches, and BYU has 11 of its 13 scholarships filled. BYU is working to fill the last two spots, and I believe at least one of those will be someone that can play the 4 and/or 5. Below is some of the latest in BYU basketball recruiting. AJ Dybantsa Visit Recap The #1 recruit in the 2025 class took an unofficial visit to BYU last Monday, right after the dead period ended. Dybantsa recently committed to play his senior year at Utah Prep in Hurricane, Utah and visited the Utah Prep campus before heading up north. I wrote about some background on AJ when I broke the story that he would visit BYU. Sources close to AJ tell me the visit went very well. One source on AJ’s side told me that BYU is “definitely in the running” due to Kevin Young’s NBA experience and NBA centric staff. Additionally, AJ wants to take an official visit to BYU in fall and is planning to take one during football season so he can see that game experience. Chris Paul, one of Kevin Young’s former players, talked to AJ during his visit. AJ will have his pick of any school in the country and is likely the #1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. BYU has put themselves firmly in contention for AJ and will do everything they can to land one of the best high school players in the last decade. Kanon Catchings BYU is looking to fill the last two scholarships to finish out the 2024-2025 roster. At least one of those spots will likely go to someone that can play the 4 or 5. When I wrote about new assistant Tim Fanning’s hiring earlier this week, I mentioned 3 2024 players he coaching at Overtime Elite; Kanon Catchings was one of those players. The 6-foot-9 4-star forward is a top 40 player in the 2024 class and recently was released from his National Letter of Intent at Purdue. BYU immediately reached out to Catchings due his connection with Tim Fanning and the opportunity he has for playing time at BYU. BYU’s ability to prepare him for the NBA is also enticing to Kanon. Joe Tipton tweeted Saturday morning that Catchings is planning to take a visit to BYU. Sources tell me that Kanon will BYU visit BYU Tuesday. Former Purdue signee Kanon Catchings tells me he’s planning to visit BYU and Florida State. https://t.co/83t5QC2BG9— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) June 8, 2024 Former Purdue signee Kanon Catchings, a top-40 recruit, tells me he's considering a visit to Tennessee.Florida State, BYU, among others are also involved.https://t.co/65W6UdQWb6 https://t.co/M2iiXVchdY pic.twitter.com/fDp4t3SqMW— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) June 8, 2024 Catchings can play either the 3 or 4 and would have an opportunity to start if he were to come to BYU. At a minimum he would be slotted for a surefire role in the rotation. The first word that comes to mind for Catchings is “shot maker.” Catchings can make contested shots and create his own offense. During his one season at Overtime Elite he averaged 14.4 points and shot 55% from the field and 36% from three. Catchings can score from all levels at the floor and can stretch the defense with his ability to knockdown outside shots. If BYU were to land Catchings, he would be the highest rated recruit in program history according to 247’s composite rankings (unless Egor Demin gets a rating). Kanon can get stronger if he wants to consistently play the four at a high level, but he has the skill, athleticism and size to make a major impact at BYU in year one. Catchings can play either forward spot and would likely play both at BYU, but I see a clearer path to playing time at the four at BYU due to his ability to stretch the four and the lack of true fours BYU currently has. Mawot Mag and Brody Kozlowski are the current players on BYU’s roster that are best suited to play the four. Catchings has NBA upside as a potential one-and-done player and would be a great addition for BYU. ESPN mocked him to go #22 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft. Catchings’ aunt is WNBA Hall of Famer Tamika Catchings and his mom, Tauja, was an All-Conference player at Illinois and played briefly in the WNBA. You can watch highlights of Catchings below.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/iOKWWmwi3ok?rel=0
Others to Watch
- 4-star guard Jamari Phillips had been linked to BYU due to a tweet that said he was planning to take a BYU visit, but he committed to Oregon earlier today. Sources tell me that BYU buzz largely came from Phillips’ side and there was no meaningful contact with BYU.
- BYU is in contact with several international players. Tim Fanning and Will Voigt have deep international connections that they are tapping into. What happens with Catchings and other players will dictate what happens with the international players BYU is talking to. International players sometimes don’t sign until August, so BYU doesn’t have a big rush with the guys they are talking to.
- One specific name international name I’ll put out there is Israel’s Ron Zipper. Zipper is already 21-years-old and has been playing in Israel’s top pro league. He has been in contact with BYU. A 6-foot-3 guard, Zipper is an elite shooter that first burst onto the scene at the FIBA U18 games in 2021. Don’t take this as Zipper is BYU’s top target and is imminent to sign, he is just one of the players BYU is talking to. Zipper doesn’t fit BYU’s top need as a guard, but Kevin Young has stated that he always wants more shooting and Zipper can certainly shoot.
23 PTS
3 3PT
4 STL
MAJOR QUARTERFINAL W pic.twitter.com/uqZiaLZDeC— Sports Rabbi (@thesportsrabbi) July 14, 2023 Ron Zipper is the top European recruit of this class as of now
21 years old, 4 years eligibility, 2 year pro, Israeli premier league playerFIBA U18 tournament MVP (2021)Starter for Israel U20 (2023, finalist) NBA level 3pt shooter (lefty!!)Shoot 45% from 3 in his… pic.twitter.com/f8dgsSArmf— Yuval Shaham (@yuval59) May 10, 2024 - Adam Stewart recently returned from his mission in France. The 6-foot-11 big man committed to BYU before his mission as a walk-on with a full academic scholarship. He was rated a 3-star prospect by ESPN.
Source: https://www.vanquishthefoe.com/2024/6/8 ... fer-portal