With the recent announcement of Abdullah Ahmed entering the transfer portal, that makes eight total players from BYU’s roster now in the portal.
The number highlights just how much roster turnover BYU is facing heading into next season.
In this new era of college athletics, it almost feels easier to count the players who stay rather than the ones who leave.
Earlier this year, Ahmed made headlines and became a controversial topic after being one of the first G League players to sign with an NCAA program. Ahmed, who joined the program late in the season, was seen as a unique addition given his professional background.
With only one impact player returning, Khadim Mboup, it will be interesting to see how the BYU basketball team navigates the transfer portal this next season. Head coach Kevin Young and his staff will now have to rebuild a large portion of the roster through the portal. Will they continue going after G League players or international players, or shift their approach?
Rob Wright III is the fifth-ranked player in the transfer portal, according to ESPN. The rumor is he is currently deciding between returning to BYU or transferring to play for former BYU head coach Mark Pope at Kentucky. Retaining Wright would be a huge win for BYU basketball.
Two former BYU players have already found new homes. Xavion Staton is headed to Oregon State, and Dominique Diomande will be going to Pitt.
Several other players, including Tyler Mrus, Kennard Davis Jr., Aleksej Kostic and KJ Perry, remain in the portal and available.
While it is unknown if Wright is the only player BYU is actively trying to retain, the program still has a lot of work to do to finish building next season’s roster. With the portal still active, that roster could continue to change in the coming weeks.