The BYU men's basketball team gets its season officially under way with a big-time game against Villanova in Las Vegas on Monday night.
This season-opener is unlike any other in Cougar history, as this team starts the season ranked No. 8 in the country and has Final Four ambitions.
Daily Universe senior writers, Sam Foster, Zach Hansen and Owen Chapman have gathered their season predictions ahead of the opening tipoff.
Do they think that BYU can win it all?
Will AJ Dybantsa be the consensus No. 1 pick at the end of the season?
Sam Foster: No
I still think that AJ Dybantsa can be the No. 1 pick, dependant on who wins the lottery. However, if the draft was being held today, Duke’s Cam Boozer and Kansas’ Darryn Peterson would go before Dybantsa at No. 3. Boozer has looked otherworldly for Duke so far, and Peterson jumped Dybantsa before the season even started. Dybantsa still can play himself into that No. 1 spot, but I don’t think it will be as consensus of a pick as it was just one year ago.
Zach Hansen: No
It’s going to be almost impossible for any player to separate themselves as the consensus No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA draft. There is an early three-player race between AJ Dybantsa, Kansas' Darryn Peterson and Duke forward Cameron Boozer. There’s no doubt that these three have shown themselves early on as the three most talented players in this class. We might not know who the No. 1 pick in the draft is until the pick is in.
Owen Chapman: Yes
After talking with a Utah Jazz insider, the buzz around the league is that AJ Dybantsa “won’t fall past five” in next year’s draft — and honestly, that sounds right. He’s built like a pro already, plays with nonstop energy, and clearly loves the game. On top of that, he’s a confident, smooth shooter with the kind of mentality NBA scouts love. I don’t see any scenario where he’s not the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft.
Who will BYU miss most from last year's team?
Sam Foster: Mawot Mag
Mawot Mag being inserted into the starting lineup was the turning point for BYU’s historic 2025 season. As a starter, the Cougars went 16-4, and had a completely different defensive identity. All signs point to Southern Illinois transfer Kennard Davis filling this role, but it will be difficult to replace the defensive motor who shot 39.1% from deep.
Zach Hansen: Trey Stewart
BYU will have to find its Trey Stewart in the 2025-2026 season. Although Stewart wasn’t the most talented or best scorer on last year's team, he had an incredible motor that Kevin Young could rely on. BYU will need to find a “glue guy” who is as willing as Stewart was to come in and do the dirty work. With much more talent in the building this season, BYU will need to find the player who will help them win in any way possible.
Owen Chapman: Dallin Hall
Most fans will probably say Fousseyni Traore because he was BYU’s emotional spark plug off the bench, but I think Dallin Hall’s absence will be felt even more. Traore can be replaced more easily — Khadim Mboup should fill that energy role at power forward — but Hall’s leadership and steady hand at the backup point guard position are harder to replace. Rob Wright III is a better scorer and more explosive, but he’s still young and learning how to run an offense without forcing things. Last year, when things got messy with Demin at the helm, coach Kevin Young could always rely on Hall to calm everyone down and organize the offense. That’s not a luxury this team has anymore. Freshman Aleksej Kostić will get some minutes there, but he’s still adjusting to the college game. There’s plenty of scoring on this roster, but experienced backup guards are tough to find, and Hall was exactly that.
Will BYU be the No. 1 seed in the Big 12?
Sam Foster: No
Until the Cougars show that they can beat Houston, who was BYU’s proverbial white whale last season, they will be No. 2 in the pecking order. BYU added a lot more athleticism to its roster, which seems to be in reaction to getting run off the court in both games against Houston in 2025, so don’t expect blowouts this time around. As of today, Houston is still king of the Big 12.
Zach Hansen: No
Kevin Young has the chance to prove himself to be one of the best coaches in the Big 12 in his second year. BYU can only go as far as freshman star AJ Dybantsa will take them. The team to monitor is the Houston Cougars who have been a basketball force for the past several years. BYU will have to click as soon as possible if they want any chance of catching Houston, who will likely find themselves at the top of the Big 12 once again.
Owen Chapman: No
I think BYU ends up as a top-3 seed in the Big 12, but Houston is still the team to beat. The Cougars have the experience and chemistry that BYU’s starting five is still building. We saw a few of those growing pains show up in spurts in the exhibition games against Nebraska and North Carolina. Once this group finds its rhythm, though, they’ll be right there near the top.
Will Richie Saunders' production take a dip with an improved roster around him?
Sam Foster: No
Richie Saunders was one of the best players in all of college basketball, and his play in March Madness was spectacular. Maybe his points per game will diminish from the 16.5 he put up in 2025, but he will still be as impactful. To think that a top-25 — at worst — player in college basketball will have a slump of a season is not a bet I’d be willing to take.
Zach Hansen: Yes
Richie Saunders struggled in the first two exhibition games for the Cougars, but he is the critical piece in just how far this BYU team can go. Saunders will have to take a secondary role behind Dybantsa and play more off the ball. This is perfect for Saunders' play style and he should fit in quite nicely with a higher diet of catch and shoot threes.
Owen Chapman: Yes
Richie Saunders was unreal last season — 50% from the field, 40% from three, and 80% from the line. That’s elite efficiency for anyone, let alone a Power Four college guard. But with more weapons around him this year, it’s only natural his numbers dip a bit. I’m expecting around 48% shooting, 40% from three, and roughly 15 points per game. He’s still going to be a huge part of the offense, just not the go-to guy every night now that Dybantsa and Wright are in the mix.
What is the ceiling for BYU men's hoops?
Sam Foster: National champs
I’m serious. This team last year was one of the best 16 teams in college basketball, and all they did was add the No. 1 high school recruit, the best point guard in the transfer portal, and an impressive ensemble of pieces to shape out this roster. This team is Final Four or bust, and has a legitimate shot to win the national championship for the first time in school history.
Zach Hansen: Final Four
This is the most talented roster in BYU program history, but at the end of the day, only one team can win it all in March. The Cougars will have to get an incredible freshman season from AJ Dybantsa, which all signs are pointing to. Relying so heavily on the production of freshmen is usually not a recipe for success, especially in the Big 12. This BYU team has enough talent to be the first team in Cougars history to make it past the Final Four, but their ceiling ultimately lies on the shoulders of the freshman star Dybantsa.
Owen Chapman: Final Four
This might be one of the best rosters BYU has ever had. You’ve got Richie Saunders, one of the best returning players in the country, paired with AJ Dybantsa, the top overall recruit, plus Rob Wright III, the best transfer guard in the portal, and Keiba Keita, a legit rim protector and lob threat. That core is good enough to hang with anyone. I’d be shocked if BYU isn’t at least a 4-seed in March. The big questions will be about consistency from 3, whether the offense can move the ball well enough, and if the bench can hold its own in extended stretches. If those things come together, this team absolutely has Final Four potential. With the brutal non-conference schedule the Cougars have got, we won’t have to wait long to see how real this team is.