NEW YORK — BYU’s Richie Saunders was drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies in the second round, the No. 32 pick overall, in the 2026 NBA draft.
Saunders is the second BYU player to be drafted in this 2026 draft cycle, with his former teammate AJ Dybansta being drafted No. 1 by the Washington Wizards. This is the first time since 1984 that multiple BYU players were drafted in the same year.
Welcome to the 〽️, Richie Saunders! pic.twitter.com/GFu7ErWehr
— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) June 25, 2026
Saunders spent his entire college career with the Cougars, playing a total of 128 games in BYU blue. During the 2025-26 season, he averaged 18 points a game and 5.8 rebounds with a 48.9 field goal percentage.
He was awarded Big 12 Most Improved Player of the Year during the 2024-25 season, where he held the team's high points per game average with 16.5 points.
In 2025, he helped the Cougars get to the Sweet Sixteen in the 2025 March Madness championship, the first time BYU made it to the Sweet Sixteen since 2011. In that run, he averaged 22 points per game with a 59.5 field goal percentage and 100 percent from the free throw line.
Saunders final season with the Cougars was cut short when he tore his ACL on Feb. 14 in a home game against Colorado.
When he recovers, he will join No. 3 draft pick Cameron Boozer from Duke and No. 21 Karim Lopez, from the New Zealand Breakers, with the Grizzlies.