An Early Look at the 2021-2022 BYU Basketball Roster

An early look at next year's BYU basketball team.

BYU men's basketball fell to UCLA in their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2015. The Cougars came into the game as the higher seed, but UCLA controlled the game on both sides of the floor en route to a 73-62 victory. Let's take an way-too-early look at the 2021-2022 BYU basketball roster.

Returning Players

• #25 Gavin Baxter
• #0 Hunter Erickson
• #5 Gideon George
• #44 Connor Harding
• #42 Richard Harward
• #20 Spencer Johnson
• #21 Trevin Knell
• #40 Kolby Lee
• #33 Caleb Lohner
• #1 Wyatt Lowell
• #15 Cameron Pearson
• #24 Townsend Tripple
• #10 Jesse Wade
• #2 Brandon Warr

BYU has some young talent returning next season, namely Caleb Lohner, Gideon George, and Gavin Baxter if he can get healthy. In this author's opinion, however, BYU is clearly lacking ball handlers and shot creators from this group. 

BYU's top recruiting targets this offseason will be Barcello and Averette. If one of those two decide to move on, I would expect Mark Pope and staff to be very active in the transfer portal. Mark Pope has already expressed interest in Cincinnati transfer Mike Saunders Jr. Saunders prepped at Wasatch Academy with fellow BYU signees Richie Saunders, Caleb Lohner, and Fousseyni Traore. He was a four-star recruit out of the 2020 recruiting class.

Cincinnati transfer Mike Saunders Jr. tells @Stockrisers he’s heard from BYU, Utah State, ETSU, Texas A&M, Georgia, Xavier, Tulane, Marquette, UNLV, Penn State, Ohio, Toledo, South Carolina, and many others.

Is slated to speak with Frank Martin’s staff this evening.

— Jake (@jakeweingarten) March 17, 2021

Incoming Signees

• Fousseyni Traore (F)
• Atiki Ally Atiki (C, not officially signed yet)
• Nate Hansen (PG)
• Trey Stewart (G)

Atiki Ally Atiki has the potential to be a very good player for BYU, but he might need a few years to develop. Traore is in a similar situation - high ceiling but he might need some time to develop. Nate Hansen will be returning home from a mission. This article was updated to include Trey Stewart. Stewart was a late addition to the 2019 class.

Pending Decisions

• #13 Alex Barcello
• #4 Brandon Averette

Matt Haarms has already stated that he won't return to BYU for another season. However, nothing is official. Due to COVID-19, Barcello and Averette could return for one more season. They will likely announce their decisions to either stay or leave over the next few weeks.

Another storyline to follow this season will be outgoing transfers. Will any of the returning players decide to enter the portal? If there is one thing we learned from last offseason, Coach Pope and staff will leave no stone unturned in terms of roster additions.

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