Three Things Caleb Lohner Would Bring to BYU Basketball

Caleb Lohner signed with Utah as part of the 2020 recruiting class. Reports surfaced yesterday that Lohner asked to be released from his NLI to play for BYU.

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Caleb Lohner signed with Utah as part of the 2020 recruiting class. Reports surfaced yesterday that Lohner asked to be released from his NLI (national letter of intent) because he wanted play for BYU. UteZone was the first to report the news. Lohner was recruited by the likes of Kansas State, Texas, Baylor, and Texas A&M.

It's unclear whether Utah will release Lohner from his NLI. If they do, Lohner will be eligible to play for BYU this season. If they don't, he would need to transfer and apply for a NCAA waiver to play for BYU basketball next season. Assuming Lohner ends up in Provo, here are three things Lohner would bring to the program:

1. Shooting

Like many recruits BYU has prioritized, Lohner would immediately bring outside shooting to the floor. Lohner's shooting stroke is as pure as it gets - he's got a quick release and his 6'6 frame (listed at 6’6 on 247 Sports, 6’9 on high school website, probably around 6’8) helps him shoot comfortably in traffic.

2. Facilitating

Lohner doesn't possess the ball skills of a Point Guard but he's able to bring the ball up the floor and start the offense. In the system that BYU runs, it's helpful to have multiple guys who can bring the ball and create different offensive sets. Lohner sees the floor well which BYU will be able to utilize.

3. Good Athleticism

Evaluating Lohner's athleticism is unique - he prefers jumping with both feet. He's very athletic off two feet but his vertical substantially decreases when he jumps off only one foot. Jumping off two feet is slower so some players that prefer jumping off two feet can struggle to get their shot off around the rim. Lohner possesses the athleticism to be a solid finisher when he has the time and space to jump off two feet.

Lohner will need to improve his lateral quickness to defend at the next level. There's a lot to like about Lohner's game - he has the potential to make an immediate impact for BYU.

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