Potential No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa has dominated NBA draft discourse, while his BYU teammate Richie Saunders is widely projected to be drafted in the second round.
But Dybantsa and Saunders aren't the only Cougars receiving NBA attention.
Former BYU big man Keba Keita has been active in the pre-draft process, working out with 11 NBA teams and participating in the G League combine .
According to HoopsHype , Keita has been hosted for workouts by the Brooklyn Nets , Chicago Bulls , Dallas Mavericks , Houston Rockets , Los Angeles Clippers , Los Angeles Lakers , New Orleans Pelicans , New York Knicks , San Antonio Spurs , Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards .
Once considered a possible second round draft pick, Keita likely won't be selected next month. He currently ranks No. 82 on NBA Draft Room 's big board and doesn't appear on any notable mock drafts .
However, the Mali native remains an intriguing professional prospect, as his nearly dozen NBA workouts indicate.
Keita makes up for a lack of size — he measured in at under 6-foot-7 without shoes earlier this month — with impressive athleticism compared to his peers in the paint.
His standing vertical leap of 31.5 inches at the G League combine would have ranked third among NBA combine centers, while his results in the three-quarter court sprint (3.21 seconds) and max vertical leap (37 inches) would have each ranked fifth.
In a pair of scrimmages with other G League combine participants, Keita averaged 13.5 points and 8.5 rebounds on 76% shooting, including a 19-point, 10-rebound effort in his second outing.
Arriving at BYU following two years at Utah, Keita averaged 6.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game across two seasons with the Cougars. He proved to be an exceptional shot blocker, effective overall defender and rabid rebounder while being tough to stop above the rim offensively.
While a concussion and hand injury limited his impact at times during his senior season, Keita did record 16 contests of multiple blocks along with season highs of 23 points (against Cal Baptist), 16 rebounds (at Kansas State) and seven swatted shots (against Miami ).
Considering Keita's scoring ability primarily consists of rolling to the basket, catching lobs and going up for putbacks, he isn't an outside shooting threat, nor does he possess strong ball-handling skills.
These current offensive limitations, coupled with his size, complicate Keita's path to the NBA, which is clearly an uphill climb.
But his NBA workouts could generate connections for a G League landing spot, where Keita could further develop offensively and have the opportunity to show how his defense stacks up against better competition. His athleticism alone should at least merit a look or two in the G League. Perhaps Keita even scores an NBA summer league invite.
And regardless of if the G League works out, Keita should have his pick of international opportunities, joining the likes of fellow former BYU bigs Brandon Davies , Yoeli Childs and Fousseyni Traore in making good money overseas.
BYU center Keba Keita (13) dunks the ball on a fast break against Iowa State during an NCAA basketball game held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
