Three months ago this week, a new era began at BYU.
It was ushered in by a "Woj bomb" — a social media report from ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski — and made official by BYU just minutes later .
Amid the vast uncertainty surrounding Cougar basketball following Mark Pope's move to Kentucky and a number of key players entering the transfer portal, Kevin Young arrived in Provo to restore hope to the Marriott Center.
Though he has yet to coach a game at BYU, Young's tenure with the Cougars has already generated more excitement than any other offseason in recent memory, and perhaps even in program history.
The highly-regarded former NBA assistant has done things no one else in his position has ever done before, and in rather rapid fashion.
Three months in, here's a recap of the Kevin Young era at BYU.
(Note that the dates indicate when news of each event became public. Many events likely occurred earlier behind the scenes.)
Just four days after Mark Pope's official hiring at Kentucky, BYU announced Phoenix Suns assistant Kevin Young as its new head coach.
Young was the NBA's highest-paid assistant coach and in the running for a number of head coaching jobs around the league at the time of his hiring in Provo. While his impressive professional credentials made him a rather surprising hire for BYU, Cougar fans were thrilled to have him at the helm of their program.
"Kevin is someone we have had our eye on for a while," BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe said in a statement following the hire. "He has risen to the top of NBA assistant coaching ranks. He has been a lead candidate for NBA head coaching jobs and has been instrumental in developing top-level NBA talent. Kevin will bring a new perspective, with an extensive NBA background to our program. He is a phenomenal fit at BYU. He is humble, fun and super intelligent. Cougar Nation is going to love getting to know Kevin."
BYU's new men's head basketball coach Kevin Young makes a few remarks during an announcement event in the Marriott Center in Provo on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Young took a quick break from playoff preparation with the Suns to make his first formal appearance at BYU, addressing media members and invited guests at the Marriott Center to comment on his hiring and vision for the program going forward.
"This is an amazing place and it has been for a long time," Young said at the press conference . "What I want to do to take it to the next level is make this place the best place in college basketball to prepare young men to play in the NBA, and with my background, I think we're going to get that done."
Young's first order of recruiting business at BYU was flipping 4-star prospect Brody Kozlowski from USC to the Cougars.
Corner Canyon's Brody Kozlowski shoots over Lone Peak's Luke Fotheringham in a high school boys basketball game in Highland on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
Kozlowski — the No. 3-rated recruit in Utah for 2024 and BYU's No. 6-rated signee all-time — averaged 20 points and nine rebounds per game in his senior year at Corner Canyon High School in Draper.
The first assistant coach added to Young's new staff was Brandon Dunson , who joined the program following two seasons in the same role at Stanford.
Having also coached at Denver , Cal State Fullerton and Nevada, Dunson has a deep West Coast recruiting network.
"I'm thrilled to add Brandon Dunson to my staff at BYU," Young said in a statement. "He's the total package as a basketball coach. He's extremely bright and has an incredibly bright future. Brandon is someone our players and community are going to love. He will be invaluable to me as I transition from the NBA to the college game."
At his introductory press conference, Young emphasized the importance of keeping BYU's current roster intact. Thus, convincing key Cougars contributor Richie Saunders to stay in Provo was a major win.
Brigham Young Cougars guard Richie Saunders (15) celebrates after hitting a 3-point shot as BYU and Oklahoma State play at the Marriott Center in Provo on Saturday, March 9, 2024. BYU won 85-71. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Saunders averaged 9.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per contest on 52.3% shooting this past season, scoring in double figures on 15 occasions while playing solid defense as BYU's "glue guy." He had entered the transfer portal following Pope's exit and was widely projected to end up at Kentucky, but Young's pitch to remain with the Cougars proved too good to turn down.
Perhaps no BYU player was more important to bring back than Dallin Hall , the Cougars' All-Big 12 point guard. Like Saunders, Hall had entered the transfer portal upon Pope's exit.
BYU's head men's basketball coach Kevin Young speaks with Dallin Hall after practice at BYU in Provo on Thursday, June 6, 2024. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
Hall averaged 9.0 points, 5.1 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game while shooting 42.2% from the field and 35.9% from 3-point range in his sophomore effort. His production is even more impressive when considering BYU's lack of point guard depth and Hall's subsequent need to lead the team in minutes in order to keep the Cougars afloat at the position.
Young's second assistant hire was Chris Burgess , who had spent three years on Pope's initial BYU staff before leaving for his alma mater of Utah in 2022.
Along with having prior experience at BYU, Burgess' addition gives Young a staffer with expansive connections in the Utah recruiting scene.
"Chris and I quickly connected," Young said in a statement . "I was impressed with how he sees all the aspects of college basketball. He has a bright mind for the game and is very forward thinking. He will be a great asset to our players and our program. I'm excited about bringing Chris and his family back to BYU."
Young tapped on longtime collegiate assistant and his former G-League staffer Doug Stewart to fill the role of chief of staff, a brand new position likely for navigating matters such as NIL and the transfer portal.
"I'm thrilled that Doug is coming on board as our chief of staff," Young said in a statement . "He brings a wealth of experience both from the administrative and coaching side. Leveraging his knowledge will help us bridge the gap in the new landscape of college athletics. Doug and his beautiful family are a great addition to the BYU community."
For his first transfer addition at BYU, Young brought in former Utah center Keba Keita to bolster the Cougars' frontcourt operation.
Keita averaged 8.3 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 35 games with the Runnin' Utes this past season, now reuniting in Provo with his former Utah assistant Burgess and fellow Mali native and friend Fousseyni Traore.
Former Utah Ute Keba Keita participates in a summer workout at the Marriott Center Annex in Provo on June 6, 2024. | Nate Edwards, BYU Photo
"We couldn't be more excited to welcome Keba to BYU," Young said in a statement . "He fits into our program perfectly both on and off the court. He brings a level of toughness, athleticism, and defense that has been a big priority for us. I can't wait to get to work with him."
Less than a month after signing Kozlowski, Young landed another four-star high school prospect in point guard Elijah Crawford , who turned down the likes of Kansas and Florida to be a Cougar.
Crawford averaged 12.1 points and 5.3 assists last season for hoops powerhouse Brewster Academy in New Hampshire. He originally committed to Stanford — where Dunson had been his lead recruiter — before flipping to BYU.
Elijah Crawford poses during his official recruiting visit at BYU. | BYU Athletics
"We are so excited to welcome Elijah and his family to BYU," Young said in a statement . "He's an outstanding young man ... as one of the best point guards in his class, his ball-handling and playmaking fit perfectly into our program. We look forward to helping him grow his game in Provo."
In his splashiest move at BYU thus far, Young signed Egor Demin , an accomplished European prospect and arguably the most talented recruit in program history.
Demin starred for Real Madrid as a teenager and had emerged as one of the top names for the 2025 NBA draft, being mocked as high as No. 9 overall by ESPN.
Before he potentially becomes a lottery pick, he'll be the star of Young's first BYU squad.
"We are thrilled that Egor and his family are joining us at BYU," Young said in a statement . "He is a special talent with an extremely bright future, and he plays the game the right way. At 6-foot-9, his passing, playmaking and shooting will fit seamlessly into our style of play. Egor has proven himself among the best prospects in Europe in recent years. We look forward to helping him grow and develop on and off the court."
Young made even more noise in the portal by bringing in 4-star Rutgers transfer Mawot Mag , another freak athlete who will likely start for the Cougars this season.
Limited to 17 games in 2023-24, Mag averaged 9.1 points and 3.8 rebounds for the Scarlet Knights and was referred to as "probably the best college defender I've seen in a long, long time" by Maryland head coach Kevin Willard .
Rutgers forward Mawot Mag (3), left, maneuvers against Michigan State forward Coen Carr during an NCAA college basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024, in East Lansing, Mich. | Al Goldis
"Mawot is an outstanding young man who has overcome a lot of adversity in his life," Young said in a statement . "We are thrilled to welcome him and his family to BYU. He has established himself as one of the elite defenders in college basketball, and we love the edge that he plays with. Mawot's experience, energy and toughness are welcome additions to our program."
Young finally filled out the rest of his assistant coach openings by hiring Will Voigt , Tim Fanning and John Linehan to join him on BYU's bench.
Voigt spent six seasons as a head coach in the NBA G League as well as piloting squads in Norway , China , Germany , Egypt and Nigeria . Most notably, he created the "peel switch" defensive strategy that many professional teams have begun to adopt, and now will man the Cougars' defensive coordinating responsibilities.
"Will is someone I've had great respect for," Young said in a statement . "He is a creative thinker, very organized and has an unmatched work ethic. Will has years of head coaching experience in the NBA G-League, as well as vast experience coaching all over the world, including in the Rio Olympics. He's not afraid to push the envelope creatively, especially on the defensive end of the floor. Will is a high-level coach who I will lean on heavily."
Fanning came to BYU from the Overtime Elite developmental league, where he coached top NBA draft prospects and developed deep recruiting connections with rising talent within the sport.
"I'm excited to welcome Tim to BYU," Young said . "He comes with very unique coaching experiences after coaching in the NBA G-League, Euroleague and being a head coach at different levels. Tim has traveled the world learning different philosophies and gained a strong network along the way. He's a very intelligent coach with a strong background in player development. Our entire program will benefit from Tim's expertise."
Linehan, who graduated from Providence as the all-time NCAA record holder for career steals, has been on staffs at St. Joseph's, Georgia, Hartford, Brown and Drexel. He brings an expansive East Coast recruiting network with him to Provo.
"(John) is an exceptional player development coach, who has worked with some of the game's great players," Young said . "John will help our guys get better every day with his energy and passion for development. John is one of the best defensive players in NCAA history and will bring that edge to our program."
Needing to add more size to the roster, Young achieved such a need without having to use a scholarship spot, opting to add Snow College transfer big man Max Triplett as a walk-on.
A Huntsville native who prepped at Weber High, Triplett averaged 14 points and seven rebounds per game at Snow this past season.
"We are excited to add Max to our group at BYU," Young said in a statement . "He had a great career at Snow and has been very well coached. He adds experience, size, and depth to our front court. On top of being a great student-athlete, Max is a great young man. We are thrilled to welcome him and his wife Autumn to BYU."
Young brought another NBA-caliber prospect to BYU with the addition of Kanon Catchings , a onetime Purdue commit who flipped to the Cougars.
An Overtime Elite member, Catchings was coached there by new BYU assistant Tim Fanning. 247 Sports gave Catchings a high four-star rating and 0.9848 composite score, making him the highest-rated recruit in program history.
"Kanon's a big-time talent who brings great size, shooting, and athleticism to Provo," Young said in a statement . "He has basketball in his blood, and we are equally as excited to welcome his family. His defensive ability is as impressive as his offensive talent. We can't wait to get Kanon on campus and get to work with our players and staff. We look forward to helping him develop and thrive in our program."
Young added even more professional experience to his staff by naming Jordan Brady as BYU's director of player development.
A Utah native and former UVU forward, Brady spent a decade coaching in the NBA G League, including two seasons as head coach of the Wisconsin Herd.
"We are so excited to welcome Jordan and his family to BYU," Young said in a statement . "Jordan is the perfect fit for this role as director of player development. He has worked with players at the highest level and knows what it takes to succeed. Having been a head coach, and a successful player, he brings valuable insight as he oversees all aspects of our player development program. He exemplifies everything we want our players to be about. I couldn't be happier to add him to our staff."
Young reportedly used his 13th and final allotted scholarship spot to sign Khadim Mboup , a Senegalese forward out of NBA Academy Africa.
The news was reported by Joe Tipton of On3Sports and has yet to be officially announced by BYU.
The 6-foot-9 high-upside project turns 18 in September and reclassified from the class of 2025 in order to join Young's Cougars for this season.
