BYU basketball: 3 players on Kevin Young's Cougars roster to watch ft. Egor Demin
Kevin Young is eyeing a perfect start as head coach of the BYU basketball team. The former NBA assistant coach joined the Cougars in April 2022, following the departure of Mark Pope, who left for Kentucky.
Young, who previously worked as an assistant at the Phoenix Suns and Philadelphia 76ers, has already done remarkable things, marking the start of his era at BYU basketball. He added several new faces to the roster, including four freshman recruits and two transfers, and also brought back players like Richie Saunders and Dallin Hall.
BYU was tied with Kansas for fifth place in the Big 12 standings last season with a 10-8 record and was eliminated in the first round of the 2024 NCAA tournament. Young looks forward to building the squad based on last season's performance and trying to make a deep run in the tournament this upcoming season.
3 must-watch BYU basketball stars for 2024 season
#1 Fousseyni Traore
Fousseyni Traore, a 6-foot-6 senior forward, was arguably one of the best players up front behind Jaxson Robinson and Noah Waterman in the 2023-24 campaign. In 26 games, he averaged 10.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists and a 62.6 field goal percentage per game, with just eight starts.
Traore was named to the All-Big 12 First Team and received an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention in 2024. His career highlights at BYU include:
- 19 career double-doubles
- 1st in field goal percentage (.606)
- 236 offensive rebounds
- Scored in double figures 54 times
#2 Egor Demin
Probably the biggest freshman signing in BYU basketball history, Egor Demin joined Kevin Young's team in May. The 6-foot-8 international sensation is expected to start as a shooting guard for the Cougars and is predicted to be a top player for the team.
Demin previously played for Real Madrid B in the Liga EBA. In 2023, he helped Baloncesto to win the Euroleague Basketball Next Generation Tournament. The 2006-born athlete averaged 13.0 points and 5.1 rebounds per game during the 2023-24 season.
#3 Kanon Catchings
Kanon Catchings is another BYU basketball freshman with huge potential. The 6-foot-8 Atlanta native played for Overtime Elite last season. Though he may not feature in the starting lineup right away, he is too talented to be left out of the game for long.
Catchings is rated 94 by 247 Sports and is ranked among the top 40 high school players in the class of 2024. He also ranks third among recruits in the state of Georgia.