Syracuse guard Joe Girard III, left, talks with Syracuse assistant coach Gerry McNamara, proper, earlier than a sport in opposition to Duke in Syracuse, N.Y., Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. Girard is among the many gamers BYU is reportedly chasing within the switch portal. Nick Lisi, Related Press
BYU head coach Mark Pope talks to Jaxson Robinson after beating the Weber State Wildcats in Provo on Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022. Pope and his employees are busy scouring the switch portal forward getting into the Large 12. Ben B. Braun, Deseret Information
In his question-and-answer session with reporters final month after the not too long ago concluded season, BYU basketball coach Mark Pope acknowledged that he and his employees could be “tremendous aggressive” within the switch portal in an try so as to add veterans to his comparatively younger roster because the Cougars head into the Large 12 this fall.
“You get an opportunity to be the place you most need to be and the place you imagine you have to be. That’s most likely a constructive for these younger guys.” — BYU coach Mark Pope on the switch portal
Virtually a month later, it’s clear that Pope is being true to his phrase — BYU has been very energetic within the switch portal, to place it mildly.
Pope is an enormous proponent of the switch portal, underneath the appropriate circumstances.
Lengthy earlier than the switch portal existed, Pope skilled transferring as a participant, going from the College of Washington to the College of Kentucky, the place he gained a nationwide championship.
“You get an opportunity to be the place you most need to be and the place you imagine you have to be,” he mentioned. “That’s most likely a constructive for these younger guys.”
Will the Cougars’ impending membership within the Large 12 give them a lift in relation to attracting transfers?
Which gamers are Pope and his employees pursuing?
And the way a lot will identify, picture and likeness affect potential transfers?
Transfers that the Cougars are chasing
When nationwide school basketball analysts report on social media about gamers getting into the switch portal, and which colleges are reaching out to these gamers, BYU seems on a whole lot of these lists.
One of the crucial high-profile transfers the Cougars are going after is Syracuse guard Joe Girard. And BYU is within the combine for his providers.
Girard hails from the identical highschool — Glens Falls Excessive — that produced Cougar legend Jimmer Fredette, who was considered one of Girard’s idols rising up.
Girard signed with Syracuse, the place he loved a strong profession, averaging 12.4 factors per sport. He's scheduled to have in-home visits with BYU, Clemson and Notre Dame, in keeping with a number of retailers.
One other intriguing prospect for the Cougars is Steven Ashworth, a Lone Peak Excessive product who grew up a BYU fan. He averaged 16.2 factors and 4.5 assists whereas capturing 43.4% from 3-point vary final season as he helped Utah State to a 26-9 document and an NCAA Match look.
Others that the Cougars have focused and are making a run for, in keeping with stories, embody:
Texas A&M CC guard Trey Tennyson; Charlotte’s 6-foot-11 Aly Kalifa; North Texas’ 6-10 Abou Ousmane; Marshall’s 7-1 Micah Handlogten (who has dedicated to Florida); Oregon State’s Glenn Taylor Jr.; UC Irvine’s Dawson Baker (who's a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints); Southern Illinois’ Marcus Domask; Penn State’s Kebba Njie; and Cal State Fullerton’s Latrell Wrightsell Jr.
As of April 10, BYU had misplaced one participant to the portal — freshman Braeden Moore, who redshirted final season.
NIL and the switch portal, ‘the BYU method’
Title, picture and likeness performs an enormous consider switch selections, significantly now that athletes are allowed to earn cash.
Pope trumpets the truth that guard Trey Stewart was one of many first athletes to start out an NIL enterprise. Fousseyni Traore and Atiki Ally Atiki have each began foundations to assist individuals from their native nations. Gideon George additionally began a basis, gathering footwear for individuals at house in Nigeria.
Nonetheless, school athletes from overseas nations should take care of challenges that make it tough for them to monetize their skills.
ESPN.com not too long ago reported that BYU has helped gamers like George earn money.
“Pupil visa guidelines don’t stop athletes from receiving cash whereas on American soil if the work that generated that cash was completed elsewhere,” ESPN.com reported.
Based on ESPN.com, George allowed a Utah-based automobile dealership to make use of images of him in ads in trade for the usage of a automobile.
Whereas BYU gained’t be capable to compete with many applications across the nation, Pope has admitted that this system has fallen quick in some recruiting battles as a result of NIL.
“That’s an area the place we’re going to proceed to develop and learn how to do it in a method that’s in concord with our college,” he mentioned. “This NIL cash is an actual a part of this. It isn't the end-all, be-all. There are some applications that had been actually profitable about shopping for groups. This can be a actual a part of this course of.
“It’s going to be a sophisticated factor right here at BYU. It’s a really new idea right here. Donors and followers are appropriately cautious. … We aren't on the innovative proper now of NIL. And that’s OK. That’s most likely acceptable for BYU.
“I do assume we’ll proceed to develop there. It’s a massively essential a part of school athletics proper now,” he continued. “We’re going to determine that out the BYU method. For us, it’s most likely not going to be at a spot the place it serves as a fast repair. Hopefully, we will discover a method the place it’s an extremely constructive expertise for our student-athletes and may be greater than only a money handout.”
Pope is attempting to leverage the benefits and alternatives that BYU affords.
“The storyline of NIL at a whole lot of locations is guys receiving a examine. What you’re seeing from our guys is, they’re going to make a large distinction on the earth,” he mentioned. “We’re past happy with that. It may not be the open-the-door promote, however in the long term it’s a profitable system.”
BYU head coach Mark Pope talks to Jaxson Robinson after beating the Weber State Wildcats in Provo on Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022. Pope and his employees are busy scouring the switch portal forward getting into the Large 12.
Ben B. Braun, Deseret Information