DICKSON: Like BYU coach Kevin Young said in Monday’s news conference, these decisions are always very personal. Demin shared with the media how difficult it was to chose to leave Provo because he’s had a really great experience here. The common belief is that if you are a lottery pick, you need to take advantage of that while you’re hot. Who knows what could happen in a year’s time? It was Demin’s dream to play in the NBA and this is his path to get there. Having said that, I still believe there would be a lot to gain and experience in a second season with the Cougars. A deep run in the NCAA Tournament is special. BYU has never gone to a Final Four and to be part of that would be amazing. But realize, this was always the plan when Young brought Demin into his program. Mission accomplished, and it’s a shining example for other top recruits that BYU can send one-and-dones to the NBA.
LLOYD: I don’t really know if there is a wrong move for Demin in this case.
Which choice will help him develop his basketball skills? Both.
Which choice will result in being paid significant amounts of money? Both.
Which choice would put him in position to face really good competition? Both.
I think staying at BYU would’ve been a way to lock in on really improving his game since the NBA can be even more of a cutthroat world than modern college basketball, but it’s not that big of a difference. And that will be offset by more guaranteed money at the next level.
This is what pretty much everyone expected him to do, despite holding out a little hope about the benefits of seeing him in a BYU uniform for another season. He had to choose a path and I hope it turns out to be a good decision for a talented and likeable young man.
2. Where do you think Demin will be selected in this June’s NBA Draft?
LLOYD: There still could be some movement here during the team workouts and interview prior to the draft itself, but as of right now I would project Demin to be around No. 11 or 12.
That’s not as high as he was slotted prior to the season but there were certainly times during 2024-25 where his turnovers and inconsistent shooting were concerning. I don’t think that will go unnoticed by some teams.
But I doubt he’ll drop that far. He made strides at the end of the year and still brings tremendous court sense and basketball IQ to the table (as well as his 6-foot-9 frame and a lot of upside). That’s why I think he might not be in the Top 10 but he’ll still hear his name called fairly early in the draft process.
DICKSON: I’ve seen a half-dozen mock drafts that have Demin anywhere from No. 8 to late first round. Understand that those things can move up and down over the next couple of months as Demin works out for numerous NBA franchises. All it takes is one GM to fall in love with him and the sky is the limit. I would hope for somewhere in the Top 10, but more than likely around 12 would be great for Demin. His skill set will work with a lot of different teams.
3. What does BYU men’s basketball coach Kevin Young have to do to keep his program on the rise?
DICKSON: Nothing like setting high expectations for 2025-26, right? Anything short of a Final Four would likely be thought of as a disappointment among the Cougar faithful. BYU has some nice building blocks in returners Richie Saunders (probably), Keba Keita and Dawson Baker along with superstar recruit A.J. Dybantsa. But don’t get it twisted, Young and his staff have a lot of work to do in the portal and this off-season to match or exceed the 2024-25 results. We can see the Cougars have plenty of money to work with but it’s still all about the chemistry you can build. BYU could use a point guard or two (obviously), a big man and shooting is always welcome.
Also, a more challenging non-conference schedule might be the way to go. Even Young said last year’s slate was kind of weak.
LLOYD: This is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately college sports world, so while Young’s good first season is certainly a reason to be optimistic about the future for BYU hoops, there are no guarantees.
There are many coaches who have good seasons, only to suffer through a bad stretch and end up losing their jobs (2023 NBA champion Michael Malone who just got fired by the Denver Nuggets comes to mind).
So, Mr. Young, it’s pretty simple: Just keep winning.
His challenge is to show that this past season wasn’t an outlier made possible in large part due to the athletes brought in by Mark Pope. As Young gets in more and more of his players, it has to produce results on the basketball court.
The expectations are now higher, at least externally, and so failures will appear more severe. I think Young needs to be in the top half of the Big 12 in 2025-26 and win another NCAA tournament game to perpetuate the momentum.
4. What do you make of BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff telling reporters he wants to win the Heisman Trophy in 2025?
LLOYD: My takeaway is I want every single one of the Cougar players feeling the exact same way. No, traditionally we haven’t seen many defensive players be in the conversation and no offensive linemen have won since 1949, but why not have that as the goal?
I think athletes should always have the goal of being the absolute best, both individually and collectively. So go ahead and put that out there.
But there is a caveat here: You better be ready to back it up with your performance.
Retzlaff (and any other athletes who say something similar) now have put an extra helping of pressure on their plates and have to deal with that. If you can handle it, it’s not a big deal — but not everyone can.
DICKSON: I was there during that interview and I couldn’t help thinking how far Retzlaff has come in his career, from missing out on his senior year of high school due to COVID, to two different JC’s and the rough start in 2023. I think it’s cool he has high goals for himself and the BYU offense in 2025. Do I think he’s a long shot to win the Heisman? Sure. Do I think he believes he’s talented enough to make a run at it? Yes, again. I think the BYU coaches would much rather have that kind of moxie than someone who doesn’t believe in himself. Retzlaff’s goals might draw some chuckles from detractors (ie, Ute fans), who love to troll everything coming out of Provo. But Retzlaff doesn’t care. He’s going to have a big year in 2025 and who knows what he can accomplish?
5. What do you think will be the biggest challenge for new BYU women’s basketball coach Lee Cummard?
DICKSON: Cummard has always had a great touch in building relationships with players as an assistant coach. It’s a different dynamic for a head coach, who’s got to play ‘Bad Cop’ a lot more often because he is the last word on everything. I believe Cummard has the experience and the coaching skill to be successful but, man, the Cougars play in a tough league. Finding the right talent AND the right system to utilize that talent is a tough gig in the Big 12, as Amber Whiting found out in her two years in the league. BYU needs to move from the bottom third of the standings to the middle third to feel like things are progressing, and that’s a big ask in the Big 12. So far, Cummard has been able to retain top talent like Delaney Gibb and Kailey Woolston. Let’s see how he’s able to work the transfer portal and the recruiting world. That will give us more of a idea of how he’ll fair in Year 1.
LLOYD: Cummard has a lot of good things on his side: He knows the university, he understands recruiting, he has a great grasp of the game and he already has established connections with the current Cougar players.
But he also hasn’t succeeded as a coach yet.
He was part of the coaching staff of the really good BYU teams in 2020-21 and 2021-22, but he’s also been there for the last three seasons when the Cougars haven’t had a winning record.
He’s got to prove that he can get BYU to take a step forward, and that’s going to require a combination of efforts in recruiting, scheme and development. And being in the Big 12 won’t make it easy.