💔 HEARTBREAKING NEWS: BYU Head Coach Kevin Young Stunned as Multiple Players Declare Unexpected Decisions
PROVO, Utah — What appeared to be a routine offseason has shaken Cougar Nation to its core this week, as BYU men’s basketball head coach Kevin Young privately reacts in shock to a wave of unexpected departures via the transfer portal.
The first seismic blow arrived on April 8, when freshman guard Egor Demin stunned BYU and NBA fans alike by declaring for the NBA Draft after just one season—leaving the program without a true point guard . In a now‑viral moment, Young quipped, “I only speak English, sorry guys,” in an attempt to bring levity—but his eyes betrayed the gravity of losing a multilingual calming force who had quickly become the team’s on‑court extension.
Then, within days, senior guard Dallin Hall, coming off an All‑Big 12 campaign, quietly entered the transfer portal despite having returned only last season . Shortly thereafter, freshman Elijah Crawford—all of 5.2 minutes per game—also opted to seek a new opportunity, compounding Young’s mounting concerns .
The result? A depleted backcourt and a hasty need for a point guard they no longer appear to have. And it hit Coach Young hard. “We’ve been preparing for this since day one,” he reminded reporters, citing a basketball staff he modeled as an “NBA front office” with global recruiting capabilities .
Still, the news leaves a rugged path ahead. When asked if he felt blindsided, Young paused, then replied: “Our staff has scouted nonstop. We won’t rush. We’ll do this right.”
Cougar supporters are now bracing for a major restart—not just in strategy, but in identity. Young, a former NBA and BYU assistant, must now recruit new portal additions and realign his rotation—with little margin for error.
This weekend wasn’t just dark—it was devastating. But BYU’s coach reaffirmed that this storm will be met the same way every Cougar does: with faith, grit, and unyielding hope.
