If Cougars were cars, BYU basketball coach Kevin Young would have quite a fleet and a garage loaded with collector’s items — including the game’s most sought-after new model. The coach still has a few vacant stalls to fill, but the ensemble already assembled has basketball aficionados eager for that clarion call of “Start your engines!”
When the Cougars fire up the season against Villanova on Nov. 3 in Las Vegas they will roll out their new product like a glamorous auto show — with something for just about everyone.
Here is a glimpse of the lineup.
AJ Dybantsa: Lamborghini — The world’s No. 1 high school recruit and future lottery pick is a Lamborghini. AJ Dybantsa brings style, pizzazz and a presence the likes BYU has never seen before. When a Lamborghini drives by, people take notice. The car is marketed as a work of mobile art that moves differently from the others. The 6-foot-9 Dybantsa is coming to Provo to push BYU beyond the boundaries of the Sweet 16.
Richie Saunders: Maserati — BYU’s returning First Team All-Big 12 performer is a Maserati. Richie Saunders slashed through defenses last year like this Italian luxury car weaves through traffic. His 16.5 points per game led the Cougars in scoring and combined with his relentless inner motor, like a Maserati, the 6-5 Saunders delivered a mighty roar and drove BYU to a spectacular 26-10 season.
Keba Keita: Tank — Few will ever forget Keba Keita’s powerful blocks and thunderous dunks during his BYU debut. The massive man from Mali is a tank. At 6-8 and 229 pounds, Keita blocked 41 shots and grabbed a team-high 275 rebounds. Like a tank, which is coated in armor, yet mobile on the battlefield, Keita is a force in the middle that can change a game with one big blast.
Rob Wright III: Porsche — Rob Wright III is a Porsche who can turn corners on a dime and hit full throttle in a flash. Advanced in his skills, the 6-foot Baylor transfer will lead BYU at point guard. Drivers who appreciate high-performance machines favor the Porsche. Coaches who demand a high-performance guard want Wright — which is why Young went out and got him. The All-Freshman Big 12 honoree replaces Egor Demin, who earned the same accolade but traveled at a different speed.
Kennard Davis Jr.: Cadillac Escalade — At 6-6 and 216 pounds, Kennard Davis Jr. is a Cadillac Escalade. He is a full-size luxury guard with a powerful engine and features that make him tough to stop. Davis averaged 16.3 points and 4.9 rebounds last year for Southern Illinois. The Escalade offers advanced driver-assistance features and a variety of entertainment options — Davis does too. His ability to drive to the basket and finish at the rim will be very entertaining for BYU fans.
Dawson Baker: Honda Civic — On a team of Lamborghinis, Maseratis and Porsches, Dawson Baker is a Honda Civic — and that’s no knock on the senior guard — just the opposite. The Civic is trumpeted as the world’s most reliable car. Young trusts Baker to run his offense, hit the 3 and make his foul shots. Like the durable Civic, Baker stayed out of the shop last season — playing healthy in all 36 games while averaging 7.5 points.
Dominique Diomande: Bugatti — Dominique Diomande is a Bugatti. The Frenchman is fast and aggressive. The Bugatti is the swiftest car in France, capable of reaching speeds over 280 mph. Of the 6-7 forward, Young said, “He brings a unique level of speed and athleticism. He is an elite defender.”
Xavion Staton: Ford Expedition — Xavion Staton is American-made, just like the Ford Expedition — and both are full-sized SUVs. At 7-feet tall, the Las Vegas product is the second highest rated high school recruit in program history — behind Dybantsa. The Expedition is big enough to tow and haul. Staton, with his spacious wingspan, can block and dunk.
Khadim Mboup: Mitsubishi L200 — The most popular car in Senegal is the Mitsubishi L200 — a mid-size pickup truck known for toughness and agility. Khadim Mboup was a mid-season pickup for Young from NBA Academy Africa and redshirted. At 6-9, the freshman mirrors the sales pitch for the L200 — a strong frame, durable suspension, and a powerful engine. Young calls him “an elite level athlete.”
Brody Kozlowski: Ford F-150 — Brody Kozlowski and the Ford F-150 is a match made in heaven. Both are described as a workhorse with robust capability and versatility. At 6-8 and 231 pounds, Kozlowski can defend and shoot the 3. A hand injury sidelined him last season but with an expected medical redshirt, Kozlowski will have four years to help drive the Cougars where they haven’t gone before.
Mihailo Boskovic: Fiat 500X — Serbia produces cars for Fiat and the 500X is a crossover multi-use vehicle, not unlike the skillset of Mihailo Boskovic. The 6-10 Serbian has a guard-like shooter’s touch while standing tall enough to defend at the rim. Boskovic gave BYU a big boost in the Big 12 Tournament when he scored 11 points and grabbed five rebounds in the Cougars’ quarterfinal win against Iowa State.
Tyler Mrus: BMW MS — In the latest addition to the fleet, Idaho transfer Tyler Mrus fits the mold of a BMW MS. The car features a swift, mid-size body with high-end performance features. Mrus is a 6-7 guard who averaged 9.7 points and shot an impressive 38.2 percent from the 3-point line last year for the Vandals.
Kevin Young: NASCAR hauler — The job of a NASCAR Hauler is to transport cars to the racetrack. With his fleet mostly assembled, it’s Young’s job to get his guys to the new season. The challenge for the second-year head coach and staff, with such a wide variety of makes and models, will be to get all the engines running together — and that’s the fun part too.
Glitz and glamour
On the heels of a Sweet 16 appearance and with early preseason projections in everybody’s Top 10, BYU’s expectations are already in high gear and there is no showroom floor better equipped to roll out the new look than Las Vegas.
Not even the city tabbed as the Entertainment Capital of the World has seen a Lamborghini, Maserati, Porsche, Escalade and Tank on a basketball floor together — but it will on Nov. 3 when the Cougars clash with Villanova at T-Mobile Arena.
No matter what happens on that night in Vegas, win or lose, won’t stay in Vegas. It’s just the start of a much-anticipated five-month journey BYU hopes will end 1,830 miles east in Indianapolis at the program’s first ever Final Four.
There are no guarantees, but hope is sky high because the Cougars finally have the engines that can get them there.
Dave McCann is a sportswriter and columnist for the Deseret News and is a play-by-play announcer and show host for BYUtv/ESPN+. He co-hosts “Y’s Guys” at ysguys.com and is the author of the children’s book “C is for Cougar,” available at deseretbook.com.