BYU Basketball 2015-2016---An In Depth Roster Breakdown

A New Year, A Very New Team

This year's Cougar basketball team has a LOT of new faces. Only five of BYU's 16 rostered players saw active playing time last season. Nevertheless, the team appears appears to be very deep and varied, with a number of notable players with distinct skillsets. 

You might be wondering what all these new players bring to the table. Or you might be a newcomer to watching the Cougars, and want a feel as to who makes up the team. You might just want a review after a long offseason. If any of these apply, this blog post is for you. 

Below is an in-depth look at the complete 2015-2016 BYU Basketball roster---their basic measurements, some biographical notes, and a breakdown of what they bring to the court. I have ordered them by most likely to least likely to see minutes by position, but the talent on this team is good enough that any number of them could step up.

Guards:

PG Kyle Collinsworth

HT: 6'6" WT: 217 lbs Year: Senior Jersey #: 5

Notes: Collinsworth returns for his senior year having shown himself as one of the most versatile players in college basketball. Mr. Triple Double tied the NCAA career record for getting double digits in three stat categories, and set a new record for these in a season with 6. One more and he will own the career record to himself. Kyle was a freshman starter on the Jimmer-led Sweet 16 team, but has not had as much success in post-season play since. It was largely on Collinsworth's excellent play that BYU was able to topple #3/2 Gonzaga in the Kennel last year, one of the best wins in BYU basketball history.

Breakdown: Kyle's length and ball-handling at his position make him a match-up nightmare for most guards across the country, and when he's in the game he generals the BYU offense with experience and acumen. He's a very skilled slasher and transition passer, and finishes around the basket well. He also does well bothering the opposing point guard on defense. Once an average-to-bad free throw shooter, his accuracy improved vastly last year, and as he's around the basket frequently, this is a most welcome improvement. Collinsworth's weakness hitherto has been an inconsistent mid-range game and sub-par 3-point shot. The latter should not be a large issue, as he has plenty of eager shooters to pass to who can put it in the hoop from deep, but he will need to show progress in the former in order to be a complete player. Seeing how much he improved from previous off-seasons, it would be unwise to doubt him.

PG Nick Emery

HT: 6'2" WT: 180 Year: Freshman Jersey #: 4

Notes: Nick Emery comes in as one of the first of perhaps BYU's most highly touted recruiting class in its history---certainly the most in Dave Rose's tenure. He was part of a Lone Peak team that won three straight Utah state titles, and the team that was awarded a Maxpreps National Championship. Nick also has great lineage ties--his older brother Jackson was one of the best defenders in BYU history, and that backing in addition to Nick's offensive arsenal can only help him. He's been described as a "step on the neck" type of player, and in a few short games watching him work at the D1 level, that is beginning to emerge.

Breakdown: Nick is aggressive and capable of all sorts of trickery. He's got sharp dribbling as a true point guard type in body and style, and in high school he had a deep and deadly range. His blend of craftyness, aggression, shooting, and slashing may just prove him to be one of the most dangerous point guards to come to BYU. In fact, Emery has drawn favorable comparisons with not so much his brother but with that other guy on Jackson's team---the Jimmer Fredette. As Nick grows more experienced and confident, his use of crossover and deep, transition threes may garner even more deja vu to His Jimmerness. Likely, Nick has a couple stat points lower in offence but a few higher in defense than BYU's only consensus National Player of the Year. That he's on the same team as Mr. Triple Double is one of the reasons this year could be very exciting. Emery appears to be the heir apparent and primary backup for Kyle, and getting the chance to be his understudy is a golden opportunity. Don't be surprised if his talent and will put him on the floor at the same time as Collinsworth, especially for certain matchups.

PG Cory Calvert

HT: 6'3" WT: 190 lbs Year: Sophomore Jersey #: 23

Notes: Calvert is still fairly fresh off his 2 year LDS mission to Boston, but Coach Rose deemed him in good enough shape to take him on the team's Spain trip. Unfortunately, this also resulted him an ankle injury for the sophomore guard, which may be lingering. Still, plenty of time yet to get it healed. Before his mission, Cory saw backup PG minutes in limited time behind starter Matt Carlino and senior Craig Cusick, which would be a tough rotation for a freshman to crack. Still, he played in 28 games,  

Breakdown: There really isn't much of a sample size to get a full appreciation of Calvert's game at the D1 level, but in spot time he appeared to have solid fundamentals as a PG in terms of ball-handling, and a go-to shot in from three. In fact, if memory serves, he hit a couple big shots from deep against Weber State. What was viewable from his court demeanor was a serious competitor and intense concentration. From his single post-mission interview on BYUtv, he showed a lot of poise and confidence. It's unclear in the relative glut of PGs where Calvert will fall, but from appearances he will at least be a steady presence for the Cougars for years to come.

PG Cooper Ainge

HT: 6'0" WT:180  Year: Freshman (RS) Jersey #: 10

Notes: Cooper is another gift from the fruitful tree of Ainge basketball kids. While none so far have quite broken new ground for themselves away from their illustrious father, the Ainges consistently prove valuable commodities to BYU basketball teams. Coop is an RM who redshirted the 2012-2013 season, so he's got enough experience and background to know what he's doing on the team. He is one of three walk-ons on the roster.

Breakdown: By all indications, Ainge isn't going to get a ton of playing time. This is not so much because he is personally lacking so much that the lineup for PG is so stacked with Collinsworth, Emery, Chatman. and Calvert. In fact, he appears almost to be a smaller, quicker version of Calvert in his limited playing time---solid in controlling the offence, a good deep shooter with good fundamentals, but at 6'0" (shortest on the team) basketball coaches who see two players of similar value will often pick the taller one. Still, it's comforting to know that whenever he is called upon, Cooper should at least keep the Cougar's steady.

SG Chase Fischer

HT: 6'3" WT:190 lbs Year: Senior Jersey #: 1

Notes: Chase transferred from Wake Forest after his sophomore year, and after having sat out the 2013-2014 season, joined the BYU roster as their starting SG. The Demon Deacons style likely didn't mesh well with Fischer's skillset, as they are a controlled possession team that limits shots and Chase is at his best as a volume shooter. As a junior, he hit 103 3-point shots for the Cougars, second most in BYU history to Jimmer Fredette, and also set the record for threes in a game with 10. Fischer's outgoing personality and southern charm make him a fan favorite. He is very, very confident, and largely manages this without seeming arrogant, so points for him.

Breakdown: While he's working to expand his offensive repertoire into the midrange, Fischer at his base is as a bomber from deep. He showed the capability on several occasions to get hot early and splash from progressively longer range with increasing difficulty as his confidence grows. On the flip side, he had trouble recovering from a slow start, especially in the same half of play, and could jack up four or five bricks before the ball had to be taken out of his hands. Still, overall his benefit outweighs his risk, as he is a steady ball handler, careful passer, and when the opportunity permits, makes attacks to the basket that mostly look good---but occasionally get swatted like a dizzy fly. His defense is solid, but unremarkable, and with this being his third year in the program, he should know the system and the plays fully. If he can improve his consistency from three and add a little more dimension inside the arc as he has stated he's worked on in the off season, Fischer can be a very dangerous weapon for the Cougars. He may even break Jimmer's record for 3-pointers in a season. Chase also is a big force for the Cougars in sheer personality. He's got a lot of talk in him---he encourages, jokes, shouts, and leads with vocal power. There was a reason he was made a captain his first year on the active roster.

SG Jordan Chatman

HT: 6'5" WT: 195 Year: Freshman (RS) Jersey #: 25

Notes: Jordan's father Jeff was an all-timer at the Y, and it seemed almost destined he would end up playing for the Cougars. He came back off of his mission right before the start of the season the previous year, so with a body that really wasn't ready for D1 and injury hampering him, Coach Rose granted him a redshirt for the year. On the plus side, a full year training with the team could really give him a leg up.

Breakdown: Chatman has a great combination of height, shot, ball handing, and athleticism. He's one of several all-rounders from the guard position on the team, and although you won't see him posting up much with his slighter frame, he isn't afraid to attack the basket and has some serious hops. During the brief looks at his game so far, his three point shooting looks very smooth. Unfortunately, he's shown a slight propensity toward injury in his young career, but the ones sustained in his first year could be attributed to his body not being ready post-missionary service. At 6'5", it would be good for him to put a little more weight. If he adds some protective muscle, Chatman could be dynamic with attacking the basket and finishing through contact in addition to his smooth shot and confident ball movement.

SG/SF Jake Toolson

HT: 6'5" WT: 205 Year: Sophomore Jersey #: 15

Notes: Jake is yet another from great BYU lineage, having players in his family tree both on the Toolson side and on his mother's (Ainge) side. He and Cooper Ainge are first cousins. Jake saw a lot of spot time in the 2014-2015 season---a fact coach Rose laments, as his skills are legitimate. It's just hard to squeeze a young player in the minutes of all-time scoring leader Tyler Haws or excellent seniors Anson Winder and Skyler Halford. Still, with a year more experience and a whole offseason with the team to polish his skills, it seems clear that Toolson is going to make a huge jump in his sophomore year. 

Breakdown: Yet another offensive weapon with a lot of balance, Toolson has shown very good ball handling for his size and enough speed to cut to the basket for an easy score. However, his most prominent trait on offense is his picture-perfect shooting form, which makes him a danger to score and score easily any time his feet are set. As a player, Jake is extremely confident---rivalling the swagger of Chase Fischer and former player Matt Carlino. In limited looks defending more talented players, Jake seems just adequate. It appears as if he's more focused on offense in general, but time will tell. Recently he's had a couple of looks with a back-to-the-basket moves against smaller guards, but at his size he seems more suited to be a 2 or 3 guard.

SF Zac Seljaas

HT: 6'7" WT: 215 Year: Freshman Jersey #: 2

Notes: Zac finished his high school career as the Utah Gatorade Player of the Year, continuing a run of recruits that the Y has managed to bring to Provo that received at least one of the the states POY honors. Others include Nick Emery(2x), Tyler Haws (2x), Jackson Emery, Kyle Collinsworth, and the upcoming T.J. Haws (Deseret News Mr Basketball each---Nick and Ty got both). The list of GPOY awardees also includes Chris Collinsworth and Chris Miles, the former a promising career cut short by injury, the latter a leader and starter for the Cougs. Looking at that list, it should give you a decent idea of the caliber of player Seljaas has the capability of becoming. 

Breakdown: Zac is long and shifty, and is capable of putting up a shot from all ranges. His 3 point shot has seemed a little streaky in the early season, but between his length and his shooting form (a stop-and-pop with a slight fade) his shot could be extremely difficult to stop when it's on. He's also shown flashes of attacking the basket for rebounds and putbacks, as well as a good step-in-and-fade or two from midrange. Early on, he has been a step slow against defenders, resulting in some foul trouble, but this could just be part of his adjusting to the speed of college players. He also doesn't seem the first choice for handling the ball too much, and seems mostly ideal as a small forward. He'll be fighting Toolson and Chatman for minutes at the 3 made available by Tyler Haws' graduation.

Forwards:

PF Nate Austin

HT: 6'11" WT: 245 Year: Super Senior Jersey #: 33

Notes: Ah, Nate. He is a fan favorite, and for good reason. BYU's exceedingly senior forward is the epitome of a team first guy. With his senior season last year cut short by injuries, he was granted a medical redshirt to continue his eligibility. The only problem was, BYU had a very full roster for this year---they had recruited with the expectation that Nate would not be around for a 6th season. However, instead of trying to transfer or pushing for another player to sit, Nate opted to walk on for his definitely last season. This is a man (at his age, definitely a man) who was a starter and heavy contributor his junior and senior years. So he is basically a free starter-class player added to BYU's roster without using a scholarship. Between he and Cooper Ainge and Alan Hamson (covered below), they form a pretty darn impressive walkon group. Those close to the court always know that Nate Austin is there by his distinctive roar, earning him the nickname and twitter handle @RexosaurusRex.

Breakdown: Hustle, rebounding, putbacks, hustle, post defense, drawn charges, and I feel it imperative to once again put hustle. Nate Austin is the man who will put his incredibly long frame on the floor for loose balls, scrabble after the ball when someone bricks a shot, and get your team 5-6 extra possessions a game just by outworking everyone else. That and his sheer length are his greatest assets. Although Austin has a good shot in certain situations (primarily a mid-range fade, from the elbows or around 15 feet from the basket) he has a bevy of shooters around him and more often opts to pass the rock, and gets the majority of his points the second-chance way. Like many who play with his style, and depending on the day's officiating, Nate is occasionally prone to foul trouble, but with so many bodies with high levels of skill on the floor, this may prove less of a hinderance than previous years. Mostly, Nate is the kind of guy everyone wants on their team---someone who loves to compete and win, and is willing to leave it all on the floor.

PF Kyle Davis

HT:6'8" WT:225  Year: Junior (RS transfer) Jersey #: 21

Notes: Kyle Davis, KD, has been a bit of a man on the transfer circuit in Utah. Starting his college basketball career at Southern Utah back in 2010-2011 when Jimmer, Jackson and the Cougars were painting the town blue, he went on a mission to Detroit (you know, that American city that filed for bankruptcy) before transferring to Utah State. With the Aggies, he started all but two games of the season, and scored just under 10 points and grabbed 7.6 rebounds a game under Stew Morrill's clock-eating offense--including 16 points and 9 rebounds in the Aggies' loss to the Cougars. His transfer from SUU to USU was likely due to the retirement of the head coach there, former BYU headman Roger Reid, but it's not entirely clear why he left the Aggies except, "just based on me wanting to pursue my basketball career in a different place. I felt like it was best for me in order to become the basketball player I could become" (KSL article). It's possible that KD may have seen the hand writing on the wall, as Stew Morrill also retired at the end of the following year, and the Aggies are in a bit of a rebuilding phase. In any case, the Cougars are glad to have a solid, talented inside presence inserted into their lineup. 

Breakdown: KD has strong, effective post moves that get buckets, and greater than expected athleticism. He's dogged and physical on both ends of the floor, and has a fair amount of shot-blocking ability. That post presence will be important for the Cougars this year, and a great boon to a largely outside shooting team from a year before by both scoring hard-nosed points and kicking it out for 3's and slashers. Add to that, KD has a lot of experience at D1, has had a full year under Dave Rose's system when he sat out due to transfer rules (without being released by USU to boot, so he did it without a scholarship) and is a very welcome veteran presence on a largely young team. While his offensive attack is effective, and he has a bit of midrange game, he's not so much a stretch 4 so much as a traditional one. There's really nothing overwhelming about his post game in terms of flash. However, in a meat-and-potatoes kind of way, it is largely effective, and could prove pivotal for the Cougars this season.

PF Jamal Aytes

HT:6'6" WT:235 Year: Sophomore (RS/transfer) Jersey #: 40

Notes: Jamal is another man with some transfer history, although much shorter than KD's. He was closely recruited by BYU, but instead chose UNLV for his college career. After a couple months with not much playing time to show for it, Jamal decided to give the Cougars a second try. He was intended to be a contributor starting the 2014-2015 season, but due to persistent injuries that included a surgically repaired ankle, he ended up using a medical redshirt instead. Now he's back, and although the BYU staff has been bringing him along slowly after a lot of recovery, he's shown flashes of being an important contributor down low for the Cougars.

Breakdown: There hasn't been much D1 footage or time yet for Jamal, but what we have seen and bits dropped by coach Rose indicate he's a powerful, shifty low post scorer and out-of-area rebounder that is used to going up against taller players. The coach compared his game to that of Keena Young---one of the best power forwards to play for Dave Rose. Much like KD, Jamal will be called upon to be a threat inside, and he has already shown some good passing acumen when the defenses collapses on him. So far, Aytes' main trouble is staying healthy---in addition to his lost year, he's already rolled an ankle (the other one) in the first exhibition. Here's hoping Jamal can get on pace and do some damage down low---he could make a huge difference against front court heavy teams like St. Mary's or Gonzaga.

PF Jakob Hartsock

HT: 6'8" WT:205 Year: Freshman Jersey #:34

Notes: Out of Bartlesville, OK comes the younger brother of Cougar great Noah Hartsock. Fresh off a mission to Las Vegas, Jakob may not have gotten as much publicity as shiny names like Haws, Emery, Mika, Dastrup et al, but if early signs are any indication, he may just steal a fair bit of their luster with his "next level offensive game" as coach Rose calls it. 

Breakdown: You may find a picture of Jakob next to "Stretch 4" in the dictionary---just like Noah's. Big bro himself admits that Jakob may be a bit more athletic and more polished earlier in his career than Noah---a better shooter, but a bit less of a banger down low. Already in the exhibition portion of the season, Hartsock has exhibited that silky, devastating turnaround jumper in an eerie mirror image of the ghost of Hartsocks past---only from further away and not always on the baseline. The sight of it splashing in the net brought goosebumps, and maybe a small tear. In the small sample size, it's not totally clear what kind of defender Jakob is, but if he really is more athletic than Noah, who was himself very underrated as a rim protector, he just might be really, really good. Between his recent playing days and the unmistakable similarities in their game/looks (much more so than between the Emerys) Jakob may be unfairly lumped in with Noah for a while yet, but really, that's not such a bad place to be.

PF Braiden Shaw

HT:6'9" WT:210 Year: Freshman Jersey #:31

Notes: RM Shaw may come at the end of this list of PF, but in limited exposure he hasn't shown himself to be a lesser piece by any means. An Eagle, ID native (you know, the same place as that Tanner Mangum guy---in fact, they both played on the basketball team together) he didn't exactly get a ton of exposure there, either. But seeing as his parents both played at the Y, Braiden decided to send a highlight tape to the school as his place of choice. This resulted in Shaw being invited to camps, getting a visit to campus, and then a scholarship offer. Coach Rose and then-assistant Mark Pope have a good eye for big men, so there's a good chance this will work out.

Breakdown: Shaw appears to be an understudy of the stretch 4 mold, with some early time showing more proficiency on the block. He has the right kind of body for Dave Rose's run-and-gun system, and some of his high school tape shows he has an aggressive mindset defensively. The second exhibition definitely put him in a favorable light: he moved well without the ball, got some open dunks, and hustled in a way that reminded strongly of Nate Austin. Down Kaufusi, Aytes, and Davis, Braiden showed he can step in and make a difference.

Centers:

C Corbin Kaufusi

HT: 6'10" WT: 255 Year: Sophomore Jersey #: 44

Notes: 2014-2015's most pleasant surprise returns with an additional year of post-mission conditioning and game experience to add to his freakish athleticism. Corbin is famously known as the player who was recruited to a football scholarship but came back from his mission to South Korea 6'10" instead of 6'7". A few pickup games with BYU's squad and some on-the-job learning through the season later, Corbin was the Cougars' starting center. As per raw potential, Kaufusi has perhaps the highest ceiling of any of the current hoopsters, and it's exciting to think what kind of progress he may make in the next couple of years. Imagine a Corbin and Eric Mika combo....

Breakdown: Even now, Corbin Kaufusi is still very raw. But his speed, hops, and rim-protecting ability make him a game changer, especially defensively. When those monsters in the Gonzaga front line start to pound it inside, he is BYU's best option to hold them off---as he did at Gonzaga in the last conference game of the year to help stun the 3rd ranked Bulldogs. Many of his fouls last season were the result being forced to help on dribble penetration passed the guards, so if that could at least be limited, and with the presence of so many other bigs, Corbin should be able to play a little more freely and more aggressively this year. If he has used his offseason effectively to develop some inside offencive technique, his power could easily overwhelm opponents.

C Alan Hamson

HT: 7'2" WT: 210 Year: Freshman Jersey #: 12

Notes: The younger brother of perhaps BYU's greatest female athlete, the two sport star Jennifer Hamson, Alan Hamson arranged while on his mission to walk on to the team. He returned from his two year service in California a scarce month before the season, however, and likely needs a considerable amount of time yet to acclimate to the rigors of basketball. Because of this, he was last off the bench in the Cougars' first exhibition. He wasn't very heavily recruited out of high school due to scoliosis surgery (a common malady for very,very tall people). Add his two years of recovery as a missionary (a questionable rehab schedule), and it makes it tough for a team to invest in him. However, there's also a chance he may be a diamond in the rough. He averaged 10.6 points, 7.4 rebounds and 6 blocks his last year of high school (his 123 blocks is the second highest record in the state after that Shawn Bradley guy), and is the tallest player ever to play for Dave Rose.

Breakdown: Well... he's really tall. Other than that, there's really not much known about Hamson's style and strengths. He does clearly need some adjustment time, and putting on 20-30 pounds of muscle at least would be nice---just looking at him makes people exclaim "somebody get that man a sandwich!"---if for no other reason than to prevent him from being broken in half when he goes out for a screen. At least he's gotten a fair amount over his senior of high school---he was listed at 180 at that time. He was basically a shot-blocking ghost. Offensively, likely due to this lack of weight, he didn't bang down low so much as get a decent mid-range position and put up a floating shot over his defender. Still, if your main trait of note at the beginning of a walk on career is that you clear 7 feet with a 7 1/2 foot wingspan, that's not really a terrible thing. As the man says, "You can't teach height."

Additional Notes

Team Legacy Recruit

Because of the type of school BYU is and the type of recruits it pursues, Cougar athletics really runs in bloodlines. On this year's squad, Cooper Ainge, Braiden Shaw, Jordan Chatman, Kyle Collinsworth, Nick Emery, Jake Toolson, Jakob Hartsock, Alan Hamson, and especially Corbin Kaufusi have had parents, siblings, uncles etc. in spades that have worn the Cougar Blue. If you're keeping count, that's 9 of 16 rostered players who have BYU in their DNA, some with big shadows cast by their forebears both recent and not. There may even be a few more on the list that I may have missed, and more are coming, with recruits like T.J. Haws and Payton Dastrup in the pipeline. 

It's hard to argue with the recruiting tactic. Recruits know what they're getting themselves into, and the school knows they are both prepared mentally and gifted physically via their gene pool to compete.

Moving On from an All-Timer

A big storyline that will follow the Cougars through the year is: how will they move on from Tyler Haws? The all-time leading scorer is plying his trade in Europe, and like the year after Jimmer left, he leaves quite the void. However, like every time a great player leaves, there's usually someone who steps in to fill the void. When Jimmer went on as the NBA's 10th draft pick, Noah Hartsock picked up as the focule point of scoring, and led the team well. When Noah graduated, there was Haws stepping in from his mission to fill it up. 

Scoring in general won't be an issue. There is enough talent on the team, as indicated above, that buckets will be had, even if its not so many to one person. The real question is, when you're down by a point or three, and the seconds are ticking off the clock, in whose hands do you want the ball? Collinsworth seems like the right choice, but what if you need a three? This is definitely a question the Cougars will have to answer to have a successful season. Or at least, it will really, really help.

Name Teams Fear Provo

A glance at the preseason schedule for the Cougars shows a lot of great teams... on the road, and at tournaments. Those with names that people on the east coast recognize will not be making as much of an appearance this season at the Marriott Center. Utah, Harvard, Colorado, and possibly Oklahoma (depending on how the Diamond Head Classic tournament works out) are great prospects for some names to be crossed off, but even though some will be decent for RPI by current guesstimation, one's ears don't exactly perk up at the notion of playing Belmont, Central Michigan, and Adam's State. Utah State may be fun, and a great game to see as a fan, but unfortunately it won't put many eyes on Provo. The big names know that likely as not, they'll be leaving the Marriott Center without a W, so this year in particular Coach Rose had trouble getting them there. BYU will have to play really well and drop almost no home games to get the votes they need come March, both inside conference and out.

The bright side is... winning in Provo seems to be the in thing this year. The women's soccer, women's volleyball, and football teams have or show every sign of finishing their seasons untouchable at home. They currently have a combined record of 24-0. It's reasonable to believe that, with this schedule, the men's basketball Cougars can do the same.

In any case, this has the look of a fun season. The Cougars are by no means perfect, but they do have the tools to be great. It's just a matter of how well this large and varied cast plays their part. That and defense. Oh defense, you elusive and cagy creature, you.