Here’s a roundup of recent roster news from around the state.

Wright returns to BYU after entering portal

PROVO — Robert Wright III is back.

After having entered the transfer portal last week, Wright has announced that he will be back at BYU to suit up for the Cougars for his junior season in 2026-27.

“Rob is the best point guard in college basketball,” BYU head men’s basketball coach Kevin Young said. “He is poised to lead our team as the floor general and help be an extension of our staff. I’m looking forward to continuing to coach Rob and help him develop his game.”

The sophomore guard became the second player in Big 12 history to average at least 18.0 points and 4.5 assists per game while shooting 45%from the field, 40% from 3 and 80% from the free-throw line in a single season.

He scored in double figures 32 times in 2025-26, including a pair of 30-point performances en route to averaging a career-high 18.1 points per game. His 632 points are the 20th most in a single season in program history.

— Tyson Jex, BYU Athletics

5-star freshman Branch signs at BYU

PROVO — BYU men’s basketball has signed a McDonald’s All-American for a second consecutive year with Bruce Branch III putting pen to paper on Wednesday afternoon.

“We are so excited to welcome Bruce and his family to BYU,” head coach Kevin Young said. “Bruce is a high character young man. He plays the game the right way and knows how to win. His talent is undeniable on both ends off the floor and we can’t wait to help develop his game and help put him in position to be great.”

Branch III is the second-ever five-star recruit to sign with the Cougars, joining last season’s consensus First Team All-American AJ Dybantsa. Branch was the No. 2 prospect in 2027 before reclassifying and now ranks No. 6 in the SC Next 100.

He concluded his prep career at Prolific Prep in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he earned MaxPreps and Naismith Boys’ High School All-American Honorable Mention accolades after averaging 18 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and two blocks per game.

— Tyson Jex, BYU Athletics

Utah big Dawes headed to Kansas

Former Utah forward Keanu Dawes will stay in the Big 12 and suit up for Kansas next season, he announced Thursday.

Dawes, a Texas native, spent one season at Rice and two at Utah. The 6-foot-9 athlete, who is the nephew of former BYU player and Weber State administrator Derek Dawes, averaged 12.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per game as a junior.

— Standard-Examiner

Utah State signs Snow transfer center

LOGAN — Utah State head men’s basketball coach Ben Jacobson announced the signing of transfer center Sean Felts on Wednesday. Felts will join the Aggies in 2026-27 as a junior after playing his first two collegiate seasons at Snow College.

Felts is a 6-foot-11, 220-pound center from St. George, Utah. He was named to the Scenic West Athletic Conference all-conference second team as a sophomore in 2025-26 after averaging 12.6 points on 58.9% (185-of-314) shooting from the floor and 42.4% (14-of-33) shooting from 3-point range, while also ranking third in the league in both rebounds per game (6.7) and blocked shots (26) in 22.2 minutes per contest.

Felts helped lead the Badgers to a 29-5 overall record, a Region 18 runner-up finish and a second-round showing in the NJCAA National Tournament.

Utah State also announced the signing of freshmen Jax Allen (Orem, Utah) and Jordan Boyd (St. Louis, Missouri).

— Jaden Johnson, Utah State Athletics