Another five-star recruit is making his way to Provo to play basketball for the Cougs.
The 6-foot-7 wing, Bruce Branch III, signed the papers last week, making his commitment to BYU official.
The five-star recruit out of Arizona is the second-ever five-star recruit to sign with the Cougars. Branch was the No. 2 prospect in 2027 before reclassifying and now ranks No. 6 in the SportsCenter Next 100 list.
Branch announced his commitment to BYU on SportsCenter Next last month.
“Next year, I’ll be playing college basketball at BYU,” Branch said. “Go Cougs!”
BYU head coach Kevin Young said he’s excited to welcome Branch to BYU, and the feeling seems to be mutual.
“I love Kevin Young and all of them there, so I’m really happy and I’m excited for this decision,” Branch said.
He became emotional when asked about his family, who he said has supported him throughout his basketball journey.
“I want to thank my little brother,” Branch said. “He’s been there for me, and I love that dude. Through the ups and downs, even if he doesn’t want to go to my games, he’s always there for me. I love that dude.”
Branch started his career at Perry High School in Gilbert, Arizona, where he helped win back-to-back Arizona 6A state championships, playing alongside Arizona’s Koa Peat. During his sophomore season, Perry High School went 27-2 and finished the season ranked fourth in the nation.
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.
Branch will join several players making their way to Provo this year, including junior Robert Wright III, junior Collin Chandler, who transferred from Kentucky, Jake Wahlin from Clemson, and former four-star recruit Tyler Betsy, transferring from Syracuse.
BYU men’s basketball lost several players to the transfer portal and left several people doubting the Cougars’ strength heading into the 2027 season. But these new additions to the roster are going to make BYU a scary team to match up with next season.