BYU is set to host one of the most intriguing international names in the 2027 class this weekend, with Matija Lukic scheduled to take his official visit on Saturday, according to a source.
Jonathan Givony reported last Friday that BYU is among eight schools Lukic will visit during a fast-moving trip through the United States. He is currently playing for a club in Spain, and his itinerary starts with East Coast schools before wrapping up with BYU and Utah.
Lukic’s background is already unusual. He was born and raised in the Netherlands to a Dutch mother and Serbian father, and he represents Serbia internationally. This summer and fall, he has backed up the hype with strong performances on the international stage.
At the FIBA U17 World Cup, Lukic helped Serbia reach the silver medal while averaging 16.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists, and he shot 42% from three. In late August, he was named MVP of the NBA/FIBA Basketball Without Borders event. Then a few weeks ago, he turned heads again at Next Gen EuroLeague with a 38-point outing in the final game.
His measurements at Basketball Without Borders only added to the appeal. Lukic checked in at 6-feet-9.5 inches in shoes and posted a 35-inch vertical leap.
He’s viewed as a skilled wing who can handle the ball in pick-and-roll action and score as a catch-and-shoot threat or off the dribble. He also just turned 17 in October.
Where this recruitment goes from here is still unclear, but one international source told me before the visits started to watch North Carolina and BYU. The Cougars have been tracking Lukic for months, and BYU can point to Egor Demin as a prototype for Lukic to follow.
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Now the Cougars head to Utah for a matchup that could reshape the Big 12 championship picture in a hurry. It is the kind of late-season game that can swing more than one conversation at once, with bowl eligibility also in play around the league, but for BYU the bigger question is whether this trip keeps its title hopes alive or hands the edge to the team sitting at the top. [Read more 🡒]
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For BYU, the intrigue is not just the opponent but the uncertainty still hanging over the matchup. Utahs form and personnel situation have made this a difficult one to sort through, and the article frames it as a game where the margin for error should be thin from start to finish. A prediction is part of the conversation, but the larger issue for the Cougars is whether they can answer the doubts that come with facing one of the best teams on the schedule at the most pressure-packed moment of the season. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Heads Into Utah Showdown With One Huge Availability Concern
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The report also included a mix of players who are out, questionable, or probable, which means the final picture could still shift before kickoff. For BYU, the concern is less about the label next to one player and more about how the depth chart holds up if those doubtful tags end up becoming reality against Utah. [Read more 🡒]