BYU’s search for a frontcourt answer is still very much alive, and the next move may hinge on the NCAA more than the Cougars themselves.
At the center of it all is David Okwera, the 6-foot-10 forward/center from Australia who has spent the last five seasons in the National Basketball League and is now playing for Australia’s national team in the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers. BYU has been on him for a while, and sources close to Okwera say the Cougars have made a strong push to add him.
The catch is eligibility. BYU is waiting on the NCAA to decide whether he can play, and that ruling could come as soon as this week.
Okwera’s case is tricky because of his age and pro experience. He turns 24 on July 31, which puts him right on the edge of the NCAA’s new age-based eligibility model.
Under that rule, players get “five years of eligibility if they enroll in college no later than the academic year after their 19th birthday.” That would make the fifth and final year begin at age 23.
Okwera is 23 now, but with his birthday coming after July 1, there may be a path for him. Still, this is a first-of-its-kind ruling, and there’s no pretending the outcome is obvious.
On the floor, Okwera fits the kind of big Kevin Young has been hunting. He can run, handle the ball a little, make decisions in the pick-and-roll, and even step out and shoot it.
One scout described him this way: “Okwera has a guard-like game in a forward/center body. He can play in the Big 12/SEC.”
Last season with the Perth Wildcats, he came off the bench and averaged 5.3 points and 3.2 rebounds in 11.6 minutes across 36 games while shooting 59% from the field and 10-28 (36%) from three. He also declared for the 2023 NBA Draft before withdrawing, and after being viewed as a raw prospect then, he was named his team’s most improved player this season.
He is not without flaws. At 200 pounds, he can get pushed around by bigger, more physical centers.
But he gives BYU something it clearly wants: lineup flexibility. He could play the four or the five, either as a skilled center or as a stretch big alongside another frontcourt piece.
That matters because BYU is still juggling multiple options. Xu Xin remains in the picture, and the 7-foot-5 big man is still in contact with the Cougars.
Depending on price, BYU could potentially bring him in with Okwera or another big. Based on what I’ve heard, Okwera looks like the first choice and Xin the secondary option.
The other name to watch is Caleb Ourigou, and his recruitment may be tied to what happens with Okwera. Ourigou took an official visit to BYU on June 24 and 25 after also visiting Kentucky, Arkansas, and UConn.
He is a 2027 prospect but is leaning toward reclassifying into the 2026 class. UConn does not have room for him this season, which removes the Huskies from the race.
That leaves BYU and Arkansas, with sources saying the battle is down to those two.
Arkansas was viewed as the favorite entering the process, but BYU made a strong impression during Ourigou’s visit and may have briefly moved ahead. After the Arkansas visit and since then, the sense is that the Razorbacks are back in front. Ourigou could wait until after Peach Jam, which runs July 14-19, before making a commitment.
BYU’s pursuit of Ourigou may also depend on whether it lands other big-man targets first. If Okwera is ruled ineligible, that could push the Cougars harder toward Ourigou and lead to a bigger NIL offer. He is not the same kind of offensive fit as Okwera, but he brings size, rebounding, physicality, and defensive presence that could help right away in the Big 12.
There is also some good news on the Okwera front. Ben Henshall, one of his Perth Wildcats teammates, just signed with Ole Miss and was cleared by the NCAA.
It is not an exact comparison, but it does suggest Henshall’s NBL contract was under the threshold for NCAA eligibility. Henshall is 23 months younger than Okwera, though, so age remains the bigger issue in Okwera’s case.
In Other News...
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For BYU fans, the part worth watching is how much this has widened the gap between Texas Tech and the rest of the Big 12. The Red Raiders have gotten public backing from some coaches, including Kalani Sitake, and the tension has spilled into the open in ways the conference would rather avoid. Even with the meeting meant to calm things down, the underlying question remains whether Texas Tech and the league are really on the same page yet. [Read more 🡒]
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The more intriguing BYU nugget came from Bear Bachmeier, who peeled back the curtain on one of the seasons most memorable moments. His touchdown run against Utah looked like a designed burst of improvisation, but Bachmeier said the play did not unfold the way it was supposed to, which makes the clip feel a little different now. For a program that expects every detail to matter in Big 12 play, it was the kind of candid admission that only adds to the curiosity around what BYU has coming next. [Read more 🡒]