The sharpshooter in Kevin Young’s lineup is new.
Tyler Betsey, a Syracuse power forward, declared his move to BYU on April 13, bringing his excellent 3-point shot to Provo to help a Cougars squad that had trouble making outside shots consistently this previous season.
Betsey, who stands at 6-foot-8, ranked fourth overall among all players in the esteemed league in terms of triple percentage during ACC play, at 44%.
Betsey, who will be on campus in early June, joined “BYU Sports Nation” to discuss his choice to attend BYU, his talents, and other topics. Some of the most notable highlights are listed below.
Upon entering the transfer portal
“My Syracuse coach was sacked. After it occurs, you simply wait to see what happens with the new coach. I realized that I would be able to return to Syracuse after simply entering the portal to see what lay beyond.
“But when my agent informed me that (BYU) was a possibility, I knew I wanted to investigate it more, and then BYU jumped into the picture. After speaking with the coaches, I quickly realized that was where I wanted to be, so I didn’t really spend any time.
On the reasons why he was drawn to BYU
“Only a small number of schools in the nation have an NBA lineage, and that’s where I want to go. In the eyes of NBA officials, BYU is just as far away as some of those other institutions.
“The eyes that it puts on are simply a place where there will be NBA players because, in the last two years, AJ (Dybantsa) has been (almost) in the league and then Egor Dëmin (was a first-round pick). ” I simply want to be a part of that location.
Based on his experience from two college basketball seasons thus far
“You can’t become stuck in the lows because if you simply let things snowball, it could be the end of your season. There are a lot of highs and lows. ” It’s game by game; all I know is that things might shift quickly. Don’t let one game influence another; simply keep going and pushing.
On his experience playing at the Marriott Center with Cincinnati during his freshman year in 2025
“I remember we entered the arena for a shootaround, and I was just amazed by how large it is, but also for just coming out for the layup lines, because the fans were here so early.
“Without a doubt, it was the most insane environment I had ever played in during my freshman year. The fact that we also lost by about 20 points made things worse. However, all I can recall is that it was a wild environment.
Regarding his recent interactions with the coaching staff at BYU
“It’s been cool, it’s been nothing but basketball. The only difference between them and other people is that they are aware of my ability to shoot, which is, of course, neat. For that reason, they sought me out, but they also believe I have potential for improvement and that they can support me in developing my skills in other areas.
“They demonstrated it to me on film, just chatting and stuff like that, rather than merely telling me. ” Honestly, it was that which ultimately persuaded me. They already had a strategy in place for how they were going to help me get better.
“It was quite precise. It was clear. I understood what they were saying. I selected BYU because it seemed achievable for both of us.
Upon rejoining the Big 12
In reality, returning to the Big 12 had no bearing on my decision to attend BYU. If BYU belonged to any conference, I would have attended. However, just seeing how many excellent Big 12 teams they had last year makes me really happy to return.
It’s simply something to anticipate. You can see what Arizona did. They’re likely among the top three teams in the nation.
Because I watch a lot of basketball, I watched the Big 12. At Syracuse, we also faced three Big 12 schools. I’m really looking forward to competing in that league again.
On whether he’s helping BYU in its quest for a starting big man
“I would like, but I don’t know anybody. I have confidence in the crew. They are well aware of what they are doing. I think they will locate the perfect man for us.
