BYU men's basketball has reportedly added its first portal addition

PROVO — The transfer portal has only been open in men's college basketball for five days, and BYU is only two days into the offseason.

But the Cougars reportedly got their first addition Saturday evening.

Just two days after a Sweet 16 loss to Alabama that ended his first season, head coach Kevin Young received a commitment from French international forward Dominique Diomande, according to On3's Pete Nakos.

The 6-foot-8 wing forward previously committed to Washington and head coach Danny Sprinkle, but never saw the court after joining the Huskies in January and redshirting his freshman season.

Diomande averaged 16.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.8 steals in 26 games in the France-ProA U21 league, where he shot 51.9% from the field for ADA Blois. He also represented the Ivory Coast at the 2021 FIBA U16 African championships, where he averaged 21.2 points and 12.0 rebounds per game before playing for the national team in 2023 FIBA World Cup qualifying.

The Cougars have spots to fill, with four seniors departing the program in Trevin Knell, Mawot Mag, Fousseyni Traore and Trey Stewart, and signing just two freshmen that will join the team in 2025-26. Of course, that includes the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 class in AJ Dybantsa, as well as rim-running Utah Prep teammate Xavion Stanton.

Later Saturday night, news trickled out through LeagueRDY that Kanon Catchings was also set to depart BYU for the transfer portal. The 19-year-old native of Brownsville, Indiana, by way of Overtime Elite spent one season in Provo, where he averaged 7.2 points and 2.2 rebounds per game in 31 games with 15 starts — including a season-high 23 on a perfect 8-for-8 shooting to lead a 93-89 win over Baylor.

The 6-foot-9 four-star recruit played in just two of the Cougars' three NCAA Tournament games, scoring 2 points in a combined eight minutes against VCU and Alabama after missing time since March 1 with a lower-leg injury.

The transfer portal works both directions for all teams, and BYU could also potentially lose two more starters to the upcoming NBA draft in five-star freshman Egor Demin and leading scorer Richie Saunders, the 6-foot-5 junior from Riverton by way of Wasatch Academy.

Neither one has fully committed to return to BYU, with Saunders saying he was currently evaluating all of his options after Thursday's 113-88 loss to Alabama in Newark, New Jersey.

Among those, though, will be Demin's chance to play with Dybantsa — opening the door (even if slightly) for a potential return for a sophomore season.

Demin said "a lot of factors" will go into his ultimate decision to return to BYU or enter the NBA draft, where most mock drafts project him as a top-15 pick. ESPN's Jonathan Givony rates him as the No. 12 prospect on his big board.

"I think this is a huge thing for BYU; I think it's the start of something really beautiful," Demin said. "As we know, AJ is coming, and he could be one of the reasons why I want to be back next year.

"It's just pure love around this team," he added of the Cougars' program. "I feel wanted here, and I feel as a part of the family and I feel confidence in this BYU environment — starting with every player and every coach, to every manager and office worker, everybody who is trying to make us better and just loving us."

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