MONSTER ENERGY BIG 12 MEN'S BASKETBALL MEDIA DAYS

October 21, 2026

Tim Fanning

Bruce Branch, III

Collin Chandler

Robert Wright, III

BYU Cougars

Media Day Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We are joined by the BYU Cougars.

We are joined by associate coach Tim Fanning, and three BYU student-athletes, Bruce Branch, III, Collin Chandler, and Rob Wright, III. We would like to excuse BUY Coach Kevin Young who is out ill today.

Tim, it is your responsibility to step in and discuss this quality BYU basketball team that you've worked hard to put together. I keep hearing in conversations around BYU about the unselfish nature of this team. How would you explain why this team is being labeled as an unselfish squad?

TIM FANNING: We did a good job bringing players in that are about winning, about the right things. These guys really moved the basketball. I think they trust each other. We got a lot of guys that can make plays, a lot of guys that are experienced enough to know the value of every possession. They're trying to find the best option. They trust each other.

So the ball is moving. That's something that we tried to, again, bring in the players that we thought would play that way. We have guys like Rob, like Collin, that are experienced, winning basketball players. They know it's about us finding a great shot.

So we've been seeing that in practice. I think that's something we'll see once the season gets going.

THE MODERATOR: This is year three for you on the staff, and the first year BYU had a very strong core of returning players, guys that had gown old together, as coaches would say.

And then last year a lot of new pieces. How do you feel like you're doing with roster build?

TIM FANNING: Yeah, I think we're really excited about this year's roster in terms of guys that have some continuity, like Rob, like Dawson Baker, guys that are experienced college basketball players, like Collin, like Jaxon Kohler, Tyler Betsey, Jake Wahlin. We feel like we got a lot of experience.

The first year we kind of walked into a group that already had that continuity. I think this year we spent a lot of time just trying to get the guys to spend more time together off the court, do some different things.

We went to Havasupai and hiked together, did a bunch of activities. We feel really good about just how the team's coming together.

THE MODERATOR: Bruce, you've been pretty outspoken about the camaraderie of this team. For those that don't know what's been happening, how would you explain the culture?

BRUCE BRANCH III: I mean, yeah, it's great. This is BYU basketball. It's the best around.

I just love my teammates, everything they've done for me so far. It's only the beginning. I'm excited for this year.

THE MODERATOR: Rob, as you look at Collin and Bruce, you're the returning leader; how do you feel they and their skill sets have fit into the current state of Cougar basketball?

ROBERT WRIGHT III: I feel like they fit perfect. Both of their shooting abilities, two super talented players. Collin with his athleticism, that crazy dunk he had the other day. Bruce can guard each and every position. Just the way that these guys space the floor just make the game easy; I feel like it's just BYU basketball.

THE MODERATOR: Collin, at Kentucky you quickly became an elite three-point shooter. You've been pretty outspoken about your game being bigger than that. What opportunity do you feel like you have at BYU to show that?

COLLIN CHANDLER: I think I'm just stepping into a little bit of a different role. That was the role that I found in my first few years in getting on the court. I think I bring a lot more to the table than just shooting.

So that's something I think is needed in this group, is another player that can get to the hoop and put pressure on the rim. I think this system that I've come into is going to give me a great ability to do that.

THE MODERATOR: Coach, we learned yesterday that Jaxon Kohler was granted his injunction. What does that mean for BYU basketball?

TIM FANNING: I mean, Jaxon is obviously a fantastic player, great addition to the team. It's been a situation before we're kind of day to day, kind of out of our hands. We have a list of players on the wall, these are the available players for the day. As coaches we're kind of focusing on that.

THE MODERATOR: You three have had the chance to play with Jaxon on the floor, saw an exhibition the other night against Nebraska. In that opening game, Bruce, how do you feel BYU performed as a whole?

BRUCE BRANCH III: For our first game, we did amazing. We did everything we were supposed to do. Started off, shooting wasn't as we wanted it to be. We BYU; we'll find a way. We rebounded. We guarded. We did everything we were supposed to do.

I'm proud of us.

THE MODERATOR: Rob, as the Big 12 veteran, what are you telling these two guys about what they're about to encounter in the Big 12?

ROBERT WRIGHT III: Definitely I've been telling them how hard of a conference it is just from top to bottom. You can be playing one of the lowest seeds in the conference and be in a one-possession game. The Big 12 is so many talented and good teams. Every night it's a battle.

THE MODERATOR: Collin, how would you explain the feeling around the locker room and practice right now?

COLLIN CHANDLER: The way I'd describe it is the vibes are high. I think everyone is excited. We've put in so much work in these last few months, hard work, focus into what we're trying to do. Now we're getting to the point where it's time to now perform.

I think we're all excited and we're juiced to get going.

THE MODERATOR: Your team is picked to finish sixth. Not something that is new for you. Expectations are always tricky to navigate. With that national ranking and high expectations, what is the key to staying in the moment, trying to get better each day?

TIM FANNING: Yeah, I think we're focused on getting better every day. I don't think anyone is too focused on any of the rankings, conference predictions or stuff like that.

I do think that the strength of the conference we all know. I envious, not envious, but glad I don't have to decide the rankings with how much roster turnover and all that stuff. I don't know how you would try to do that type of stuff.

We're out here trying to get better every day. We have a lot of experience doing this. That's how we approach it every day.

THE MODERATOR: If we have any questions...

Q. Collin, how does Kevin Young's system help support your game?

COLLIN CHANDLER: Well, I think he's very experienced at a lot of actions that involve shooters, getting shots. That's just one piece of the puzzle, is getting shots.

I think also the players he's brought into the system, for instance Rob and Bruce, Rob especially gets downhill, has the ball in his hands a lot, can get downhill, which makes my life really easy when he requires second and third defenders that I can spread out, allows me to shoot the ball as well as it opens up for me to put pressure on the rim as well, which is something I'm super excited about.

Q. Coach, what does Rob do coming back to BYU?

TIM FANNING: Rob is a player that's improving. From his freshman year to his sophomore year, he's gotten a ton better. He's put in a crazy amount of work this off-season.

We feel like he was one of the best point guards in the country last year. I can tell you without a doubt he's improved tremendously. I think we're all excited that he's back and we just can't wait to see how it all looks when we take the court against the tough competition we're going to face.

We feel really good about the roster we put together. Obviously Rob is a huge piece of that. We're all excited to have him back on the court and off the court.

THE MODERATOR: Bruce, why do you feel like your game will have the best chance to flourish in Kevin Young's system?

BRUCE BRANCH III: Oh, yeah, it's like what Collin said. A lot of our actions, we do come-off screens for shots and stuff like that. It's also a lot of get games, ball screens, stuff like that, just to really show the world, like, basically what I could do. If it's getting to my spots, creating for others, stuff like that.

KY was a perfect fit for me.

Q. Bruce, you're the third year in a row top 10 projected pick in the NBA Draft. How do you deal with the weight and pressure of that?

BRUCE BRANCH III: Long story short, just don't think about it. Don't look for rankings, drafts, nothing like that.

I just take every day, just use that day to get better. Just really focused on BYU right now. Not really focused on we know what's next next year or anything like that.

Honestly, I just want to win this year. I'm going to do everything in my power for us to do that.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you to the student-athletes and associate head coach Tim Fanning.