With BYU picking up a commitment from 4-star wing Dean Rueckert Monday night, the Cougars continue to stack big wins.
After assembling a Top 10 recruiting class this year, the recruiting surge under head coach Kevin Young isn’t slowing down any time soon with Rueckert putting the Cougars back in the Top 10 for the 2026 recruiting cycle.
The 6-foot-8 wing out of Timpview High School, is not only one of the top players in the state, but one of the top players in the entire country. Rueckert, narrowed his Top 5 down to BYU, Clemson, Washington, Utah, and Stanford, before choosing the Cougars Monday night.
So what allowed Rueckert to make his decision so quickly?
“BYU is a special place that can help me go far, not only in basketball but also in life,” Rueckert said during his announcement decision. “Kevin Young and the rest of the coaching staff have done a really good job of making me feel wanted and valued. I’m super excited to get there and do my thing.”
It also helps that Rueckert is no stranger to BYU. Not only does he live down the street, but he’s trained with former BYU players such as Skyler Halford and he grew up watching highlights of Jimmer Fredette.
His commitment marks the first addition to BYU’s 2026 class — and continues the recruiting momentum from what was already the best basketball class in program history thanks to AJ Dybantsa, the No. 1 overall prospect in the nation and the projected top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Young also landed four-star center Xavion Staton and four-star forward Chamberlain Burgess from Orem High School — another Utah local. Burgess plans to serve a church mission before joining the program. Additionally, the Cougars picked up 5-star point guard Rob Wright from Baylor, as well as several top international players.
With Rueckert in place, BYU is positioning itself to build yet another top-10 class. The Cougars are targeting several more top prospects in the 2026 cycle, including 5-star small forward Anthony Thompson, and 4-star players in Anthony Felesi, Austin Goosby and Miikka Muurinen. With unmatched resources, NBA experience and connections, the Cougars can offer recruits more than most other schools can.
And with a roster loaded this year, combined with all the attention that AJ will get this year, if the Cougars can make a deep run and make some noise — they’ve never made it past the Elite 8 — they’ll continue to open up doors that used to be closed to them.
And with a top commitment from Rueckert, expect other talented players to follow as BYU continues to make a national splash in the recruitment world. Last year wasn’t a one-time fluke, as the Cougars are proving they have what it takes to get the best of the best each and every year. And playing in the mighty Big 12, BYU certainly needs it.
Dean Rueckert Scouting Report
“Rueckert is a skilled shooter with good wing size at 6-foot-8. He shot 36% from behind the arc in EYBL play, on just under 7 attempts per game, but was a whopping 47% on unguarded catch-and-shoot threes. He has supreme gravity as a spot-up floor spacer, but is also a movement shooter who can make threes off screens. His release is compact and extremely repeatable, beginning with very good balance in his lower body.
The threat of Ruckert’s shooting also opens up the rest of his attack. While he may not have a dynamic first-step against set defenders, he’s a fluid ball-handler, very adept at using subtle shot fakes, able to drive both sides with an advanced left hand, and then be crafty in the lane. He’s also an underrated vertical athlete when he can elevate off two feet, and has sneaky bounce jumping off his right leg for a right-handed player.
As he continues to build-up his body, improve his ability to absorb contact, and maintain the line of his drives, his game will go to new levels. His size is going to allow him to play multiple positions offensively, but he lacks great length and isn’t especially elastic or bendy in his upper body. He has the basketball IQ and awareness to be a reliable team defender, but needs to establish a primary position on that end of the floor, either by be consistently keeping smaller and quicker wings in front of him or by being able to rebound (3.5) and hold his ground against opposing fours.
Overall, his shooting, skill, and potential to flourish in offensive structure gives him an obvious niche at the next level, while his ceiling will be determined by the gains he can make with his creation, physical strength, and defensive impact.” – Adam Finkelstein (247Sports)
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