5-star forward Bruce Branch III commits to BYU
Five-star forward Bruce Branch III committed to BYU, he announced Tuesday.
The 6-foot-7, 195-pound forward chose the Cougars over USC. He also received interest from Louisville and Arizona, among other schools.
"I wanted to go to a place that felt like a family, had great academics, and was really focused on basketball," Branch told ESPN's Jeff Borzello. "I can see myself leading this team to a championship. It just felt right."
Branch is listed by ESPN as the No. 6 prospect in the country for the class of 2026.
The Gilbert, Arizona, native becomes BYU's second commitment of the 2026 cycle, joining fellow SC Next 100 forward Dean Rueckert.
Branch will head to Provo, Utah, after initially reclassifying from the 2027 recruiting class last November. The Prolific Prep attendee shared his intention to graduate this spring with the intention of enrolling at a college program in the fall.
Head coach Kevin Young has secured a pledge from a five-star prospect in each of the past three seasons. Young landed Egor Demin in 2024 after taking over on the Cougars' sideline. He then brought in AJ Dybantsa, who is projected to be a lottery pick in 2026 NBA Draft.
Branch acknowledged Young's vision as a factor in choosing BYU.
"He has a concrete plan in place that makes sense to me and is very clearly defined," Branch said. "I will be held accountable and develop every day. That's the position I want to be in."