PROVO, Utah — Brigham Young University has found their next men's basketball coach, hiring Phoenix Suns assistant head coach Kevin Young.
Young is BYU's choice to replace Mark Pope, who left Provo last week to become the head coach at the University of Kentucky.
“We had a variety of excellent candidates and a lot of interest in this position. Kevin is someone we have had our eye on for a while," said BYU Director of Athletics Tom Holmoe. "He has risen to the top of NBA assistant coaching ranks. He has been a lead candidate for NBA head coaching jobs and has been instrumental in developing top-level NBA talent. Kevin will bring a new perspective, with an extensive NBA background to our program. He is a phenomenal fit at BYU.
"He is humble, fun and super intelligent. Cougar Nation is going to love getting to know Kevin.”
A Salt Lake City native, Young will remain with the Suns through the NBA Playoffs, but will immediately start recruiting and hiring a coaching staff for BYU.
A former head coach with the D-League Utah Flash, Young has been an assistant with the Suns since October 2020. He started his coaching career at Utah Valley University in 2007 when the school was known as Utah Valley State.
Last year, the Suns awarded Young with a five-year contact worth $10 million, making him the highest paid assistant coach in the NBA.
