5 Best BYU Cougars Basketball Players, Ranked

The BYU Cougars have had some NCAA tournament success, making it as far as the Elite Eight. However, if you bet on their NCAA basketball odds to advance to that game, the earliest you would’ve won is 1981. 

Before that, 1951. 

Still, you can wager on their basketball betting odds at the BetMGM online sportsbook right now.

While they’ve never won a title, there have still been some excellent players to suit up for them. 

Find my list of the five best below. 

5 Best BYU Cougars Basketball Players, Ranked

BYU Cougars All-Time Greatest Basketball Players

1. Jimmer Fredette

To truly appreciate Fredette’s impact on BYU, you simply had to be watching college basketball during that time. 

It was known as “Jimmermania.” He played there from 2007 to 2011. 

He was jacking up threes from nearly half-court and was a sensational scorer. 

As a senior, he averaged 28.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. 

He was the National College Player of the Year, consensus first-team All-American, third-team All-American, the NCAA scoring champion in 2011, MWC Player of the Year, and three-time first-team All-MWC. 

Fredette scored 2,599 points (second in program history), had 515 assists (sixth), and 167 steals (fifth). 

2. Danny Ainge

Ainge played at BYU from 1977 to 1981 and scored 2,467 points (third), had 539 assists (fourth), and 195 steals (third). 

He won the John R. Wooden Award (men’s most outstanding player), NABC Player of the Year, consensus first-team All-American, third-team All-American, fourth-team All-American, was the WAC Player of the Year, four-time first-team All-WAC, and his No. 22 was retired by the school. 

Over his career, he averaged 20.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 1.7 steals per game. 

And, in case you were wondering, yes, this is the same Ainge who went on to be an NBA Executive, including with the Boston Celtics, when he won the Executive of the Year Award in 2008. 

3. Kresimir Cosic

Cosic played three seasons with BYU from 1970 to 1973, averaging 19.2 points and 11.6 rebounds per game. 

He hauled in 919 rebounds (third). 

He was a third-team All-American, two-time fourth-team All-American, and three-time first-team All-WAC, and the school retired his No. 11. 

4. Tyler Haws

Haws played at BYU from 2009 to 2010 and again from 2012 to 2015 (he missed two seasons due to the LDS mission). He was the WCC Player of the Year, three-time first-team All-WCC, and third-team All-MWC. 

Haws averaged 19.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and one steal per game. 

He scored 2,720 points (first) and had 138 steals (10th). 

5. Mel Hutchins

Hutchins played three seasons with BYU, including 1947-48 and again from 1949 to 1951. He missed one season due to an LDS mission. 

As a senior, he averaged 15.4 points and 12.7 rebounds per game. 

Hutchins was an NIT Champion in 1951. He was also a consensus second-team All-American, and the school retired his No. 14.