Rob Wright has revealed why he picked BYU ahead of other opportunities. Wright was reacting to speculation that he picked BYU because of the money it was offering. The 18-year-old sophomore said that money played no part in his decision to commit to BYU.
Wright is the latest big-money signing for the Cougars, who last December secured 6-foot-9 wing AJ Dybantsa for an NIL deal reportedly worth around $5 million. Dybantsa is the No. 2 prospect in the class of 2025, and Wright revealed that the opportunity to play with him influenced his decision.
Wright Prioritized His Growth Over Money
Wright averaged 11.5 points per game and 4.2 assists per game in the 2024-25 season, which earned him an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention and the league’s All-Freshman team. He scored 22 points, six assists, and four rebounds against BYU in the Cougars’ 93-89 overtime win over Baylor in January.
The 18-year-old then entered the transfer portal on April 7 to find a team where he could develop to the best of his abilities. The 6-foot point guard was widely regarded as one of the top players in the transfer portal this cycle and had little or no ties to BYU. He received offers from many schools before deciding to commit to BYU.
“I mean, NIL, it is cool that players get to get paid now. … But that didn’t really factor too much into my decision,” Wright revealed. “It was really just for my growth and for my development and my game,” he said. “I kinda just thought that coming to BYU and being around guys who have seen the NBA at the highest level and just what they are building and everything, it is just, I didn’t want to pass that up. It didn’t really have too much to do with NIL.”
Opportunity to Play With Dybantsa Too Big For Wright to Pass Up
The new BYU point guard also stated that he isn’t sure where BYU was compared to other schools in the NIL landscape. “Well, I am not even sure. I really don’t know. I couldn’t even tell you,” he said. “… They didn’t talk to me directly about that. A lot of them talked to my dad and my agent (Jelani Floyd of Wasserman Group). So I don’t really know all the schools that offered. But they were telling me that everybody was reaching out. It was kinda crazy.”
KEEP READING: AJ Dybantsa Replies to Courtside Fan Clarifying Rumor He Got $7 million to Commit to BYU
“I just had a good chat with the new BYU PG, Robert Wright, who told me that NIL money wasn’t the primary reason why he chose BYU. It was more about Kevin Young and coaching staff, the chance to play with AJ Dybantsa, and the style of play that fits his game,” he added.
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