BYU Basketball Transfer Update: Mac McClung, Both Gach, Daivien Williamson

Earlier in the month, I highlighted six transfers BYU was looking at. Three of those have since committed elsewhere, and for the other three — Jalen Carey, Cam Mack, and Franco Miller — BYU does not seem to be pursuing as heavily.

Below are three transfers BYU is pursuing and where I think the Cougars stand.

Mac McClung

Georgetown guard Mac McClung is the number one target for BYU. BYU already made the final seven for McClung — who some consider the top transfer in the nation — and coaches are pulling out all the stops to lure him to Provo.

Where I think BYU Stands. Listen, I’m just a guy who writes for a blog on the side, so feel free to be skeptical of anything I say. However, I think I have a solid track record and getting a feel of where BYU stands for basketball transfers/recruits, and talk to enough people who would really know. Last July, I mentioned Alex Barcello as a possibility for BYU before anyone else talked about him.

I believe BYU is in the top three for McClung along with Texas Tech and Auburn. Wake Forest is a dark horse since new coach Steve Forbes recruited McClung when he was at East Tennessee State, but I don’t think they’re up there with the top three.

I believe Texas Tech is the favorite, but BYU is not far behind them. Chris Beard has done a tremendous job turning around Tech in a short time and has already sent multiple guys to the NBA. Patrick Mahommes has put Texas Tech more in the national spotlight and McClung would be a starter for the Red Raiders. McClung’s social media interactions and most recent Instagram follows indicate that he likes the Red Raiders a lot at this point.

BYU offers a proven offensive system that will develop McClung as a shooter and offensive player. Mark Pope took BYU from the 240th ranked three-point shooting team before he got there in 2018-2019 to Number 1 in 2019-2020. His UVU teams also ranked in the top 30 in three-point shooting in each of his last seasons at UVU. McClung got feedback from several NBA teams in the last month when he declared for the draft, so BYU has been able to discuss how they can develop those weakness (other teams can do the same, of course).

McClung has 742k Instagram followers and leveraging that social media platform is important to him. Many coaches would be turned off by that, but BYU coaches are using that as part of the recruiting pitch (Chris Beard and other coaches surely are too). For better or worse, Utah has an Instagram influencer culture. With the new NIL and likeness rules likely to go into effect starting 2021, McClung can really grow his Instagram following and monetize it by living in Utah.

Texas Tech was in the top three for Matt Haarms, so BYU already has a track record of beating out the Red Raiders.

Both Gach

The 6-foot-6 guard/wing from Utah announced he would transfer from Salt Lake City. Gach was one of the top players for the Utes and BYU has been in contact early. BYU is one of several schools who has a virtual visit lined up with Gach.

Gach is from Minnesota, and the Gophers should be considered the favorite to land Gach.

Daivien Williamson

Williamson is a 6-foot-2 point guard who decided to leave East Tennessee State after head coach Steve Forbes went to Wake Forest. Williamson averaged 10 points on 48% shooting as the starting point guard on a 30-win team. McClung is the number one option for BYU, but the Cougars are in the mix for Williamson and will likely pursue more heavily if they don’t land McClung.