COUGAR TRACKS
Isaac Davis Excited For Big 12 Stage That Awaits At BYU
Apr 19, 2023, 6:25 PM | Updated: Apr 20, 2023, 11:30 am
AMMON, Idaho – Thirty minutes before Isaac Davis announced his commitment to BYU, he had a call with VCU’s coaching staff.
Davis had to inform VCU headman and former Utah State coach Ryan Odom that he was going to BYU. As Davis puts it, it was an emotional call. Odom and his staff showed a lot of love to the 6-foot-7 forward from Hillcrest High in Idaho.
Isaac Davis on #BYU’s coaching staff: “I love them. They are all dawgs. I love them to death.”#BYUHoops pic.twitter.com/UPf0wSNSeZ
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) April 19, 2023
But ultimately, the four-star prospect in the 2024 class kept pointing back to his visit to BYU. A visit centered around the Big 12 stage awaiting Davis and the BYU program.
Davis took a visit to Provo last September. The trip coincided with BYU football hosting future Big 12 foe Baylor. It was there Davis, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, knew BYU was the place for him.
“When I went there, I felt very warm and comforting,” Davis said to KSL Sports moments after announcing his commitment to BYU. “I knew that was the place where I wanted to be. And that’s the place where I’ll be loved and where I want to develop my talent.”
Hillcrest High (ID) forward Isaac Davis has committed to #BYU.#BYUHoops #GoCougs pic.twitter.com/2HXUDZFdQ7
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) April 19, 2023
Davis picked BYU over offers from VCU, as mentioned above, along with Oklahoma, UNLV, and Washington State. He’s the eighth highest-rated recruit to commit to BYU in the 21st century.
BYU lands four-star forward Isaac Davis
The call to BYU coach Mark Pope informing the fifth-year head coach he was committing was much easier than the one to Odom’s VCU staff.
“It was very exciting,” said Davis. “I called him, and he was jumping up and down yelling, ‘Yes, sir!’ I love that type of energy. He’s a very good coach.”
Pope had watched multiple times in person at Hillcrest during private workouts. In January, Pope traveled to watch his future forward, who looks up to Yoeli Childs, grab 20 rebounds in a game against Preston High. A performance that probably gave Pope flashbacks of Childs back in the 2019-20 season.
Willing passer
Over the past two seasons at Hillcrest High, Davis has averaged 15.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game.
He made it clear he’s a forward who can do a lot of different tasks on the floor. An underrated aspect of Davis’ game is his willingness to pass the ball. When he arrives on campus, BYU coaches envision Davis being a Draymond Green or a David Roddy type of player.
Like Green, Davis isn’t afraid to get into smack talk with opponents on the floor. He invites that.
During his commitment announcement, around 50 to 60 people attended the gym where Davis has led Hillcrest to back-to-back state titles. From family, Hillcrest High friends, and many of his Utah Prospects AAU teammates, such as five-star Isaiah Harwell and coaches, were there to support him.
Role of the Big 12 in Davis’ recruitment
Before Davis unveiled his BYU shirt and hat showing his commitment to the Cougars, a video played on Hillcrest High’s newly minted scoreboard that was never used before Davis’ commitment. It showed a young Davis describing his basketball journey and his goals of playing at the highest levels.
The level of competition doesn’t get higher than what awaits Davis at BYU, the Big 12.
When Davis enrolls at BYU in the fall of 2024, it will be BYU’s second season in the Power Five league. Knowing that the Big 12 was BYU’s future home played a part in the recruitment of Davis.
“It’s huge,” Davis said on the role BYU being in the Big 12 played in his recruitment. “I’m so excited to show everybody who I am, where I am, and what I can do [in that conference].”
#BYU lands Four-Star forward Isaac Davis.#BYUHoops @kslsports pic.twitter.com/SZNvVMi1Nq
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) April 19, 2023
When Davis arrives at BYU, he will be joined by another freshman Collin Chandler. Chandler, the highest-rated recruit BYU has signed in the internet era, is serving a Latter-day Saint mission in London, England. Like Davis, he also came through the Utah Prospects AAU circuit.
“I haven’t played with Collin yet, but I love Collin. He’s a very good player, and I’m very excited to play with him,” Davis said.
The addition of Davis gives BYU another critical building block for a future that awaits them in the Big 12.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU moving to the Big 12 Conference on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.
