BYU Center Xavion Staton to Enter the Transfer Portal

Highly-touted freshman big man to leave Cougars after one season

Apr. 7, 2026 at 4:33am

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A cubist-style painting depicting a college basketball player in motion, broken down into overlapping geometric shapes and planes of vibrant blue, orange, and green colors, conveying the complexity of roster decisions in the modern game.Staton's transfer highlights the challenges of roster management in the NIL era, where raw talent doesn't always translate to immediate on-court success.Provo Today

BYU true freshman center Xavion Staton, a top 50 national recruit, has announced he will enter the NCAA transfer portal after just one season with the Cougars. Staton cited a desire to pursue other opportunities and thanked the BYU coaching staff, teammates, and program for their support.

Why it matters

Staton's decision to transfer is a setback for the BYU basketball program, which was hoping the highly-touted big man would develop into a key contributor. His departure highlights the challenges of roster management in the NIL era, where raw but talented recruits may not always be the best fit for a win-now team.

The details

Staton, who signed with BYU as part of the 2025 recruiting class, will enter the transfer portal with a 'Do Not Contact' tag, indicating he likely already has a destination in mind. He appeared in just 9 games for the Cougars this past season, averaging 0.6 points and 0.4 rebounds per game before suffering an injury that kept him out for the rest of the year.

  • Staton will enter the transfer portal when it opens on Tuesday, April 7, 2026.
  • Staton played in 9 games for BYU during the 2025-26 season before suffering an injury.

The players

Xavion Staton

A true freshman center who was a top 50 national recruit in the 2025 class, but struggled to make an immediate impact at BYU due to injury and lack of physical development.

Rob Wright III

A key returning player for BYU who the Cougars will look to build their roster around in the wake of Staton's departure.

Bruce Branch

A five-star wing recruit who BYU is hoping can help fill out their roster through the transfer portal.

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What they’re saying

“I want to sincerely thank my coaches, teammates, and the entire program for pushing me, believing in me, and helping me grow every day. I'm also extremely grateful for my family and their constant love and support.”

— Xavion Staton, BYU Center

What’s next

BYU is expected to be active in the transfer portal over the next two weeks, specifically looking to add a starting center to their roster.

The takeaway

Staton's decision to transfer highlights the challenges of roster management in the NIL era, where highly-touted but raw recruits may not always be the best fit for a win-now team. BYU will need to carefully evaluate their recruiting and transfer strategy moving forward to build a competitive roster around their returning core.