Mark Pope provides skinny on signees Isaac Davis, Brooks Bahr, says BYU in hunt for one more prospect
With a huge early-season game against No. 17 San Diego State approaching this weekend, BYU basketball coach Mark Pope spent a little time Wednesday as the early signing period began to talk about his program’s future.
Most notably, the coach said that the two prospects he signed Wednesday might not be the Cougars’ only signings this week. Earlier Wednesday, BYU announced the signings of 6-foot-7 forward Isaac Davis of Idaho Falls, Idaho (Hillcrest High) and 6-4 guard Brooks Bahr of Keller, Texas.
“Both of these guys have ready-made, college-type, Big 12 bodies in the sense of their physicality. I am really excited about both these guys in terms of their bodies and the physicality that they are bringing the first day they walk on campus that fits into this league.” — BYU coach Mark Pope
Davis is expected to enroll next summer, while Bahr is expected to serve a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and join the program in 2026.
“Both of these guys have ready-made, college-type, Big 12 bodies in the sense of their physicality,” Pope said. “… I am really excited about both these guys in terms of their bodies and the physicality that they are bringing the first day they walk on campus that fits into this league.”
Read more about each recruit below.
As for another possible addition, Pope said there is a player “we are having conversations with right now,” but obviously couldn’t name him, per NCAA rules.
“There is still a week left in this signing period,” he said. “… I am not sure how that is going to go. Aside from that we are done for this signing period.”
Of the 16 players on BYU’s roster, only 12 are on scholarship, meaning that the staff could add one, perhaps between semesters in December. Schools are allotted 13.
Also, BYU is still trying to get 6-foot-8 freshman forward Marcus Adams eligible to play this season. He’s one of the 12 scholarship guys, assistant coach Nick Robinson confirmed last month.
“The waiver process (with the NCAA) for Marcus is still ongoing,” Pope said Wednesday.
Having downed Houston Christian 110-61 in its opener Monday, BYU hosts San Diego State (1-0) at the Marriott Center at 7 p.m. MST Friday.
Pope also confirmed that former four-star recruit Collin Chandler of Farmington is nearing the end of his mission and is due back next spring.
“He should have a full summer (to get ready to play),” Pope said. “Mission always comes first. But that is what we are anticipating.”
The coach said the Cougars go “super slow” in acclimating returned missionaries back to playing conditions.
“We are unbelievably cautious,” he said. “We have a whole protocol of … 32 checkpoints, standards they have to incrementally meet in their return to play.”
A closer look at the signees:
Isaac Davis, Idaho Falls, Idaho
Davis, a 6-7 forward, is the top prospect in the state of Idaho, according to 247Sports.com. He also plays for his high school’s football team as a defensive end and tight end.
Davis averaged 17.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, 203 assists and 1.5 steals per game as a junior and was the Post Register All-Area Player of the Year after the 2022-23 season.
“I walked out of (an event) this summer with …. top players all up and down the western United States with no doubt in my mind that Isaac Davis was the most physically dominant player at the entire event,” Pope said. “He has a really special joy and passion about his game. He is a multi-dimensional player who is at the elite level of the game as a passing forward.
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“He’s physical and tenacious as a defender, and we believe that he is going to grow into an elite-level shooter.”
Davis led Hillcrest to a 25-1 record and a second-straight Idaho 4A state championship last season. He had 22 points and eight rebounds in the 62-58 win over Pocatello.
As a sophomore, Davis helped Hillcrest win its first 4A state title ever and was named Most Valuable Player after averaging 18.3 points and 12.3 rebounds per game.
“His motor continues to grow and he’s becoming more and more vertical. Clearly he’s got the athleticism, the cross-sport lines,” Pope said.
Brooks Bahr, Keller, Texas
Bahr picked BYU over offers from Wake Forest, Utah, Saint Mary’s, Oklahoma State, Nebraska, Rice and others. The native of Keller, Texas, has said he plans to serve a mission before enrolling.
Ranked by 247Sports as the 132nd best player in the country among the class of 2024, Bahr was District Offensive Most Valuable Player after averaging 21.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists for his high school team.
“Brooks Bahr is a combination of Payton Pritchard and Chauncey Billups,” Pope said. “He is an explosive, physical, skilled guard who is capable as a playmaker, a scorer and a hard-nosed defender.
“The most impressive thing about Brooks is that his IQ is beyond elite. He studies the game. He is curious about the game and he can’t get enough of the game.”
A lefty, Bahr shot 56% from the field and 38% from 3-point range last year. He’s been playing varsity basketball since his freshman season.
“Brooks is … an incredibly explosive backcourt player,” Pope said. “He would be the first one to tell you, he is not crazy vertical. But laterally, change of direction, turning guys hips, I felt like of everybody that I watched this summer in all of high school basketball, I didn’t see a single player that was able to turn guys hips more quickly or efficiently, without any help from any action.”
