I probably should not be shocked by anything that happens in the transfer portal these days. But this week’s news that BYU point guard Rob Wright III is entering the portal still caught me completely off guard.

I’ll pause here for Baylor fans to laugh. 

I’m well aware that reporting indicates Wright signed an NIL deal with Baylor last season, then reneged on his commitment to head to Provo to play for Kevin Young. 

That played a major role in torpedoing Baylor’s season before it even got started. Head coach Scott Drew was banking on building the Bears around Wright at point guard.

I was simply naive enough to believe what Wright told BYUtv after the season.

All is fair in love, war, and the transfer portal. 

The Cougars’ roster is going to look a lot different next season. The Big Three of Richie Saunders, AJ Dybantsa, and Rob Wright III is now entirely gone. So is wing Kennard Davis, who also entered the portal this week. 

I can’t help but wonder out loud if BYU had this coming. I don’t mean that in a vindictive way. It’s all a part of playing the transfer portal game at the highest level in 2026. 

But in relationships, I often hear people say someone leaves you the same way they found you. In other words, if they were cheating on their previous partner with you, they will probably leave you the same way.

Perhaps it was always inevitable that Wright would leave the Cougars after making a commitment, considering he did the same thing to Baylor.

I’m not even trying to attack Wright’s character here, either. There are no guardrails right now to keep players from making rash decisions while piles of cash get thrown their way. 

And make no mistake, with the schools being mentioned as landing spots for Wright right now, he’s going to get piles of cash. 

Could he actually return to BYU? Technically, yes. But that’s hard for me to believe if Kentucky is involved. Remember, the Wildcats just spent $22 million on a Round of 32 roster last season. 

This is the price you pay to swim with the sharks in the deep waters of the transfer portal. You’ll win some and lose some. 

All is fair in love, war, and the transfer portal. 

BYU’s program will be just fine. Five-star wing Bruce Branch III will be in blue and white next season, and the Cougars certainly have the NIL resources to be legitimate players in the portal. 

The Cougars are now projected to land Kentucky guard Collin Chandler, for instance. 

Replacing nearly all of your production from one season to the next is difficult, no matter how much talent you are bringing in. The best winning formula we have seen in the transfer portal era is supplementing a roster full of veteran returners with help from the portal.

With a fifth Cougar player entering the portal this morning, there is plenty of work to do for Kevin Young. 

Where is Flory Bidunga Heading?

BYU is far from the only Big 12 school with a key player in the portal right now. 

Five Kansas Jayhawks entered this week, including All-Big 12 performer Flory Bidunga. Earlier this week, 247Sports crystal-balled Bidunga to Texas Tech amid rumors that he was asking for $5 million.

A different 247 Sports analyst even mentioned that BYU would have a shot at Bidunga. 

As the week has evolved, most of the buzz has now centered on Duke, St. John’s, Michigan, and Louisville. That’s probably a sigh of relief for Jayhawks fans who likely don’t want to see him in the Big 12 next season. 

Another surprising mid-week addition to the portal was TCU’s David Punch. 

On3 ranks Punch as the 8th-best player available right now after putting up 14 points and 7 rebounds per game last season. 

Arizona State big man Mor Massamba Diop, Colorado guard Isaiah Johnson, and Cincinnati center Moustapha Thiam are also listed among the top 12 players in the portal by On3.

What You Need to Know

• How much does it cost to land an elite player in the men’s basketball transfer portal right now? Check out these wild prices reported by college coaches.  

• Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire gave BYU some big-time love in an interview this week. 

• Kansas is already being connected to one of college basketball’s hottest coaches if Bill Self retires within the next few years. 

• Indiana head football coach Curt Cignetti took a big shot at a Big 12 head coach. 

• Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire is the latest Red Raider to voice his displeasure with the Big 12. 

• Missed this in my last newsletter, but congratulations to West Virginia on winning The College Basketball Crown Tournament. Honor Huff dropped 38 on Oklahoma in the title game.

Enjoying Open For Business? It would mean the world to me if you could share the newsletter with three of your friends who want Big 12 news without SEC or Big Ten bias. Tell them to sign up at OFBNews.com and get started today!