Newly appointed athletic director Brian Santiago wants to keep Young in Provo long term.
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Brian Santiago speaks during a news conference to announce his announcement as the new BYU athletic director at Brigham Young University in Provo on Wednesday, May 14, 2025.
Provo • What is Brian Santiago’s first priority as BYU’s athletic director?
Keeping Kevin Young.
Santiago, who was promoted to the top job this week, knows the urgency of holding onto the Cougars’ head coach, who has remade BYU into a potential Final Four team.
Within the next few days, Santiago said Wednesday, he will sit down with Young to try to convince him that staying in Provo is the right move long term — even if the NBA comes calling.
“We’re super close, and we’re going to have some good conversation,” Santiago said. “I just think that everybody knows there’s been a lot out there with him being such a successful NBA coach and the Phoenix Suns making the change with their head coaching job. And it is obvious that they’re going to be interested in talking to Kevin Young.”
Young came to Provo from Phoenix last year and Santiago believes he will be a candidate for an NBA job this summer. The Suns fired Mike Budenholzer in April and are still searching for a head coach.
Young was the highest-paid assistant in the NBA when he left Phoenix and could’ve been an NBA head coach last year. He is close with several current Suns’ stars, including Devin Booker and Kevin Durant.
“I’m hoping that Kevin Young sees everything that’s happening here, and for all of these student athletes that we’ve brought to BYU, that this is the right place for him and his family,” Santiago said. “So that we can move forward with confidence, and everybody knows we’re ready to go.”
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) BYU basketball coach Kevin Young talks about player Egor Demin’s announcement to enter the NBA Draft, where he would likely be a first-round pick in June, during a news event in Provo on Tuesday, April 8, 2025.
Young took BYU to the Sweet 16 for the first time in over a decade in his first campaign. He also assembled one of the better rosters in college basketball, signing the No. 1 prospect AJ Dybantsa and retaining potential NBA player Richie Saunders.
He came in with the reputation of being one of the best offensive minds in the NBA and his first team in the college ranks averaged over 81 points per game. Under Young’s tutelage, Saunders flourished into an All-Big 12 player and point guard Egor Demin likely became a first-round pick.
Santiago was pivotal in hiring Young to replace former BYU head coach Mark Pope. Now, Santiago will be critical in keeping Young in Utah.
“The first thing that I want to do is make sure all of our coaches are locked in at BYU, starting with Kevin Young,” Santiago said.
And, for that matter, making sure “that he’s locked in at BYU for a long time.”