If you wondering about a Kanye West connection to BYU basketball, here it is: The Cougars announced on Friday they had signed 6-foot-8 forward Braeden Moore for the 2022-23 season. Moore played last season at Donda Academy in Simi Valley, Calif., a year-old prep school started by none other than music mogul Kanye West.

On his Twitter page, Moore wrote: “I want to thank my family, friends, coaches, and trainers who have invested in me. Most importantly, I want to thank God for all he is done in my life. Excited for what the future holds! CougNation: Let’s get it!”

A four-star recruit by ESPN and a three-star by 247Sports and Rivals, Moore committed to Rutgers last July but opened up his recruitment a few months later. He reportedly had offers from Wisconsin, Nebraska, Arizona State, Wisconsin, Kansas, Auburn, Missouri, Georgia Tech, Memphis, San Diego State and Houston.

“The style of play, academics, culture, coaches and location won me over,” Moore told Vanquish the Foe. “I visited BYU last week with my brother and my mom. Both parents were college athletes. Mom swam at Pepperdine and dad played at Point Loma. We are from SoCal originally and moved to Nashville seven years ago.”

Moore scored over 2,000 points at Christ Presbyterian Academy during his high school career, averaging 18.5 points and eight rebounds a game while being named a finalist for Tennessee’s Mr. Basketball award. He then transferred to Donda Academy, where he competed against top prep school competition and played alongside five-star recruits J.J. Taylor and Jahki Howard.

Moore, the No. 61 power forward in the country according to 247 Sports, is not member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and is expected to compete for playing time right away.

BYU now has two scholarships remaining to fill out the 2022-23 roster. Coach Mark Pope hosted a pair of big men (Eastern Michigan’s Mo Njie and Missouri-Kansas City’s Josiah Allick) this week.

The recruiting class of 2022 now includes Moore, Farmington guard Collin Chandler (who will serve a church mission before enrolling) and Coastal Carolina guard transfer Rudi Williams.

Newsletter