This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Happy Monday, everyone. I'm back in the blogger saddle today, after a being off a good chunk of time in June. BYU will hold its football media day on Wednesday at the BYU Broadcast Building, which will obviously be the big news of the week. But a pair of basketball players who helped the Cougars make it to the NIT semifinals a few months ago could also be in the spotlight, at least locally. The NBA Draft is Thursday, and Brandon Davies could be picked in the second round. I wouldn't have written that sentence in March, but Davies' performance at the Portsmouth Invitational (he earned MVP honors) and then at the NBA Combine in Chicago moved him into the picture. And he's received nearly a dozen invites from NBA clubs — including the Utah Jazz — to their predraft workouts, so there's obviously some interest in the former Provo High star. Will the big guy hear his name called later this week? Thursday will tell the tale. The future star of BYU basketball, at least for the next two years — junior guard Tyler Haws — begins his tryout today for the USA team that will compete in the upcoming World University Games in Russia. Haws headed out for Colorado Springs and the Olympic Training Center this morning, and the first practice session is tonight. He will wear No. 46. Back in Provo, the summer term begins, which means newcomers such as Eric Mika and Luke Worthington will be on campus and the 2013-14 BYU basketball team will begin summer workouts — sans Haws.Some 27 college players are at the training camp, and Haws has said the tryout represents "a big opportunity" for him and something he has been looking forward to since receiving the invitation last month. After a couple days of practices, probably on Wednesday, the roster will be trimmed to 18 or so finalists. The 12-member roster will be named just before the team leaves for Russia on July 1. Haws is trying to become the first player to represent BYU in an international event since Devin Durrant in 1983 at the World University Games. One aspect of the tryout working in Haws' favor is that the squad will be coached by Davidson coach Bob McKillop, who recruited Haws heavily out of Lone Peak High. Haws considers McKillop a family friend.———————— By the way, rumors started flying on Friday night that another BYU basketball player, returned missionary Kyle Collinsworth, had been involved in a rather serious automobile accident, perhaps even a rollover. Kyle Chilton, BYU sports information director for basketball, made a few quick phone calls and learned that Collinsworth was involved in a minor fender-bender, was not injured, and had not missed any workouts. Collinsworth returned last month from his church mission in Russia.