the occasional player and maybe a starter, the idea that BYU has an untapped pipeline for international players similar to Gonzaga or St Mary’s is laughable. If the Church has a worldwide membership of 15 million members, compare that to just Europe, which has upwards of 250 million people who identify as Catholic. South America has another 450 million.
If a foreign kid raised and, possibly educated, Catholic wants to play in the US, he has dozens and dozens of Catholic colleges and Universities to choose from. Famous basketball schools. Gonzaga, Notre Dame, Georgetown, Marquette, Villanova, etc, etc. And many more like Seton Hall, St. Mary’s, Iona, Providence, etc, etc. Famous schools that they have heard of.
Of course, if the kid is LDS, his choices are reduced somewhat.
The idea that BYU is sitting on a goldmine of LDS power forwards is wishful thinking.