Arizona transfer Alex Barcello has received a waiver from the NCAA and is eligible to play for BYU this season, the school announced Friday.
The junior guard was one of two players awaiting a waiver. Junior Richard Hayward, who transferred from Utah Valley, is still waiting to see if his appeal is approved.
In a tweet, Barcello said he was “(u)nbelievably grateful, and so excited for season to start!!”
Barcello played two seasons at Arizona, where he averaged 2.9 points in 51 games. The Chandler, Arizona native also totaled 48 rebounds, 35 assists and 13 steals.
The junior had a career-best 16 points against Georgia Southern last season.
Barcello, who prepped at Corona del Sol High School, was the No. 2 recruit in the state of Arizona and a member of the ESPN Top 100 for the class of 2017. He was also named Arizona Gatorade Player of the Year (2015, 2017) and helped lead Corona del Sol to a couple of 6A state titles. Barcello scored 51 points in a state tournament game on the way to their 2015 state title.
Barcello could prove to be a valuable asset as BYU continues to recover from a few off-season injuries. While TJ Haws has come back to full capacity, senior Zac Seljaas is still recovering from a broken foot sustained during the tour of Italy. Gavin Baxter will most likely miss the entire season due to a shoulder injury sustained during training camp.
The addition of Barcello will also help add depth to a roster that will go without senior forward Yoeli Childs, who will sit out the first nine games of the season as he serves his NCAA suspension.
