This BYU basketball player plans to return to Provo next season

Denver • BYU has dreams of making a deep March run, but one of its key players knows this won’t be his last chance at the Final Four.

The Cougars’ 6-foot-10 forward Mihailo Boskovic intends to return to Provo for his senior season.

“This is my learning experience [this year] to settle in,” Boskovic told The Salt Lake Tribune. “I feel like next year is going to be all out to finish on a good note.”

Boskovic played on several professional teams in Serbia before coming to Provo. He spent two years with KK Dynamic and last year with Igokea M:tel. He was one of the best players in the U20 European Championship in 2022.

There were some questions about his eligibility last fall, with the NCAA looking into both Boskovic and star point guard Egor Demin’s amateur status. Demin played for Real Madrid’s youth team in Spain.

Boskovic was ruled a junior at 22 years old. Demin was ruled a freshman at 18 years old at the time.

“I didn’t know how the ruling would go. There was a possibility I didn’t get any [eligibility] and I would just go back. Luckily I have one more year,” he said. “I thought I would have two more. But I think between one or two is great. I wouldn’t want to be considered a freshman because I’m 22 years old.”

BYU head coach Kevin Young changed Boskovic’s role throughout the year. He had games playing 20 minutes and others where he never got off the bench. With the way the Cougars rotate three options in the front court, Boskovic’s minutes are dictated by the matchups. He is a switchable, offensive-minded forward who can pop out to shoot the three.

He is averaging 3.7 points per game, but had 10 points against Iowa State and 11 against Utah within the last month.

“I would say, yeah, it was kind of difficult,” Boskovic said about his changing role. “Obviously, coming from already being, kind of, a pro player, you seek to get back to it. Go to even more heights. But I just stayed the course. Because every time my time came up, I think I did pretty good. Day by day, things will change. That’s how I think about it.”