Lauren Gustin’s loyalty is a great asset for BYU — and a great ‘what if?’ for Utah

This season could have looked differently for Lauren Gustin, had she chosen the other path.

The nation’s leading rebounder could have been on a top-25 team with dreams of an NCAA tournament run. She could have been part of a challenging title defense in arguably the country’s best league.

But the BYU star just couldn’t see herself in Utah red in the end.

After flirting with the possibility of transferring to the rival Utes for her senior season, Gustin chose loyalty instead, deciding to stay home and help the Cougars start their Big 12 era.

As of January, Gustin’s stats stand out — 15 points paired with an NCAA-best 15 rebounds per game — but the team is predictably struggling. BYU entered the week 2-5 in conference play and 12-8 overall. It was just blown out in Stillwater by Oklahoma State by 32.

So why did she do it?

“It’s home for me and always has been home,” Gustin said.

Months later, Gustin’s decision still has reverberating effects in basketball offices across the state.

The Utes, who were coming off a Sweet 16 appearance, wanted Gustin to add another rebounder. With their front court depth lacking, they could use a player like her right now.

And for BYU, it desperately wanted to keep her as its cornerstone in the Big 12.

It makes Gustin’s spring transfer portal decision fascinating to examine as the Utes start to find their footing in a challenging Pac-12 conference and BYU trudges through the heart of its first Big 12 schedule.

That’s fine by Gustin.

“I love my teammates,” she said. “I have great teammates and I wanted to come into the Big 12 with them.”

When Gustin originally entered the transfer portal, she put a “do not contact” tag on her recruiting profile. It typically means a player already knows where they want to go, or who they want to hear from. There is no point in reaching out.

For Gustin, the choice was either Utah or BYU.

Utah had a rebounding need and Gustin could fill that role. She also had previous connections with the staff.

Back in 2019, when she finished up at Salt Lake Community College, she visited head coach Lynne Roberts’ office and talked about coming to Utah. But Roberts didn’t have a scholarship available at the time.

Gustin was transferring mid-year and Utah didn’t have any open spots.

“She hadn’t played and I had never seen her,” Roberts said. “... We just weren’t in a situation at the time to offer her because we didn’t have one mid-year.”

Roberts said Gustin could walk-on the first semester. But BYU came in and offered her a scholarship. Gustin went there and didn’t play at all in 2019-20.

Four years later, Gustin reached out to Utah again.

“I think she wanted to just kind of hear what we had to say,” Roberts said.

At the same time, BYU’s staff waited. Cougars coach Amber Whiting asked if BYU could give Gustin the final pitch.

“It was on her timeline,” Whiting said, noting there were anxious days. “It was her thing to think through and talk about.”

In between, a number of other schools reached out, ignoring the “do not contact” tag. It wasn’t until late in the process that Gustin went to dinner with Whiting’s staff and they laid out the vision.

“My thing for her was to remember who she was and how much she meant to this team,” Whiting said. “That she could lead us into the Big 12. Be the face of the program. That person we are behind.”

At graduation, Gustin told Whiting she would stay in Provo. She called Roberts and said she had “special memories of BYU.”

Now, we are seeing the effects of the path she took and the road not traveled.

At BYU, Gustin has been the best player on a team scuffling through its first Power Five schedule. Gustin just broke BYU’s all-time rebounding record, but the team’s postseason chances are slim.

For, Utah, the Utes lost one of its best players early — guard Gianna Kneepkens — and are just now finding playmakers outside of Alissa Pili. Its starting front court has been strong, but the depth hasn’t been great. In theory, Gustin could have helped there.

Still, Gustin feels as though she made the right choice.

“It’s always been a great place for me to be at,” Gustin finished. “And I’ve always enjoyed my time there.”