PROVO, Utah – BYU men’s basketball has signed a McDonald’s All-American for a second consecutive year with Bruce Branch III putting pen to paper on Wednesday afternoon.
"We are so excited to welcome Bruce and his family to BYU," head coach Kevin Young said. "Bruce is a high character young man. He plays the game the right way and knows how to win. His talent is undeniable on both ends off the floor and we can’t wait to help develop his game and help put him in position to be great."
Branch III is the second-ever five-star recruit to sign with the Cougars joining last season’s Big 12 Freshman and consensus First Team All-American AJ Dybantsa. He was the No. 2 prospect in 2027 before reclassifying and now ranks No. 6 in the SC Next 100.
NEWS: Bruce Branch III, the No. 2-ranked prospect in 2027, will reclassify into the 2026 class, he told @PaulBiancardi. Enters discussion for the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NBA draft. Kentucky, Kansas, Louisville, USC, BYU, Arizona, Houston, Miami interested.pic.twitter.com/w6X9hKWmm0
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) November 22, 2025
The Phoenix, Ariz. native started for Team East in the 2026 McDonald’s All-American game. He finished with seven points, four rebounds, two blocks and an assist in 20 minutes of action. He also played 13 minutes off the bench for Team USA at the 2026 Nike Hoop Summit in their 102-100 overtime victory.
He concluded his prep career at Prolific Prep in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. where he earned Max Preps and Naismith Boys’ High School All-American Honorable Mention accolades after averaging 18 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and two blocks per game.
The 6-foot-7 wing began his prep career at Perry High School where he helped the Pumas win back-to-back Arizona 6A State Championships playing alongside Arizona’s Koa Peat. During his sophomore season, PHS went 27-2 and finished ranked fourth in the nation.
Last summer, Branch III averaged 15.9 points and 5.2 rebounds per game while shooting 39.0 percent from 3-point range on the Adidas 3SSB circuit for the Compton Magic. He also had a strong showing at the Adidas Eurocamp in Italy receiving All-Camp Team honors while being given the Rising Star Award.
Branch III is the third high school signee of the 2026 class for the Cougars joining four-star and Utah 5A Player of the Year Dean Rueckert and Will Openshaw.