BYU big man Keba Keita plans to enter NCAA transfer portal

BYU senior big man Keba Keita announced his intention to enter the NCAA transfer portal, according to a source speaking to On3. Keita was among 73 student-athletes who secured a temporary restraining order against the NCAA in a California lawsuit, granting them a fifth year of eligibility. This allows Keita to enter the transfer portal outside of the typical April window, and he now plans to explore his options for an additional season of college basketball.

Standing at 6-foot-8, the forward/center played a pivotal role during the past season, averaging 6.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game while maintaining a 68% field goal shooting percentage. Keita's performance remained consistent from his junior year, where he averaged 7.4 points and similar rebounding numbers. Originally from Mali, Keita began his collegiate journey at Utah, spending two seasons there.

His freshman season saw him averaging 3.0 points and 3.4 rebounds per game, but a sophomore breakout led to a notable improvement, with averages of 8.3 points and 5.4 rebounds for the Utes. As part of the Class of 2022, Keita was a highly sought-after recruit, classified as a three-star prospect out of Utah's Mount Pleasant Wasatch Academy, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking.

He was ranked as the No. 5 forward in his state, No. 22 overall for his class, and No. 154 in the country.