Collin Chandler decided to continue his college basketball career at BYU instead of Kentucky. His wifeHannah, didn’t.
The highly touted recruit wants to be clear that he made the decision for himself.
There are many rumors about this high-profile college basketball transfer. Many of them are fake!
Who is Collin Chandler?
At 6-foot-4, 170 pounds, Chandler was rated as a four-star prospect in the 2022 recruiting class. He was named Utah’s Mr. Basketball as a senior at Farmington High School. He ranked as the No. 6 player at his position and a top-35 player overall.
Because Collin Chandler is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he did not begin his college basketball career until 2024 after a two-year mission in Sierra Leone. The talented combo guard was committed to playing for Mark Pope at BYU when he left. Pope was hired by Kentucky while he was away. He ultimately reversed his commitment to the Wildcats shortly before returning.
Chandler played in 30 games as a freshman in 2024-25, all off the bench. He averaged 9.7 points and 2.8 rebounds per game. game as a sophomore in 2025-26 and shot 41% from three-point range. Kentucky lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. It was a breakout season for the Wildcats’ starting point guard.
And so he decided to go. Chandler entered the transfer portal with a “do not contact” tag on April 8. This typically means that an athlete knows the program in which he wants to continue his career.
Sure enough, Chandler committed to BYU three days later.
Did his wife influence his decision to move from Kentucky?
Collin Chandler and his wife, Hannah Chandler, recently appeared on Y’s Guys podcast in Provo. They discussed a wide range of topics, including his decision to leave Kentucky for BYU.
One particular clip went viral. Chandler said he wanted to “be a part of a program that cares about their athletics.”
Wildcats fans took it as a shot at the administration and fan base in Lexington. It wasn’t. The video clip was shared out of context. Chandler was referring to his first visit to BYU while still in high school in 2021.
Here is the full clip:
Collin Chandler talks about his thinking during a BYU visit in 2021. The quote “I want to be a part of a program that cares about their athletics” has nothing to do with UK – it’s been shared out of context. pic.twitter.com/PCUFWHTPEf
— Rare Rookies (@rarerookies) June 26, 2026
Another narrative surrounding his transfer involves his wife. Hannah wanted him to come home! She wanted him out of the bars in Lexington! It’s her fault he left!
That’s not true either. Collin Chandler made it abundantly clear that his wife was comfortable with any decision he made. She was nothing but supportive. She was not the driving force behind his transfer.
“It’s funny, Hannah has actually gotten a lot of misses for my transfer, actually probably more than I have, because I think people think she sways me a lot to come home.”
Collin Chandler talks about his wife being blamed for his transfer. pic.twitter.com/qZR3LVbfdo
— Rare Rookies (@rarerookies) June 26, 2026
That decides it! Chandler loved his time at Kentucky and remains grateful for his two seasons with Mark Pope. He was ready for a change. BYU, which happens to be an elite team with a lot of money, called him back to Utah.
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