The University of Utah basketball program added another local talent to its 2026 recruiting class Saturday, as American Fork guard Bryce Mella announced his commitment to the Runnin’ Utes program on social media.
Mella previously signed with Utah State, but those plans changed after the Aggies’ coaching change this spring.
Who is Bryce Mella?
Mella is a 6-foot-5 guard and four-year letterwinner who played his first two prep seasons at Mountain View High before transferring to American Fork ahead of the 2024-25 season.
Mella earned all-state honors from the Deseret News each of his four high school seasons, including first-team honors as a senior when he averaged 16.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.
In his prep career, Mella accounted for 1,475 points, 357 rebounds, 214 assists, 94 steals and 24 blocks.
When Mella signed with Utah State in November, then-Aggies coach Jerrod Calhoun praised him for his size, length and upside.
“Bryce fits everything we value in a high-impact perimeter player — he’s got great size, length, versatility, and competitiveness,” Calhoun said in a statement at the time.
“He has a great feel and can impact the game on both ends of the court. We love his upside and feel that his best basketball is ahead of him.”
Calhoun ended up leaving this offseason to become head coach at Cincinnati and was replaced by Ben Jacobson, which opened the door for Mella to explore his options with the coach he committed to moving on.
How does Bryce Mella fit into Utah’s future plans?
Don’t expect to see Mella in a Utah uniform for a while.
Like another Utah signee in the 2026 class, Orem’s Simeon Suguturaga, Mella plans to serve a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints before enrolling.
His first year at Utah would be the 2028-29 season. As such, Mella is more of a long-term option for Alex Jensen’s program. The local tie has the potential to be a versatile wing player upon his return from the mission.