2026 Transfer Portal

[Hards Alumni]

Firing Shaka is extreme but we need a competent backup 5. Not too much to ask.

I guess Shaka should just go pluck one from the competent backup 5 tree then.  Pretty easy.  No one to compete with, no numbers to discuss, nope, just grab whomever you want!

[jfp61]

Firing Shaka is extreme but we need a competent backup 5. Not too much to ask.

We need Ben Gold back

[Boone]

upgrading from present backup 5 options is low-hanging fruit

[MUbiz]

Firing Shaka is extreme but we need a competent backup 5. Not too much to ask.

I agree with this. MUBB spending a ton on a roster and not having a competent backup at the 5 is a massive oversight imho. I am not asking for another 2-3 million dollar player - I am asking for someone who can make layups. There has to be someone in the world that can do that and not cost a ton.

[Jay Bee]

I agree with this. MUBB spending a ton on a roster and not having a competent backup at the 5 is a massive oversight imho. I am not asking for another 2-3 million dollar player - I am asking for someone who can make layups. There has to be someone in the world that can do that and not cost a ton.

How much are they spending?

We had a competent backup, but made the decision to give mins to 18.

We should add a center though.

[Boone]

Pearson's cut, at a minimum.

[MUbiz]

How much are they spending?

We had a competent backup, but made the decision to give mins to 18.

We should add a center though.

Whatever Pearson was making is the base case for the backup.

It's also a disservice to the big 3 not to put a competent backup on the roster. It's really a disservice to the entire team IMHO.

[willie warrior]

We need Ben Gold back

Gooollllldbrick forever

[Billy Hoyle]

I guess we should have had a buyout for Sheek, it may have stopped Schertz from tampering with him.


Saint Louis HC Josh Schertz on utilizing buyouts to establish two-way financial accountability: "Contracts have to be good both ways. When people say, the coaches' portal's open, I agree. But almost every coach I know has a buyout that's more than their year-to-year salary that either the coach themselves or the institution they're moving to has to compensate the school they took the coach from. So now if you want to say that, you sign a player for a $1M, and for them to leave, they or the school they're going to has to pay you $2M. And they're not eligible to play at the other school until that money is received. Then I think you're having a different conversation that would also really tamper down the movement." (link)

[muwarrior69]

Not quite... there will be limited exceptions (e.g., military {lots of wars on deck!!}, religious, maternity). But, sure.. for most programs there will be no sitting out in order to preserve a year of eligibility. Will there still be kids who sit and don't play, taking the year to focus on strength and skill development? Certainly. But, won't affect eligibility.

There is a difference in not playing and not being able to play.

[WhiteTrash]

There is a difference in not playing and not being able to play.

The NBA has that figured out. 

[Billy Hoyle]

from the Athletic:

Men's college basketball transfer portal fits: 5 of the best pairings this offseason

Sananda Fru, Marquette
2025-26 stats (at Louisville): 9.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.4 blocks per game, made 76.5 percent of his 2s
The Athletic transfer portal rank: 39

Marquette's two best offensive years under Shaka Smart were when Smart unleashed center Oso Ighodaro as a playmaker.

Smart finally went portal shopping this year after a down year and found what could be his next Ighodaro in Fru, who shows the flashes on tape with similar athleticism and advanced numbers as Ighodaro before his junior year explosion.

Ighodaro had the freedom to bring the ball up because of his ballhandling. That's probably the biggest question mark with whether Fru can be used similarly, but there is proof of him looking capable of putting it on the floor:

Fru can make the type of passes that Ighodaro made for Marquette, whether it was feeding cutters or a quick-connecting dribble-handoff.

One of Smart's greatest strengths is empowering his players to grow their games. It's one reason he bet on development over hitting the portal every year. If he can pull off something similar with a portal player in Fru, then Marquette could find itself back in the NCAA Tournament.

[DoctorV]

Cool.
Just kind of wish when Shaka and Marquette finally went shopping it was so that it could find itself back in the Final Four, not back in the tournament

[tower912]

Cool.
Just kind of wish when Shaka and Marquette finally went shopping it was so that it could find itself back in the Final Four, not back in the tournament

A parallel lament every season but one for the last 49 years.

[Billy Hoyle]

A parallel lament every season but one for the last 49 years.

all but four teams say that every season. In this new era of college hoops for most programs (MU included) a Sweet 16 is a great accomplishment, anything else beyond that is a bonus, IMO (as long as you don't lose to an 11 seed by shooting 4 of 31 from beyond the arc).

Look at Sheek's new program - the only time they've made the Sweet 16 is when there were only 16 teams in the tourney.

[MarquetteMike1977]

Whatever Pearson was making is the base case for the backup.

It's also a disservice to the big 3 not to put a competent backup on the roster. It's really a disservice to the entire team

Agree. Unfortunately Got this text from a top donor. "they like Hamilton. Goodstudent hard worker etc "

I have met Caedin and Josh a couple times and they are awesome people who I would love to hang out with often But
Heck many of us were good students and hard workers but could not play D1 center.
Hopefully for everyone well embedded moles are finally correct and the 3rd year is the charm.
And hopefully for the school fans and All the Marquette Basketball team unlike last year emphasizes the V in RGV.

[burger]

You mean "-17" isn't competent....The thought had never occurred to me.....LOL.....

[#UnleashThePortal]

No news for 8 days?!?!?! 

[Galway Eagle]

No news for 8 days?!?!?! 

Poverty program