Five Top Men’s College Hoops Programs With Major Holes Still to Fill

As roster-building season winds down, high-profile teams like Kentucky and Kansas remain incomplete, with glaring needs that could define their ceilings.

Kentucky head coach Mark Pope and the Wildcats still have work to do before next season. | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

College basketball is in peak roster-building season, as teams around the country scramble to reload and retool primarily via the transfer portal. While some high-profile programs have largely wrapped up their rosters or only need to round out their rotation with a piece or two, a handful of top teams still have major holes to fill in order to field strong teams in 2026–27. 

Which teams still have the most work to do and what could their offseason plans look like? Here’s a look at the latest. 

Kentucky Wildcats 

Returners

C Malachi Moreno (7.8 ppg), W Kam Williams (6.0 ppg), W Trent Noah (3.0 ppg), W Braydon Hawthorne (RS), C Reece Potter (RS)

Newcomers

PG Zoom Diallo (Washington transfer), PG Alex Wilkins (Furman transfer), PG Mason Williams (2026 four-star), G Zyon Hawthorne (2026 unranked)

Needs

Starting PF, starting wing, frontcourt depth

A critical offseason for Mark Pope’s future in Lexington has gotten off to an inauspicious start. Their top target at point guard, BYU’s Robert Wright III, visited campus but elected to return to Provo, Utah. And while the Wildcats stuck the landing somewhat with a pair of touted PGs in Diallo and Wilkins, the struggles continued when St. John’s swooped in late to steal top power forward option Donnie Freeman after he initially appeared bound for Lexington. Kentucky is still involved with 2026 No. 1 recruit Tyran Stokes, but there’s stiff competition there from Kansas and Oregon. 

The most pressing concern is at power forward after the Freeman miss. James Madison transfer Justin McBride visited Wednesday, but he profiles as a fringe starter at best. Finding a way to get Stokes would change the narrative quickly, but if Kentucky can’t do that it will need to pivot quickly to find some star power at either the three or four. Fail to land at least one more big fish, and this will be one of the least talented Kentucky rosters on paper in a long time.

Utah transfer forward Keanu Dawes could be a starter for Kansas. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Kansas Jayhawks 

Returners

W Kohl Rosario (3.4 ppg), C Paul Mbiya (1.2 ppg)

Newcomers

F Keanu Dawes (Utah transfer), G Leroy Blyden Jr. (Toledo transfer), PG Taylen Kinney (2026 five-star), C Davion Adkins (2026 four-star), F Trent Perry (2026 four-star), G Luke Barnett (2026 four-star) 

Needs

Starting wing, starting center, veterans 

The Kansas roster was hit hard by portal attrition, losing a pair of key young pieces in Flory Bidunga (Louisville) and Bryson Tiller (Missouri) as well as veteran guards Elmarko Jackson (Georgetown) and Jamari McDowell (Wake Forest). They added a pair of strong pieces in the portal thus far in Dawes, a potential starter at the four, and Blyden, a bucket-getting combo guard who could play with Kinney, but still have holes to fill. 

One big one could be filled by the aforementioned Stokes, who Kansas has long been perceived as a favorite for. He’d give the Jayhawks some serious star power and form perhaps the best freshman duo in the country with Kinney. The frontcourt will need help regardless though, as going into the season with just Dawes, Mbiya and Adkins at the five would be one of the leanest and most unproven units among top-tier teams. Getting older and more experienced to balance out a roster with just one player in at least his third year of college basketball at present looks critical.  

NC State Wolfpack 

Returners

F Zymicah Wilkins (RS)

Newcomers

PG Preston Edmead (Hofstra transfer), SG Christian Hammond (Santa Clara transfer), C Kyle Evans (UC Irvine transfer), C Trevon Carter-Givens (2026 four-star)

Needs

Starting wing, starting PF, depth everywhere 

New NC State head coach Justin Gainey got a slightly late start in the portal after Will Wade’s long dalliance with LSU finally became reality in late March. So far, Gainey has landed a pair of impressive bucket-getting guards in Edmead and Hammond, who each took their respective teams to the NCAA tournament this season. He also added Evans, the nation’s leading shot blocker this past season, as a likely answer at center. But with just five roster spots accounted for, there’s still a lot of work to be done down the stretch that likely can’t all be accounted for in the portal with what’s left on the board.

Kentucky transfer forward Mouhamed Dioubate is the lone known quantity for LSU. | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

LSU Tigers

Returners

None

Newcomers

F Mouhamed Dioubate (Kentucky transfer) 

Needs

Everything

Wade’s return to Baton Rouge came with excitement, but the Tigers now have lots of work to do to fill out a competitive roster for his first season. So far, Wade has landed just one commit: Dioubate, a physical power forward who should be a starter. LSU has been a rumored destination for Santa Clara transfer and Louisiana native Allen Graves, one of the top players left in the portal, but competition will be stiff there. 

LSU is believed to be armed with a fairly significant war chest financially to build a big-time roster, and dominos could fall quickly here to have the Tigers in a much better spot at this time next week. But if they don’t, it may get hard in a hurry to build the type of roster Wade will need to compete in the SEC next season. 

North Carolina Tar Heels 

Returners

F Jarin Stevenson (8.1 ppg), G Isaiah Denis (1.9 ppg), G Jaydon Young (1.8 ppg)

Newcomers

G Terrence Brown (Utah transfer), G Neo Avdalas (Virginia Tech transfer), G Matt Able (NC State transfer), C Maxim Logue (FAU transfer), W Maximo Adams (2026 four-star), G Malloy Smith (2026 unranked)

Limbo

C Henri Veesaar (17.0 ppg)

Needs

Starting center (pending Veesaar), backup PG, experienced depth 

Michael Malone’s first roster at North Carolina is coming together after making three high-profile acquisitions in the backcourt. The Tar Heels added a potential NBA prospect on the wing in Able, another serious talent looking for a bounceback year in Avdalas and an athletic downhill guard in Brown to go with them. Add in a potential starter returning at power forward in Stevenson, and North Carolina could have answers at four of five starting spots locked in. 

The big question mark looming is at center, where star potential returner Veesaar is pondering NBA options. If Veesaar returns, he’s likely a preseason All-American and the centerpiece of this roster. If he doesn’t, North Carolina will need to aggressively pursue a starting-caliber starter to replace him. The Heels could also use a true backup point guard without a clear one on the roster and depth generally given how unproven the bench currently looks. 

Other teams to watch 

• Louisville has landed what looks like a fairly strong starting unit thanks to four high-profile portal pickups. But with just six total roster spots accounted for at the moment, the Cards will definitely be in the market for some role players to round out the rotation. 
• In a similar position to Louisville is Miami, which made a splash with PG Acaden Lewis and C Somto Cyril in the portal. The Hurricanes need to build out some depth with just seven roster spots accounted for. 
• St. John’s has done strong work to retain Ian Jackson and Ruben Prey, add Syracuse transfer Donnie Freeman at the four and land one of the top European players on the market in PG Quinn Ellis. The Red Storm need wing help and another splash in the frontcourt though. On the latter front, Arizona State transfer center Massamba Diop visits this weekend. 
• Keep an eye on Texas Tech. They’ve added a pair of starting-caliber backcourt players in Cruz Davis and Damarion Dennis, but the frontcourt needs help especially in the event that JT Toppin has to miss the entirety of the season as he recovers from his ACL tear suffered late in the 2025–26 season. 
• Another reported big spender that could shake up the market late is Oklahoma State, which has dangled big money to a handful of top portal and international prospects. The Cowboys need a splash on the wing and at center. 

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