Who’s Next?: The Names Who Could Replace College Basketball’s Biggest Stars Next Season

The post-NCAA tournament transfer portal has closed, and programs all across the country are taking a quick breather after a flurry of activity took place to shape their respective rosters for next season.

Just because the portal closed on April 21 at midnight doesn’t mean we won’t still see players commit to new schools this offseason. After all, the April 21 deadline was simply for players to submit their paperwork to enter the transfer portal. Effectively, players in the portal who remain uncommitted can take as much time as they need before committing to a school of their choice.

While there is still certainly some transfer portal activity to come, several players have already made their decisions on where they’ll be playing basketball in the 2026–27 season. Here are the transfer players (and in some cases, incoming freshmen) who will be tasked with replacing college basketball’s biggest stars next season.

Michigan Wolverines

Departing Star: F Yaxel Lendeborg

Incoming Replacements: F J.P. Estrella (Transfer from Tennessee), F Quinn Costello (Four-star freshman), G Brandon McCoy (Five-star freshman)

How do you replace the best player on a national championship team? It truly remains to be seen. Michigan has added Tennessee forward J.P. Estrella as insurance in case of departures of Morez Johnson and/or Aday Mara. But there’s still not a one-for-one replacement for All-American Yaxel Lendeborg, who has exhausted his eligibility and is off to the NBA.

Estrella played in 33 games and started 13 last season for the Volunteers, averaging 10.0 points and 5.4 rebounds on 59.6% shooting from the floor, so he’ll be a factor. Estrella will be flanked by 6' 10" freshman Quinn Costello, a four-star recruit out of Boston, who is also expected to play a role next season for the Wolverines.

It’ll be a different looking roster for the Wolverines, even with key pieces returning in senior Elliot Cadeau and sophomore guard Trey McKenney, a duo that could be among college basketball’s best in the backcourt. Blue-chip freshman guard Brandon McCoy will also be a factor.

While there are still questions about replacing Lendeborg in the frontcourt, Michigan remains in the mix for Cincinnati transfer center Moustapha Thiam. Wake Forest guard Juke Harris is also being pursued by the Wolverines, to add to an already stellar backcourt on paper.

Duke Blue Devils

Departing Star: F Cameron Boozer

Incoming Replacements: F Drew Scharnowski (Transfer from Belmont), Cameron Williams (Five-star freshman)

There has been a ton of roster news for the Blue Devils over the last few weeks. Isaiah Evans is off to the NBA, but Cayden Boozer and Caleb Foster will both return to the Blue Devils, as will big man Patrick Ngongba. Ironically, at time of writing, the most pro-ready player—Cameron Boozer—has yet to declare, but he’ll be a top three pick in the NBA draft in June when he eventually makes the anticipated decision to forgo his remaining eligibility.

As usual, Duke’s had no problem loading up with talent on the roster heading into next season. The Blue Devils earned the commitment of Drew Scharnowski from Belmont, who will play a big role. Scharnowski averaged 10.7 points and 6.0 rebounds for the Bears in 30 games last season. He’ll play either alongside (or in a tandem with) five-star prospect Cameron Williams, the next anticipated one-and-done Duke freshman.

While Williams and Scharnowski will both play a similar position to Boozer in the rotation, there will be other stars incoming to help replace the scoring load left behind by the Naismith Player of the Year. Duke earned the commitment of Wisconsin star guard John Blackwell, who will give the Blue Devils some needed backcourt scoring pop. Five-star wing Bryson Howard and five-star point guard Deron Rippey Jr. will also figure prominently into a crowded backcourt and wing rotation with Foster and Cayden Boozer both back for another season of college basketball.

Jon Scheyer has an embarrassment of riches once again, so expect Duke to be one of the preseason favorites to cut down the nets next April.

Illinois Fighting Illini

Departing Star: G Keaton Wagler

Incoming Replacement: G/F Stefan Vaaks (Transfer from Providence)

Brad Underwood has done yeoman’s work in retaining a majority of his roster that made a Final Four run last season. The core of the rotation is returning, of course, sans star freshman Keaton Wagler, who burst onto the scene to become one of college basketball’s best players last season. Wagler will be near impossible to replace, but Underwood is turning to another international prospect in 6' 7" point forward Stefan Vaaks, who spent last season with Providence.

Vaaks played 31 games for the Friars, averaging 15.8 points, 3.2 assists and 2.5 rebounds on a shade over 40% shooting. He also knocked down a respectable 35% of his three-point attempts. He possesses many of the same elite shot-making qualities that allowed Wagler to pop in the Illini’s offensive system, and he should benefit from the elite floor-spacing that the Illini’s bigs help provide.

Vaaks will figure prominently into the rotation alongside the Ivisic twins, Andrej Stojakovic, Jake Davis and David Mirković.

UConn Huskies

Departing Stars: C Tarris Reed, F Alex Karaban

Incoming Replacements: F Nik Khamenia (Transfer from Duke), C Najai Hines (Transfer from Seton Hall)

UConn sees its roster for next season as a reload—not a rebuild—but when replacing a big man as impactful as Tarris Reed, and a winner as accomplished as Alex Karaban, it will be no easy task.

But the Huskies got right to work in the transfer portal. UConn retained Braylon Mullins, a big win considering his NBA future, and snagged commitments from Duke transfer wing Nik Khamenia and Seton Hall big man Najai Hines. Both players will slot right into the starting lineup and should fit UConn’s style of play nicely.

Khamenia is a player with the potential of Karaban. Similar in size and stature, Khamenia can absolutely rip it. The former blue-chip recruit appeared in 38 games last season, averaging 5.7 points per game on 44.4% shooting from the floor and 34% from deep. He’ll have a much larger role for the Huskies than he did in Durham with the Blue Devils.

As for Hines, he has just as much potential. In 31 games at Seton Hall last season as a freshman, he averaged 6.5 points and 5.5 rebounds off the bench. In a starting role, those numbers stand to jump heading into year two of his college journey.

UConn’s backcourt returns Silas Demary Jr., but Solo Ball will miss the season due to wrist surgery and plans to redshirt. Expect incoming four-star freshmen Colben Landrew and Junior County to get some early minutes in the rotation given Ball’s absence.

BYU Cougars

Departing Star: F AJ Dybantsa

Incoming Replacement: F Bruce Branch III (Five-star freshman)

How do you replace a top three NBA draft pick in AJ Dybantsa? How about another blue-chip wing in Bruce Branch III, who has every bit the professional future as the departing Dybantsa.

BYU didn’t achieve its team goals this season of making a deep NCAA tournament run, but Dybantsa lived up to the hype. He averaged 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists on 51% shooting. If Branch comes in and plays anywhere near that level, the Cougars shouldn’t miss a beat—especially now that they’re keeping Rob Wright III in the backcourt after he briefly traversed into the transfer portal.

The Cougars will have the star power, but will they be able to get over the hump and make a run to the second weekend of the tournament (and beyond) under Kevin Young?

Kansas Jayhawks

Departing Star: G Darryn Peterson

Incoming Replacements: G Leroy Blyden (Transfer from Toledo), G Taylen Kinney (Five-star freshman)

Kansas will be replacing one of the most maligned (but gifted scorers) in college basketball next season with Darryn Peterson moving on to the NBA, where he joins Cameron Boozer and AJ Dybantsa as a potential top three pick. When healthy, there were few (if any) players who could fill it up like Peterson, and his scoring pop will be difficult to replace. However, Kansas is hoping veteran guard Leroy Blyden and incoming five-star freshman Taylen Kinney can fill the void.

Blyden earned All-MAC honors after scoring 16.4 points to go along with 4.5 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game on 46.1% shooting from the floor and a 40.7% mark from three. Kinney has shown the ability to score at all three levels with Overtime Elite, and will definitely see plenty of playing time for the Jayhawks next season.

North Carolina Tar Heels

Departing Star: F Caleb Wilson

Incoming Replacement: F Maximo Adams (Four-star freshman), G/F Neoklis Avdalas (Transfer from Virginia Tech)

North Carolina hired Michael Malone to replace Hubert Davis this offseason, which has been a period of understandable transition for the Tar Heels, who always have sky-high expectations. North Carolina’s best player, Caleb Wilson, is off to the NBA. Four-star freshman Maximo Adams projects to be the primary player to fill the void, but the Tar Heels are doing what they can to supplement the roster through the portal with as much talent as reasonably expected with a new coach. The Tar Heels have added Neoklis Avdalas from Virginia Tech, a 6' 9" sophomore who can play on-ball or off offensively, and will look to improve his paltry shooting in his second year playing basketball in the United States.

The Tar Heels have plenty to offer in the backcourt as well, with Matt Able coming in from NC State and Terrence Brown joining the Tar Heels from Utah, but Adams and Avdalas will be the two to watch to replace Wilson specifically.

Arkansas Razorbacks

Departing Star: G Darius Acuff

Incoming Replacements: G Jeremiah Wilkinson (Transfer from Georgia), G Jordan Smith Jr. (Five-star freshman)

Arkansas coach John Calipari is wondering why his star guard Darius Acuff Jr. isn’t a more serious name to watch for top overall pick in June’s NBA draft. It’s hard to blame Calipari, especially considering he’s had a courtside view to one of the most gifted scorers he’s ever coached.

Acuff wasn’t even fully healthy last season and still averaged 23.5 points and 6.4 assists on 48.4% shooting and a blistering 44% shooting from three.

Calipari will throw multiple bodies at Acuff’s departure, starting with incoming veteran Jeremiah Wilkinson from Georgia. Wilkinson averaged 17.4 points on 41% shooting and a 35.7% mark from three. Those aren’t Acuff numbers, but they’re not bad either.

Arkansas also welcomes blue-chip prospect in Jordan Smith Jr. from basketball powerhouse Paul VI in Virginia, who is among the safest bets to produce out of the 2026 class due to his motor and ability to get to the rim.

Houston Cougars

Departing Star: G Kingston Flemings

Incoming Replacements: G Corey Hadnot II (Transfer from Purdue Fort Wayne), G Dedan Thomas Jr. (Transfer from LSU), G Ikenna Alozie (Four-star freshman)

It was a different looking Houston team last season. Fresh off a national title appearance, the Cougars relied heavily on youth, primarily in the way of freshman Kingston Flemings, a talented scorer who is off to the NBA. Kelvin Sampson will turn to two veteran transfers in Corey Hadnot from Purdue Fort Wayne and Dedan Thomas Jr. from LSU to replace Flemings. Hadnot averaged 20.4 points on 52% shooting from the floor and a 35.8% mark from three, which if replicated in the Big 12 against better competition could prove to be pivotal. Thomas, meanwhile, averaged 15.3 points on 45.9% shooting in 16 games before hurting his foot and undergoing surgery to miss the rest of the season for the Tigers.

Expect Houston to also play four-star freshman Ikenna Alozie in the rotation. If he plays more of a factor than anticipated—beating out two established scorers in Hadnot and Thomas for minutes—it certainly bodes well for the future of the Cougars, as well as the future of Alozie as a potential pro.

Louisville Cardinals

Departing Star: G Mikel Brown Jr.

Incoming Replacement: G Jackson Shelstad (Transfer from Oregon)

Mikel Brown Jr. dealt with a lingering back issue for much of his only season of college basketball at Louisville, but when he was in the lineup, his scoring potential was evident. Brown averaged 18.2 points per game on 41% shooting from the floor, which was highlighted by a 45-point burst against NC State in February, along with multiple 25-plus point performances throughout the season.

The Cardinals moved quickly in the portal, bringing in Oregon transfer Jackson Shelstad. Shelstad, an All-Big Ten guard two seasons ago for the Ducks, suffered a season-ending hand injury in January after just 12 games, where he averaged 15.6 points and 4.9 assists. His steadiness when healthy should be a boon to the backcourt of the Cardinals, who missed out on the full potential of Brown with his back injury last season. Prior to hurting his hand, Shelstad had played 67 games the previous two seasons, with 65 starts.

Arizona Wildcats

Departing Stars: G Jaden Bradley, G Brayden Burries

Incoming Replacements: G Derek Dixon (Transfer from North Carolina), G JJ Mandaquit (Transfer from Washington), G Caleb Holt (Five-star freshman), G Cameron Holmes (Four-star freshman)

Arizona’s Jaden Bradley, a premier clutch player for the Wildcats, has exhausted his eligibility. Star guard Brayden Burries has not officially declared at time of writing, but is expected to forgo his remaining eligibility after a stellar freshman campaign where he became one of the premier scoring guards in college basketball.

As such, coach Tommy Lloyd has been hard at work to shape the roster for next season without them. Lloyd might not have taken the job at North Carolina, but he did take one of the Tar Heels’ key rotational players in guard Derek Dixon. Lloyd and his staff also added JJ Mandaquit from Washington and will boast two star backcourt recruits in five-star Caleb Holt and four-star Cameron Holmes.

Holt should be viewed as the primary Burries replacement, while Mandaquit and Dixon appear primed to compete for Bradley’s spot in the starting lineup. Mandaquit is the better passer and playmaker of the two, while Dixon provides more size if the Wildcats want to go bigger, and has proven to be a better shooter thus far in his college career.

If Arizona retains both Ivan Kharchenkov and Motiejus Krivas in the frontcourt, this will be another scary team to play next season—even with the departures of Bradley, Burries, and potentially Koa Peat.

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