Marquette Using Transfer Portal Effectively after Dismal Season Following Neglecting Method

The Golden Eagles are trying to rebuild its team by using the portal smartly this offseason

Mar 7, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Marquette Golden Eagles head coach Shaka Smart gestures during the first half against the Connecticut Huskies at Fiserv Forum. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Shaka Smart has built a foundation and culture at Marquette, and he believed in his program too much last offseason after ignoring the transfer portal and it was abundantly clear.

The Golden Eagles turned in a dismal season and Smart vowed to be much more active this offseason in the portal, and it has showed

While the Golden Eagles head coach hasn’t been overly aggressive, he’s done a good enough job filling holes in his roster that needed to be addressed.

After losing Tre Norman, Sean Jones, and Zaide Lowery, Marquette secured its most important piece with the return of superstar freshman guard Nigel James Jr., who won the Big East Freshman of the Year after averaging 16.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.9 steals per game.

James Jr. is the centerpiece and foundation of Marquette next season, but the program has added Louisville forward Sananda Fru and St. Thomas (MN) guard Nolan Minessale.

Fru will look to fill the void left by graduating forward Ben Gold after the 6-foot-11 center averaged 9.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game last season with the Cardinals and shooting an incredible 75.3-percent from the field.

He has the size and athleticism to be a difficult matchup for opposing big men in the Big East next season while Minessale can complement James Jr. in the backcourt after he posted 19.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.6 steals per game on 30.6-percent shooting from 3-point range.

The Brookfield, Wisconsin native will hope to be the secondary scoring options for the Golden Eagles but the fact that Shaka Smart has used the transfer portal, albeit in a limited capacity thus far, should ensure that Marquette will not finish 7th in the Big East again next season.

This year was the first time the proud basketball program missed the NCAA Tournament since Shaka Smart took the head coaching job entering the 2021-22 season.