Jerrod Calhoun Fully Endorses GM Corey Evans, Lays Out Transfer Plan Ahead of Bearcats 2026 Cycle

The hiring is done, the hellos are in motion, and the work is about to begin for new UC head basketball coach Jerrod Calhoun on his 2026-27 roster. Calhoun and general manager Corey Evans are set up with a nice week-plus on ramp to prepare for the opening of the transfer portal on April 7.

Cincinnati reportedly has a roughly $10 million NIL budget to work with, a year after Calhoun used a $2.4 million NIL budget at Utah State to win the Mountain West.

Big GM Endorsement

Cincinnati head coach Jerrod Calhoun speaks during a press conference announcing him as the head men's basketball coach at Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati on Wednesday, March 25, 2026. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Calhoun has known Evans for years and is ready to work in lock step with the entrenched GM.

"I remember Corey when he was just getting into scouting and starting," Calhoun said at his press conference. "Corey is a prime example of getting in the business and understanding the sky's the limit, right? If you put your head down, you work, you get better, you try to grow. College basketball has changed, and I think you need a general manager. I think you need somebody outside the coaching staff who can negotiate those contracts. I think the general manager and the coach have to be on the same page ... The relationship has to be two-way. I'm not a yes guy.

"I like confrontation every once in a while in a coaching meeting, but we have to be very aligned on the style of play we're going to play, and more importantly, the character of the player. We're not going to compromise talent over character. That ain't going to work, I can tell you that. And you know, if we can get to the NCAA Tournament back-to-back years, doing it the way we are, with the resources we had, now, you add bigger resources, you get good evaluations, you implement the plan. We should not just want to get into the NCAA Tournament. We should be wanting to advance week by week and get back to a Final Four."

The Bearcats' current roster has two top players to try to retain for the 2026-27 season: Keyshuan Tillery and Moustapha Thiam. The former attended the press conference and has already met with Calhoun.

Forward Jalen Haynes also attended as he figures to earn a medical redshirt for one more season this fall, possibly staying in Clifton too.

"None of us are here without these players, and you see all these guys, and it's just it's kind of very surreal to be up here today," Calhoun said. "I'll be honest with you, very humbled, honored that Keyshuan (Tillery) and the guys are here. Had a great meeting with him (Tillery) last night. Look forward to growing with these current guys, and in about a week it's going to be portal season.

"So you guys are going to hear a lot of the rumors and a lot of different things about our team, but one thing is going to be certain: when they put the Bearcat uniform on, they're going to make this city proud. They're going to reflect you guys, the fans, and we need to do this together. It's much bigger than a coach and one player. We all need to be moving in the right direction."

Calhoun knows how to do more with less, and now he has a way bigger NIL budget, a GM with a year of experience in this program, and full fan support for a hire that seemingly everyone is raving about.

It could mean some big game hunting, starting with his old team. It would be stunning if Cincinnati doesn't try to bring in Mountain West Player of the Year Mason Falsev from the portal after he posted 16 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.1 assists last season for USU.

The ball is in Evans and Calhoun's court now to finalize their plan for the portal.

"We'll do it a little bit of each. I want to retain guys. I want to get some portal guys. And eventually, once you get your feet under you, you should be adding about four to five portal guys a year. That's about it," Calhoun said. "So you start to develop, you start to retain, and next thing you know, you have a culture that you've kind of built. And then the players hold each other accountable. And that's what we had over the years. All our great teams, we had great, great player leadership."

A new era is underway at Fifth Third Arena.

Assistant Coach Mantoris Robinson speaking with Cincinnati Bearcats C Jalen Haynes — Big Slime medically RS and has one year of eligibility remaining pic.twitter.com/kzNqvByhrw
— The Bearcat Bunch (@bearcatbunch) March 25, 2026

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