'We're Hopeful' - UC Basketball GM Corey Evans Dives Into Five-For-Five Rule Impact on 2026-27 Cincinnati Roster

Cincinnati Bearcats basketball general Manager Corey Evans spoke with Neil Meyer and me on the Bearcat Blitz Podcast this week. He touched on a wide range of topics, including the final piece(s) of the roster that he and Jerrod Calhoun are waiting on entering the fall.

He and the rest of the staff are "hopeful" that potential star wing MJ Collins is going to suit up for the Bearcats this coming season as they leave the final two roster spots open amidst the five-for-five madness that shook up the sport this summer.

As of this writing, Collins is not eligible to play for the team, and the next update in the Ohio court case involving the NCAA and the Class of 2022 is slated for Sept. 22, according to the Ohio Court of Appeals.

"Our job is to do what's best for Cincinnati basketball and the university as a whole, and also the city in the most ethical manner possible," Evans said. "And when you have a player like MJ that we knew about, that coach (Calhoun) coached, and his staff, that's how you get better. So how do you handle this entire situation of not knowing? We're hopeful. We're patiently optimistic, but we have no idea.

"In the grand scheme of things, I'm really excited about the 13 players we have without MJ. I think MJ helps us get better and be better for sure. We wouldn't have taken him if we didn't believe that. But also, our job is to be present and control the controllables. And right now, what we can control is getting our guys better, having them present, and creating that chemistry and that bond that could help us be where we want to be in March."

A level stance amidst another crazy summer in college sports.

Collins was arguably Utah State's best player this past season.

The 6-foot-4, 195-pound three-level scoring wing was one of two Aggies to start all 36 games (30.7 minutes per outing). He led the team and ranked fourth in the Mountain West in scoring at 17.5 points per game while also averaging 2.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists on 48.7% shooting (36.1% from deep).

Cincinnati is trying to do everything it can within the ever-changing rules to get back to the NCAA Tournament in Year 1 of the Calhoun era and beyond. There are two roster spots left for them to work with as the school year begins.

"Our thinking was, unless we're adding (players) 14, 15 in April, May, June that we know for sure can impact our program or buy into the long-term development phase, let's keep it open," Evans continued. "And as we've seen, a lot of crazy things happen in college athletics. So, to have the opportunity to add a player without having to topple another barrier that is roster limits was super helpful."

Check out the full in-depth conversation below around the 12-minute mark.

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