Two Early Transfer Portal Targets For Houston Cougars

The Cougars could be set to have great portal additions.

Houston Cougars head coach Kelvin Sampson answers questions during a press conference prior to the practice session ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center. | William Purnell-Imagn Images

Just around the corner.

In a matter of time, there will be hundreds of players ready to decide which team they want to join, and one of those teams with plenty of roster spots available is Houston basketball.

Cougars head coach Kelvin Sampson will either have to find some sneaky stars in the portal or hope to recruit some great players who are coming in, because the market right now is wild, and it is difficult to compete with other big-brand basketball teams.

Who are the big names right now who have put their name in the hat and hope it works out best for them in the near future? Would it make sense for them to come to the Cougars, and would it be a good fit? There have already been two players who have opened roster spots for others, and those two men were Cedric Lath and Isiah Harwell. Who might replace them?

Josh Holloway, Texas A&M

Houston Cougars guard Mercy Miller drives to the hoop past Texas A&M Aggies guard Josh Holloway during the second half of a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center. | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Cougars need a guard. Would this align with their needs, or is it too expensive? Josh Holloway comes from a program that really values playing good defense, and so does Sampson and Co. He played under Aggies head coach Bucky McMillan and was used to the half-court and full-court press, trap, and other defensive schemes, so maybe those correlate to a defense the Cougars need?

Another great reason that Houston should be interested in securing this player is that he was the leading scorer when they played him in the Round of 32 in Oklahoma City, with 12 points, and proved that he can produce buckets when no other player is having a good day. On the season, the 6-foot-1 star out of Memphis, Tennessee, averaged only 4.6 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.8 assists. With the gaps and holes needing to be filled with lots of questions surrounding this upcoming season, it could be a great steal if he has interest.

LeJuan Watts, Texas Tech

Mar 22, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders forward Lejuan Watts (3) dribbles against Alabama Crimson Tide forward Aiden Sherrell (22) in the second half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Big 12 experience. This makes total sense to add him to Houston’s roster for the 2026-27 campaign. Nothing better than having a shooter that knows the ins and outs of what the conference is like, and LeJuan Watts could carry that over to the school in Texas.

Watts might be looking for more opportunities, and he could get it with the Cougars, especially if guys like Kingston Flemings and Chris Cenac Jr. are no longer with the team, but still a lot to be determined. He played under Texas Tech head coach Grant McCasland and did a phenomenal job, averaging 11.8 points, 6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists.

He is a 43.3 percent shooter from the field, too, so if somehow this deal could be worked out, the chances of bringing home a championship could rise quickly. Everyone will find out what happens in the near future.