Andre Mills and George Turkson Jr. Returning To Maryland Basketball In 2026
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Maryland men's basketball head coach Buzz Williams continues to make moves to improve his program, bringing back two more players from this past year's squad ahead of the 2026 College Basketball season.
It was announced that freshman guard Andre Mills and freshman forward George Turkson Jr. will return to College Park, as the pair told The Diamondback. Both players followed coach Williams from Texas A&M to Maryland in 2025, after redshirting in their first years.
Andre Mills and George Turkson Jr. will return to Maryland men’s basketball next season, they told The Diamondback.
— Harrison Rich (@harrisonrich_) March 31, 2026
Mills’ return was first reported last week.
Story: https://t.co/EosIYuTu3c pic.twitter.com/gWNjKPOOyS
That is now the third player from this season who will rejoin Williams and his staff in the 2026 season. Forward Pharrel Payne was also announced last week regarding his plans to return, pending approval of his medical redshirt for an injury-riddled season that kept him out for a significant time. It's important that Williams retained three players who are already familiar with his style and culture, but can also be key staples and leaders.
Mills, who came on strong for the Terps in the second half of the season, which included a career-high 39 points on the road against Northwestern, will handle the guard position once again after the departure of David Coit, and the uncertain returns of guards Myles Rice, Darius Adams, and Isaiah Watts.
Mills finished the season averaging 12.2 points, 1.6 assists, 4,1 rebounds, on 41% shooting from the floor and 34% from the three-point line.
As for Turkson Jr., he'll look to create and carve out a more prominent role next season in the rotation. Turkson Jr. is a high-energy, defensive-first player who hustles, stays active in the lanes, and on the glass.
The 6-foot-7 forward needs to improve his offensive value by developing his jump shot to stretch the floor and by improving his ability to create off the dribble when attacking the paint.
This move highlights the relationships the players have with Williams and how, despite a season that saw the team finish with a disappointing 12-21 overall record, the most since 1941. Williams has created an environment that players want to continue playing in, to establish and improve the foundation of the program.
The incoming class of 2026, which will include five-star recruit Baba Oladotun and prospects of other talented players, could draw even more names to College Park through the transfer portal and returns from this past season's roster.
We will continue to monitor the Maryland men's basketball offseason moves, expect things to pick up after the NCAA Championship Game on Monday, April 6th.
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Jaden's sports journalism career began at the College of Southern Maryland from 2022-2023, where he was brought in to cover baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, and volleyball at CSM. In late 2023, he began interning at the University of Maryland Athletics Department as a contributing writer to help develop feature stories and game recaps. He also creates his own sports media content on professional Washington teams with LegacyMaker Sports Network.