Transfer Portal Guard Target Emerges for Nebraska Basketball

NU's transfer portal search continues into week two as the Huskers add another visitor to the list.

Per Sam Kayser of League Ready, Nebraska has identified Ty'Reek Coleman, formerly of Illinois State, as a potential addition to the Big Red's backcourt ahead of next year. The combo guard is expected to be in Lincoln for an official visit on Tuesday and Wednesday, April 14-15.

With a visit of the same length happening at a different program before traveling to Nebraska, Coleman won't be easy to obtain. Regardless, here's the latest on the will-be sophomore and who the Huskers will be battling with on the recruiting trail over the coming days.

Career Experience

Standing at 6-2, Coleman brings proven production and multiple years of remaining eligibility to his next team. As a freshman at Illinois State, he averaged 10.0 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.8 assists while helping lead the Redbirds to a 23-13 record and a third-place finish in the Missouri Valley Conference. His performance throughout the year also helped him earn conference freshman of the week recognition multiple times.

Despite that, the Aurora, Illinois, native only started in 19 of Illinois State's 35 games. Even so, he ranked third on the team in scoring and compiled 15 double-digit scoring performances on the year, including against high-major programs such as USC (15) and Auburn (17).

Knowing that, the underclassmen guard is battle-tested and has three seasons of eligibility remaining to grow. For Nebraska, it makes a ton of sense to chase after a player who's shown promise to this point and still has a ton of runway to continue advancing his game. But they won't be the only program looking to do just that.

VISIT NEWS: Illinois State transfer Ty’Reek Coleman has scheduled the following visits, source told @LeagueRDY:

Kansas State: today/tomorrow
Nebraska: Tuesday/Wednesday
Utah State: Thursday/Friday
Iowa: next weekend

The 6-foot-2 guard is also receiving interest from DePaul,… https://t.co/16PuSdODt1 pic.twitter.com/wPnkN4Vsdg
— Sam Kayser (@KayserHoops) April 12, 2026

Other Program's in the Race

The mid-major guard has no shortage of interest and has already scheduled four official visits. He will begin at Kansas State, followed by Nebraska, with Utah State next. If his recruitment remains open after that, he is expected to visit Iowa to close out the process.

But that timeline may not hold. In the transfer portal, programs often push for commitments during visits rather than after. While that is not always the case, it puts added importance on each stop. The Husker staff will likely look to capitalize on its opportunity and secure a decision before he leaves Lincoln.

Visit Dates:

Kansas State: April 12-13
Nebraska: April 14-15
Utah State: 16-17
Iowa: 18-19

Where Coleman Excels

Coleman has shown an elite ability to score the basketball to this point. In the first 35 games of his collegiate career, the at-the-time freshman shot 50.4% from the field. He also shot 41.6% from beyond the arc and 70.2% from the free-throw line.

Down the stretch of the Redbirds' season, his offensive workload increased as the games meant more. Helping advance Illinois State to the NIT semifinals, Coleman's final game of the 2025-26 season included a 17-point performance against No. 1 seed Auburn, including going 3-for-5 on three-point attempts.

For the Huskers, he would look to provide much-needed offensive firepower in the backcourt. Following NU's Sweet 16 loss to Iowa, both starting guards, Sam Hoiberg and Jamarques Lawrence, exhausted their eligibility, leaving a sizeable hole in the Big Red's rotation. Coleman could be a potential solution to help replace that.

Why Nebraska Makes Sense

As a freshman, Coleman played for and excelled on a winning team. Nebraska is coming off the best season in program history and is looking to build on that momentum, not take a step back. Opportunity is also a factor, and in Lincoln, there is a clear path to a starting role.

However, the fit works both ways. The Big Red needs guard depth, but does not need Coleman to carry a huge offensive load, which lowers the risk of adding a mid-major guard. Instead, the staff is prioritizing funding going towards forwards while simultaneously surrounding the returning roster with shooters.

With players like Pryce Sandfort, Braden Frager, and Sam Orme already in the mix, NU is building toward a more dangerous perimeter attack. Coleman fits that identity, as do several of the other targets the Huskers have brought in for visits to this point.

NU's Roster (With Coleman and Current High School Commits) Moving Forward

2026-27	2027-28	2028-29	2029-30
Cale Jacobsen-Sr.	Will Cooper- Sr.	Leo Curtis- Sr.	Collin Rice- Sr.
Henry Burt- Sr.	Sam Orme- Sr.	Braden Frager- Sr.	Jacob Lanier- Sr.
Pryce Sandfort- Sr.	Leo Curtis- Jr.	Ty'Reek Coleman- Sr.	Ty Schlagel- Jr.
Connor Essegian- Sr.	Braden Frager- Jr.	Collin Rice- Jr.
Ugnius Jarusvicius- Sr.	Ty'Reek Coleman- Jr.	Jacob Lanier- Jr.
Will Cooper- Jr.	Collin Rice- So.	Ty Schlagel- So.
Sam Orme- Jr.	Jacob Lanier- So.
Leo Curtis- So.	Ty Schlagel- Fr.
Braden Frager- So.
Ty'Reek Coleman- So.
Collin Rice- Fr.
Jacob Lanier- Fr.

Husker Potential Starting Lineup

The transfer portal remains open through April 21, and Nebraska is not done adding to its roster. Still, if Coleman does commit, the foundation of next year’s lineup would begin to take shape.

Sandfort and Frager are set to return, and the Big Red added Orme from Belmont last week. That gives the Huskers multiple starting-caliber pieces, with Coleman potentially joining that group.

One spot likely remains open. Leo Curtis could compete for that role and will likely factor into the rotation regardless. Still, NU is expected to continue targeting experienced big men via the portal ranks over the coming days.

If that addition comes, Nebraska will enter the season with a seemingly significantly deeper and more balanced rotation than it had a season ago.

Coleman's Addition Hasn't Happened Yet

It's important to remember that his visit hasn't yet taken place. Coleman will not be on campus until Tuesday, if he remains uncommitted following his visit to Kansas State. Assuming that happens, NU will need to take full advantage of the two days the will-be sophomore is lined up to be on campus. Doing so likely means he leaves Lincoln verbally pledged to the Big Red, effectively cancelling his visits to any remaining schools.

Similar to Orme, the Husker staff would be wise to do so to avoid a bidding war down the stretch. Nebraska is suggested to have a sizeable increase in its revenue sharing allotment; however, those who know Hoiberg understand he won't be willing to overspend. Coleman shouldn't change that.

Regardless, interest is obviously there for both sides, and time will tell how his recruitment shakes out. If the Big Red manages to secure a commitment, they'll be looking at an early candidate for a starting guard role. If not, they'll continue their search into the weekend, increasing urgency with each passing day. For now, they're sitting in firm control of the roster heading into next year. But there's a fine line between holding power and becoming desperate, and it's separated by a very small timeframe to round out the week.