Steve Pikiell Believes Rutgers Men's Basketball Is Better Positioned After Transformative Offseason

Experience Has Changed the Feel of Rutgers' Summer Workouts

Rutgers men’s basketball is trying to retool its roster this offseason, largely trying to get more experience into the lineup with a youth-infiltrated team the last two seasons. Only a few weeks into summer individual skill work, coach Steve Pikiell likes what he is seeing with his new-look Scarlet Knights.

Rutgers basketball head coach Steve Pikiell outlined some of the progress that his team made during the off-season as he spoke at Rutgers Basketball Summer Media Day. Pikiell said that there are returning letterwinners on campus as well as some new transfer students. He also said that he has a number of key returners from last year’s roster who are already working out on the court for the 2026-27 season. The Scarlet Knights are currently searching for two more players to round out the team’s bench. Pikiell praised the veteran maturity of the current team, saying that they are “good workers. You’ve got a lot more experience. I like older guys taking care of their bodies. They pick things up fast.”

Pikiell added that the Scarlet Knights have become physically bigger and stronger while noting several athletic players were unavailable during the media viewing because of minor injuries, including forward Will Sydnor (sprained ankle) and international prospect Martin Tonejc (blisters). Rutgers expects those players back as summer workouts continue.

Keeping the Core Together Was Rutgers' Biggest Win

While Rutgers added experienced transfers such as Darin Smith Jr., Dorin Buca, Christian Gurdak, Rasheed Jones and Will Sydnor, Pikiell said the program's most significant offseason addition wasn't a player at all.

"First of all, the best person in the transfer portal we got, her name is Keli Zinn," Pikiell said. "Because she is the number one transfer portal person that we have, and because of her, we're able to retain our best scorer, our best leader, our best defender ... our best young talent"

Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell credited the school’s growing NIL opportunities for being able to keep some of the returning players and competing for transfers. The veteran transfers, he said, have been able to buy in quickly due to their maturity and their willingness to put in the work for the program’s culture.

Frontcourt Depth Has Taken a Major Step Forward

Rutgers also addressed a major need of the program by bringing in some size and versatility to the frontcourt.

Pikiell spoke positively of both Christian Gurdak and Dorin Buca in his media session. He praised Buca’s scoring ability, and said that both centers bring needed depth to the roster.

"He's got really good hands and catches. He's impressively skilled. They can pull, shoot the ball. So we finally have a five spot that both guys can shoot and pass it," Pikiell said.

The Scarlet Knights are not done building their roster yet. Pikiell said that Rutgers will fill out the last two scholarships but he would not reveal any information about potential recruits while he is still in the process of recruiting.

Dorin Buca — Rutgers University Athletics

Defense and Rebounding Will Define the Next Step

There are two areas that Pikiell said he needs to see improvement in his team before the season tips off.

"First, we haven’t rebounded the ball, and we brought in some big, strong rebounders. Secondly, we haven’t defended very well, and I thought we brought in some pretty good defenders."

The Scarlet Knights will also be looking for more from a number of returnees in Tariq Francis, Jamichael Davis, Kaden Powers, and Lino Mark. And, even though the veteran transfers are in the Big Ten now, it’s going to take some time for them to get into shape for the level of physicality that the Big Ten brings.

What It Means for Rutgers

The goal for Rutgers in the offseason was to get a year older, more experienced, much deeper, and more physical. All early signs are pointing in the right direction for the men in scarlet and white. Only two of the available scholarship spots can be filled as of yet, though, as Pikiell and company. They are trying to build as much chemistry as possible between the old core and the new, very experienced transfers before summer is over. For the first time in a few years, Pikiell has a solid nucleus of players to build a team around.

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