Southern Miss Basketball Star Plans to Enter Transfer Portal; What's Next?

Although he hasn't officially left yet, Golden Eagles guard Isaac Taveras is reportedly planning to test the transfer portal market.

Nov 9, 2025; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles guard Isaac Taveras (10) drives against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the second half at Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images / Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – After making a valiant, gritty run to the Sun Belt Conference tournament semifinals as the No. 8 seed, Southern Miss ran out of steam in its fourth game in four nights against No. 1 seed Troy, which ultimately won the Sun Belt championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The Golden Eagles finished the year 19-16 with no postseason appearances.

Head coach Jay Ladner, who will be returning for his eighth season with Southern Miss, knew there would be challenges this offseason when it came to roster retention. One of those challenges has already presented itself, as star guard Isaac Taveras is planning to enter the transfer portal, sources confirmed to Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI.

Isaac Taveras led the Golden Eagles with 32 points in the Sun Belt tournament semifinals. / @SouthernMissMBB

In a perfect world, Southern Miss hoped to keep both Taveras and star forward Tylik Weeks on the roster for their senior years, but that has proven to be a tall order given the resources currently available.

During his junior year, Taveras, who transferred in from South Plains Community College, was the Golden Eagles' second-leading scorer behind Weeks, averaging 15.3 points per game while shooting 51.5 percent from the floor. He also averaged 6.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.2 steals per game. In the final game of the season, with a Sun Belt championship berth on the line, Taveras put up a team-high 32 points, nine rebounds and four steals in a 78-70 loss to Troy.

After suffering a broken wrist in December, Taveras missed 13 games. Given how good the Golden Eagles looked down the stretch of the 2025-26 season, being one win shy of a Sun Belt championship appearance, we're left to imagine what could have been had he not missed nearly two months of action.

Southern Miss head coach Jay Ladner reacts to a play between Jackson State forward Devin Ree (4) and Southern Miss guard Isaac Taveras (10) during an exhibition men’s college basketball game between Jackson State and Southern Miss at Lee E. Williams Athletics and Assembly Center in Jackson, Miss., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. Southern Miss defeated Jackson State 81-71. / Ayrton Breckenridge/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Technically, Taveras' plan to enter the transfer portal doesn't completely shut the door on him returning to Hattiesburg next season, as he could always have a change of heart before putting pen to paper elsewhere. However, given his talent and the number of bigger schools with bigger basketball budgets that will be looking to pay for a talent like him, we won't be holding our breath.

With Taveras potentially gone, Southern Miss will now need to put all its focus on retaining Weeks and building around him for next season. After making the All-Sun Belt First Team and averaging nearly 30 points per game in the Sun Belt tournament, we could easily see Weeks being the favorite to win Sun Belt Player of the Year next season and making another serious run at a Sun Belt title if he sticks around.

Southern Miss star forward Tylik Weeks was an unstoppable force in the Golden Eagles' run to the Sun Belt tournament semifinals. / @SouthernMissMBB

As important as Taveras was to Southern Miss' late-season success, the Golden Eagles should still be in pretty good shape for the 2026-27 season if they can find a way to bring back Weeks and fill in the gaps around him. It won't be easy, but so far, we haven't gotten word of Weeks also planning to enter the transfer portal, so maybe that's a good sign.

If the Golden Eagles do end up having to fully reload the roster, it certainly wouldn't be the first time that has happened. As frustrating as that can be, that's just how life is for a mid-major basketball program in today's NIL climate. We'll see how Southern Miss navigates this offseason in the coming weeks/months. Stay tuned to Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI as more develops on that front.