Three Biggest Transfer Portal Targets for the UCF Knights
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A new transfer portal window is dawning in the college basketball world.
While the portal is not set to open until April 7, the day after the national championship game, that has not stopped several players from already making their intentions to enter it known.
So, of the players that have announced they are entering the transfer portal as of Mar. 22, 2026, here are three that the UCF Knights and coach Johnny Dawkins could target:
1. Jay Rodgers, Central Connecticut St.
With the success of this past season, the Knights have the opportunity to run the same playbook once again this offseason.
Central Connecticut State’s Jay Rodgers was named All-NEC Second Team this season after finishing eighth in the nation with 6.9 assists per game. He also averaged 11 points per game, shooting 42.6% from the floor, 36.2% from three and 81.7% from the charity stripe.
If the profile of an all-mid-major conference second teamer that was among the nation’s leaders in assists sounds familiar, that’s because it is. That was what guard Themus Fulks did during the 2024-25 season at Milwaukee. The biggest difference between 2024-25 Themus Fulks and 2025-26 Jay Rodgers is that the latter was more of a three-point shooter, and while that gives him a higher three-point shooting percentage, it does mean his overall shooting percentage is lower than Fulks’ was.
Adding Rodgers is not the only move the Knights can make to attempt to recreate the dynamics of this season's squad.
2. Matt Frazier, Central Connecticut St.
NEWS: Central Connecticut forward Max Frazier is entering the transfer portal, his agent Pop Little of SML Sports, told @LeagueRDY.
— Sam Kayser (@KayserHoops) March 19, 2026
The 6-foot-9 forward out of Pittsboro, North Carolina began his career playing one season at Siena before playing the last two at Central… pic.twitter.com/lJWJ1wjMkZ
Just like how Dawkins brought in forward Jamichael Stillwell to join Fulks, his Milwaukee teammate, in Orlando, he can do the same thing with Rodgers and forward Max Frazier of Central Connecticut State.
Frazier, coming off his first season as an every-game starter, was named an All-NEC Third Teamer after leading the conference and finishing fourth in the nation in field goal percentage, shooting 65.8% from the floor. He also led the NEC with 52 blocks and averaged 7.2 rebounds per game, the third-highest in the NEC.
The Jamichael Stillwell of the 2024-25 season does not exactly fit the profile of 2025-26 Max Frazier. Stillwell was an all-conference first-teamer while Frazier is a third-teamer, and Stillwell also had a knack for offensive rebounds that Frazier does not. However, Frazier is more consistently successful on offense and is more of a blocker, getting nearly three times as many blocks this season alone as Stillwell did in his last two seasons.
While he might not be the same type of player as Stillwell, bringing him alongside Rodgers would add another mid-major duo that could replicate their previous dynamic and success in Orlando.
3. Jamie Phillips, Stetson
NEWS: Jamie Phillips Jr. (Stetson) plans to enter the transfer portal, his agent @Ryanmurphhoop tells @TheAthleticCBB
— Tobias Bass (@tobias_bass) March 20, 2026
He averaged 16.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game pic.twitter.com/1JAjoU8gYl
The Knights might not have the pick of the litter when it comes to most lauded transfers of the college basketball world, but they’ve been able to develop players who were either not always starters or coming off an injury into central contributors to the team. That is the kind of player former Stetson guard Jamie Phillips could be.
Phillips had a successful start to his college career, starting 24 of the 25 games he played while averaging 11.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game en route to an All-ASUN Freshman Team honor in 2024-25. Last season, however, after starting 17 games, Phillips’ season was cut short due to a foot injury. Before that, he was averaging 16 points and 5.6 rebounds per game and shooting 45.6% from the floor.
Philips is out for the season with a foot injury, I'm told. https://t.co/zReoMnssW4
— Joey Dwyer (@joey_dwy) January 22, 2026
Phillips would not be the first time that the Knights have brought in a player coming off an injury. Both guard Chris Johnson and forward Devan Cambridge became some of UCF’s go-to players off the bench last season after missing most of the 2024-25 season due to injuries. Phillips, if he is not able to start as he did at Stetson, could do the same in Orlando.
There is also the added benefit that transferring to UCF would keep in him in central Florida, even moving closer to his hometown of Winter Haven, just over an hour's drive from the main UCF campus.
These are just three players who have already made their intentions to enter the portal known, and there are still over two weeks to go until it officially opens on April 7. So, more players that could fit Dawkins’ plans are bound to also make official announcements in the weeks to come. For now, though, these are players that he can already make plans on how to recruit them for his 2026-27 squad.
Catch up on more UCF news below:
Three UCF Knights Who Could Leave in The Transfer Portal
Bryson Turner is a sports journalist who covers UCF Athletics. Turner has contributed to the Black and Gold Banneret, the home for UCF Athletics on SB Nation. He has called the Orlando area home since the age of 8 and received his bachelor's and master's degrees from UCF.
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