UConn Star Announces He Will Return Next Season

Solo Ball wil return to the Huskes next season.

Mar 23, 2025; Raleigh, NC, USA; Connecticut Huskies guard Solo Ball (1) drives to the basket during the first half against the Florida Gators in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

In an era where the transfer portal has become such a big part of college hoops, the UConn Huskies are retaining one of their top players from this past season.

On Wednesday night, UConn guard Solo Ball announced that he will be returning to the team for the 2025-26 season.

Ball is officially the second UConn player to announce his return, joining forward Jaylin Stewart. Big East Freshman of the Year shared his plans to declare for the 2025 NBA Draft while guard Aidan Mahaney will enter the transfer portal.

Ball took a major step up as a sophomore. He started all 35 games for UConn, averaging 14.4 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. He shot 41.4% from three-point range, which was among the leaders in the Big East. As a freshman, Ball appeared in 39 games, making 10 starts, and averaged 3.3 points per game for a National Championship winning team.

Ball scored a season-high 25 points in a win over Marquette on Feb. 1. He went 7-for-11 from the field, including 7-for-9 from deep. He scored 14 points in 28 minutes in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against Oklahoma.

The Huskies advanced to take on top-seeded Florida in the second round. Ball struggled with eight points on just 3-for-11 shooting. UConn held a second-half lead but Florida was able to complete the comeback and eliminate the reigning two-time champs.

Ball will return to Storrs for his junior year with the goal of completing unfinished business.