Utah basketball's guard depth takes hit with first transfer portal entry

It would be reasonable to assume Alex Jensen and his Utah basketball staff have backcourt depth near the top of their priority list as they begin to put their offseason plans into motion.

The Runnin' Utes have essentially known they'll need to bring in more bodies to fill the gap soon to be created by Don McHenry's departure since the fall, and the hours following their loss to Cincinnati in the Big 12 tournament only made it more clear that Jensen and company will be targeting guards once the open market opens in April.

Less than a full day removed from Utah's season-ending loss in Kansas City, On3's Joe Tipton reported that sophomore guard Elijah "Choppa" Moore plans to enter the transfer portal. The former four-star recruit spent one season in Salt Lake City after transferring from Syracuse last offseason.

Moore never found a niche in Jensen's rotation. He appeared in the season-opener against Sane José State and never saw the floor after stepping away from the team due to "personal matters" in December.

How Moore's Departure Impacts Utah's Guard Depth

Moore's impending portal entry, which can become official once the 15-day window opens April 7, makes it even clearer that Utah will need to pursue another ballhandler and initiator in the portal.

The Utes can return their leading scorer, Terrence Brown, if he wants to return to the team for his senior year, and can bring back both Lucas Langarita and Jacob Patrick to surround their star guard with playmaking and shooting. Seydou Traore, who transitioned to serve more of an off-ball guard role down the stretch of the 2025-26 campaign, also has eligibility for next season. Obomate Abbey is another candidate to return after providing Utah with solid perimeter defense as a freshman.

However, Utah won't be able to lean on McHenry's services in 2026-27. The Utes' second-leading scorer is set to graduate as a fifth-year senior after spending two seasons at the sub-Division I level, another two at Western Kentucky and one at Utah. In his final season of collegiate ball, the Milwaukee native averaged 17 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists while shooting 38.8% from 3-point range.

Filling the void McHenry's departure creates will be easier said than done for Jensen and company, since guards of his caliber aren't always easy to come by in the portal. And when they do, the blueblood programs are usually the first in line to inquire about their services.

It'll be worth monitoring whether incoming freshman Styles Clemmons emerges as an instant-impact player for Jensen and company in the months leading up to the 2026-27 opener. The 6-foot-2 standout from the Overtime Elite program arrives as a three-star and the No. 27-ranked point guard in the 2026 class according to 247Sports.

If more of Utah's backcourt decides to test the free agent market, then there's a chance Clemmons gets thrusted into a meaningful role right away. But that'll depend on the players Jensen and Utes general manager, Wes Wilcox, are able to acquire via the portal in April.

Former Utah guard Elijah “Choppa” Moore plans to enter the @TransferPortal, he told @On3. ⁰

The 6-4 sophomore began his career at Syracuse and is a former 4-star recruit. https://t.co/JwKtlHZ2w7 pic.twitter.com/sqcvJOsmii
— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) March 11, 2026