Utah basketball needs to bring back these 5 players for next season

The Runnin' Utes should retain these players for the 2026-27 season

Utah Runnin' Utes forward Seydou Traore (0) averages 9.3 points and 3.4 rebounds in 27.9 minutes per game. | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

With nearly two months left until it's officially the offseason, Utah head coach Alex Jensen and his players remain locked in on the next game ahead of them.

While coaches and players strive to finish the 2025-26 campaign on a high note, there's a good chance the plan for next season's team is already being put in place behind closed doors.

Jensen has already hinted that Utah's front office staff, led by general manager Wes Wilcox, will take the lead on the program's transfer portal efforts, and that there will be prep work done in the lead-up to the 15-day transfer window set to open on April 7.

That said, let's take a look at five players the Runnin' Utes should retain for the 2026-27 campaign.

Note: These aren't the only players Utah should consider re-signing in the offseason, just the top five that come to mind.

Terrence Brown

Current 2025-26 per-game averages: 20.8 points, 3.9 assists, 2.2 rebounds, 1.7 steals in 32 minutes; shooting 44.9% from the field, 34.1% on 3-pointers and 78.7% at the free-throw line

It goes without saying Utah would be thrilled to return Terrence Brown for his senior year in 2026-27. The 6-foot-3 guard is the engine of the offense and a potent scorer who can space the floor and provide dribble penetration from the perimeter. He's also quite active defensively and continues to show growth on that end of the floor as the current season progresses.

Several power conference programs would probably be interested in Brown if he were to enter the transfer portal this offseason. The Runnin' Utes should do whatever it takes to retain one of the best scoring guards the program has seen in quite some time. Especially considering Brown's backcourt mate, Don McHenry, is set to graduate in the spring, Utah will need an experienced guard running the show for Jensen in his second season at the helm.

Keanu Dawes

Current 2025-26 per-game averages: 12.7 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists in 30.8 minutes; shooting 57.9% from the field, 29.4% on 3-pointers and 70% at the free-throw line

No one else on Utah's current roster embodies the spirit of the program like Keanu Dawes does. The 6-foot-9 forward is about as versatile as they come and always looking to make an impact on the boards, as evidenced by his seven double-doubles through 24 games this season. His energy and hustle on the glass can be overlooked by outsiders, considering the Runnin' Utes as a whole don't rebound the ball well, though it's clear that internally, Jensen and company think highly of the junior from Houston.

"He's like the third guy [behind Brown and McHenry] that I think that'll kind of relieve some of the pressure," Jensen said of Dawes prior to Utah's loss to Houston. "It's not his nature, but we need him. He needs to for his career, and we need him to be aggressive."

Seydou Traore

Current 2025-26 per-game averages: 9.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2 assists in 27.9 minutes; shooting 39.9% from the field, 31.4% on 3-pointers and 71.8% at the free-throw line

Undoubtedly Utah's most consistent wing player, Seydou Traore provides the Runnin' Utes with some positional flexibility as well with his ability to handle the rock at 6-foot-7 and 215 pounds, making him a tweener who Jensen can slot in at a couple of different spots in the lineup based on need.

Traore also brings some much-needed effort on the defensive end of the floor to the table. According to college basketball analytics website EvanMiya.com, Traore is the most impactful player on defense in Utah's rotation, with a defensive performance rating of 1.16 (0.0 is average). For perspective, Dawes is the only other player in the lineup with a defensive performance rating above 1.0 (1.15).

Kendyl Sanders

Current 2025-26 per-game averages: 5.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 0.6 assists in 20.5 minutes; shooting 43.8% from the field, 40.7% on 3-pointers and 34.5% at the free-throw line

Kendyl Sanders' involvement on both ends of the floor has been a nice surprise for a Utah team that didn't have plans on playing the 6-foot-8 freshman until Babacar Faye's season-ending injury in the fall thrusted Sanders into the limelight.

Sanders isn't the most polished post player, though he's flashed some serious potential as a stretch big over the course of the season. With more reps and time to develop, the Los Angeles native is poised to be the future of Utah's frontcourt if he sticks around in Salt Lake City.

Jacob Patrick

Current 2025-26 per-game averages: 7.2 points, 1.4 rebounds, 0.5 assists in 20.3 minutes (10 games); shooting 47.2% from the field, 46.5% on 3-pointers and 50% at the free-throw line

Jensen and company have a small sample size of Jacob Patrick's impact to measure due to the German guard's extended absence from the lineup, though it'd behoove Utah to do what it can to bring the junior back to the program next season, nonetheless.

Patrick's sharpshooting and floor spacing make him a perfect fit in Jensen's 3-point-heavy offense. In fact, Patrick was leading the Runnin' Utes in 3-point field goal percentage prior to injury, and was launching about 4.3 attempts from behind the arc per game at the time.

While he's not the most intimidating matchup on the other end of the floor, it's clear Patrick is a willing defender, which is a rare identity to find on Utah's current roster. If the Runnin' Utes can swing it, they need to bring back the 6-foot-6 wing for another go-around.