Utah Utes basketball roster tracker for 2026-27: Returners, departures and newcomers

The first season of the Alex Jensen era was hardly a smooth ride for him and the Utah men's basketball program.

Injuries and chronic mistakes were the main culprits behind one of the most forgettable campaigns in Runnin' Utes history, as the team finished last in its conference standings for the first time in over 50 years with a 2-16 record in league play (10-22 overall).

If Jensen and company want to avoid a similar fate in 2026-27, they'll need to make the right personnel changes in the offseason to come better equipped to compete in the Big 12 next fall. Acquiring fresh talent in the transfer portal would be a good start, though retaining the players who already fit the system and culture Jensen is trying to grow should be a top priority for general manager Wes Wilcox as well.

Even though several players around the country have already made their offseason intentions known at this point, the official 15-day transfer window opens April 7.

With a couple of graduating seniors and a few early portal entries creating holes on the roster, Utah will likely be active in finding experienced talent on the open market once it officially opens.

Here's a look at the eligible returners, known departures and expected newcomers as Utah looks ahead to the 2026-27 season.

Eligible to return

Terrence Brown: 19.9 ppg, 3.8 apg, 2.4 rpg, 1.4 spg; shot 45.3% from the field, 32.7% from 3 and 77.5% at the free-throw line in 32 games (led team in points, assists, steals, field goals and free throws made)
Keanu Dawes: 12.5 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 2.2 apg; shot 54.6% from the field, 31.7% from 3 and 72.4% from the free-throw line in 32 games (led teams in rebounds and 2-point field goal percentage)
Seydou Traore: 9 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2 apg, 1.2 spg; shot 38.6% from the field, 33.3% from 3 and 72.7% from the free-throw line in 31 games
Jacob Patrick: 7.2 ppg, 1.4 rpg; shot 47.2% from the field, 46.5% from 3 and 50% from the free-throw line in 10 games (led team in 3-point shooting prior to injury)
Kendyl Sanders: 5.2 ppg, 3.1 rpg; shot 44.2% from the field, 40.3% from 3 and 38.7% from the free-throw line in 32 games
Josh Hayes: 2.8 ppg, 2 rpg, 1 bpg; shot 63.8% from the field and 60.7% from the free-throw line in 32 games (led team in blocks)
Lucas Langarita: 2.6 ppg, 1.2 rpg; shot 45.5% from the field and 42.9% from 3 in five games (joined the team midseason from Spain)
Obomate Abbey: 2.5 ppg, 2.2 apg, 1.6 rpg; shot 28.3% from the field, 19.5% from 3 and 81% from the free-throw line in 31 games (led team in assist-to-turnover ratio)
Ibi Traore: 1.3 ppg; shot 66.7% from the field in nine games
Jerry Huang: Played 19 total minutes across eight appearances
Babacar Faye: Looking for extra year of eligibility after not playing in 2025-26 due to season-ending injury in September
Colin McHaney: Did not see the floor as a freshman

The Utes have an opportunity to build a solid foundation composed of several returners from the 2025-26 squad, though it's unclear how many will decide to test their value on the open market instead.

Bringing back both Brown and Dawes would be major offseason wins for Wilcox and Jensen. Securing Abbey and Sanders would be smart moves for the future, too. The current climate of college athletics makes it hard to predict whether Utah is able to accomplish both (or neither) goals.

Departing players

Don McHenry (graduated): 17 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 1.8 apg; shot 44.4% from the field, 38.8% from 3 and 83.5% from the free-throw line in 32 games (led team in 3-pointers made and free throw percentage)
James Okonkwo (graduated): 2.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 1 bpg; shot 51.6% from the field and 63.3% from the free-throw line in 29 games (led team in offensive rebounds and persnoal fouls)
Jahki Howard (transfer): 1.3 ppg, 1.5 rpg; shot 25% from the field and 80% from the free-throw line in six games (left team in January to attend to family matters)
Elijah "Choppa" Moore (transfer): Played in one game before leaving the program in December to attend to personal matters
Alvin Jackson III (transfer): Did not play due to redshirt

The biggest departure, at this point, is McHenry. Guard play was a pivotal component of Utah's offense this past season, and replacing a 17-point-per-game scorer is easier said than done.

Newcomers

Styles Clemmons (Fr., G): Four-star recruit in 2026 class according to ESPN who played in Overtime Elite in 2024-25 season
Zati Loubaki (So., F): Incoming sophomore who helped lead Trinity Valley Community College to the NJCAA championship in 2024-25 season
Simeon Suguturaga (Fr., G): Orem High School (Utah) standout who won the 5A Region 7 title with the Tigers in 2024-25 season
Jaxon Johnson (Fr., F): Four-star recruit in 2024 class who led Alta High School (Utah) to UHSAA 5A state title in 2022-23 season
David Katoa (Fr., G): Three-star recruit in 2024 class who spent time at Layton High School (Utah) and Utah Prep
Fynn Schott (Fr., F): A 19-year-old, 6-foot-10 forward from Austria who averaged 12.2 points and 13.4 rebounds in last summer's EuroBasket tournament

Utah's incoming recruiting class is intriguing for a few reasons. The two 2024 recruits returning from mission — Johnson and Katoa — were both highly-touted prospects when they signed with the Utes a couple of years ago. How they acclimate to the college game as older freshmen will be worth monitoring.

Also, Schott is a fascinating prospect. He brings international experience and, more importantly, a solid post presence — something Utah severely lacked this past season. His growth and acclimation to the NCAA game will be telling of how impactful he is with his new team.