Overview of Vanderbilt Basketball’s Transfer Portal Additions
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When Vanderbilt’s magical 2025-2026 season came to an end in the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament a month ago, one of the glaring storylines going into the offseason was how head coach Mark Byington would replace the key departures.
Vanderbilt lost one of its stars in guard Duke Miles, its wing and sharpshooter Tyler Nickel and key pieces to its front court in Jalen Washington and Devin McGlockton. Additionally, Vanderbilt lost pieces such as Mike James, George Kimble III and Tyler Harris to the transfer portal. And that does not even tackle the situation around forward AK Okereke and whether he will have another year of eligibility, nor does it address the Tyler Tanner decision.
Going into the offseason, Vanderbilt knew it needed to replenish its frontcourt by getting bigger and knew it was going to need to find a guard to replace Miles. And in the past five days, the Commodores have made moves to do just that.
Let’s review who Vanderbilt got from the transfer portal and the role they each fill.
Ace Glass, Washington State
When Washington State guard Ace Glass entered the portal, it did not take long for Vanderbilt to be linked to him. As a freshman, he set the program’s scoring record with over 16 points per game, shot 45.5 percent from the floor and 36.4 percent from the three-point line.
His numbers this past season were eerily similar to that of Duke Miles, who averaged 16.1 points per game on 43.5 percent shooting and 34.8 percent from three. As a guy that is entering in his second collegiate season in Byington’s offensive-driven system, Glass makes a lot of sense and seems to be a great fit for Vanderbilt, not to mention that he is a good fill to Miles’ spot.
Though he may not be as potent of a defender as Miles was, the scoring and shotmaking ability that Glass offers is something that cannot be denied.
Bangot Dak, Colorado
Colorado big man transfer Bangot Dak could end up being the most valuable transfer addition that Vanderbilt got in this portal cycle.
One of the biggest vulnerabilities about Vanderbilt’s front court this past season is that it did not have a true rim protector and a guy that was a true No. 5 on the floor. As a result, Vanderbilt was often outrebounded throughout the season.
Now with Dak on the roster, he fills that player profile precisely. Dak is a 7-footer that provides size and rim protection to Byington’s lineup. Dak averaged 6.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game in the Big 12 this past season, which also speaks to his defensive ability as well.
But Dak also averaged 11.5 points per game and can serve as a force in the paint on the offensive end as well. Dak fills the empty space left by Jalen Washington as Dak is the first 7-footer Vanderbilt has had in the Byington era.
Berke Buyuktuncel, Nebraska
Byington added a familiar foe in forward Berke Buyuktuncel from Nebraska as the first transfer portal addition. Buyuktuncel met Vanderbilt in the Round of 32 as he scored 12 points on 5-for-6 shooting and made both of his three-pointer attempts. On the season, Buyuktuncel averaged 6.5 points and 5.6 rebounds.
Buyuktuncel will more than likely play the No. 4 position and may join Dak in the starting lineup next season assuming both transfers turn out to live up the expectations. Buyuktuncel replaces Devin McGlockton and helps give Vanderbilt more physicality in the paint. He will be another piece that should make Vanderbilt much better of a team on the boards.
He may not be the flashiest scoring option, but he is going to be a grinder when he is on the floor.
Sebastian Williams-Adams, Auburn
Now-former Auburn forward Sebastian Williams-Adams waited until April 20 to enter the transfer portal and committed to Vanderbilt April 21. As a freshman, Williams-Adams averaged 7.0 points per game, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists on 27.4 minutes per game.
Williams-Adams shot 50.5 percent from the floor and 30.8 percent from three. He is anticipated to make an improvement going into his second season after being his first season at Auburn. Williams-Adams may not end up being a starter for Vanderbilt – at least immediately – he serves as a valuable depth piece to the rotation.
T.O. Barrett, Missouri
Barrett is another familiar face to Byington and his coaching staff. Barrett and Missouri took on Vandebilt in February, where he scored 16 points on 3-for-10 shooing and 2-for-5 from beyond the arc. On the season he averaged 8.6 points, 3.0 assists and 2.7 rebounds.
Barrett is more than likely going to be more of a depth piece to Vanderbilt's back court, especially if Tyler Tanner does return. In that case, Barrett would probably come off the bench and serve a role as a meaningful contributor with Tanner and Glass in the starting lineup. Barrett shot 46 percent from the floor this past season, but made just nine of 44 attempts from three-point land.
The transfer portal class Byington has gained has addressed the needs and holes his team has needed to fill. While fans are still awaiting to see what happens with Tanner and Okereke, Vanderbilt has built itself a nice, competitive roster that will only get better if a guy like Tanner returns.
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Graham Baakko is a writer for Vanderbilt Commodores On SI, primarily covering football, basketball and baseball. Graham is a recent graduate from the University of Alabama, where he wrote for The Crimson White, WVUA-FM, WVUA 23 as he covered a variety of Crimson Tide sports. He also covered South Carolina athletics as a sportswriting intern for GamecockCentral.
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