The UConn men’s basketball program is betting heavy on potential with its 2026-27 roster, which was rounded out on Monday.
Dan Hurley and his staff found 10 newcomers to join five returning players from last year’s national championship-contending team, and they went a bit against the tide in targeting younger players who still have a chance to stick around and develop in the system. Of the 10 newcomers, only two are upperclassmen.
And after losing a pair of starters to the NBA in Alex Karaban and Tarris Reed Jr., who combined to play in 287 college games, UConn is set up have sophomores with little starting experience tasked with stepping into those roles.
But the relatively young group is deep with talent and capable of fitting into a blueprint that, again, looks somewhat similar to the 2023 national championship team, should players live up to their expectations.
This very trusted source breaks down Dan Hurley’s new-look UConn men’s basketball roster
A look at the Huskies’ 15-man roster, which includes Solo Ball, despite the fact he’s sitting out the season as a medical redshirt after wrist surgery:
Guards
With one season as the Huskies’ starting point guard under his belt, Silas Demary Jr. will come into his senior season with Big East Player of the Year potential after landing on the conference’s first and all-defensive teams last year. The Huskies have liked what they’ve seen from freshman Junior County, who is expected to immediately be in the mix as a backup ball-handler. He is another big guard at 6 feet 5, who can impact every area of the game.
Braylon Mullins’ return was one of the bigger stories this offseason. The rising sophomore and lottery prospect will have an even larger role after averaging 12.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 28.3 minutes per game last season. Mullins shot 33.5% on 6.5 3-point attempts per game with his shooting percentage impacted by a lengthy slump in the latter half of the regular season.
UConn will have a shooter off the bench in Nils Machowski, a senior who made 91 triples at a 38.2% clip last season at Wofford. He should benefit from the looks created by Hurley’s offensive operation. Jaye Nash, a 6-3 rising junior who made 15 starts last season at Jacksonville State, also provides depth for the group.
Wings
Jayden Ross proved he is ready for an elevated role as a 3-and-D wing during the NCAA Tournament, when he answered the bell as a defensive presence and offered some shot-making as a bonus. He will likely have an edge based on his experience as the Huskies look to fill the starting spot at the three. But Colben Landrew, a highly touted freshman who can hold his own physically, may end up challenging him.
Egor Amosov entered the picture as the final piece of the roster on Monday and is another player who could end up making an impact right away. Versatile at 6-7, he could find minutes anywhere on the wing.
Nik Khamenia, the Karaban replacement from Duke and a former top-15 recruit, performed well enough in the first summer session that he earned a silver medal (Mullins earned gold and Demary bronze). He figures to slide in as the starting four-man with his basketball IQ and shot-making ability after averaging 5.7 points and 3.3 rebounds in just 19.8 minutes per game last season. The Huskies also have Isaiah Shaw, a 6-8 redshirt-senior who shot 46.4% from 3 last season at Northern Arizona, and Jacob Ross as depth pieces.
Bob Hurley Sr.: New UConn center Najai Hines has ‘only scratched the surface’ of his potential
Center
The center position – UConn’s top area of need this offseason – is the group that will likely have the most question marks coming into the season. Hurley was able to land Najai Hines from Seton Hall, one of the best options available, to hold down the starting spot. Hines was described by GM Tom Moore as having a combination of Tarris Reed Jr.’s and Adama Sanogo’s skillsets with his strong, bulky post presence, exceptional timing as a shot-blocker and a high rebound rate.
But he averaged 19.8 minutes off the bench for the Pirates, got into foul trouble at times, and UConn doesn’t necessarily have a proven option behind him.
Oskar Giltay, who Bob Hurley Sr. said looked good after watching a June practice, only played 14.6 minutes per game at Stanford last season, where he averaged 3.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. Elmir Dzafic, who the Hall of Famer said was “as big as the doorway,” is still developing after beginning his career at Arkansas, where he only played in seven games, never more than four minutes.
