The UConn men’s basketball team has its center.
Former Seton Hall big man Najai Hines became the Huskies’ first commit out of the transfer portal this cycle with an Instagram announcement on Wednesday night.
Hines, a rising sophomore from Plainfield, N.J., was exceptional in limited minutes off the bench with the Pirates. He finished his freshman season averaging 6.5 points (60.2% shooting from the field), 5.5 rebounds and 2.2 blocks in just 18 minutes per game for coach Shaheen Holloway. His block percentage (16.4) was the second-best in the country and his offensive rebound percentage (15.3) was 19th-best nationally, according to KenPom.
At 6 feet 10, 265 pounds, it is easy to visualize Hines in the Huskies’ system as a replacement for Tarris Reed Jr., who is similar in both size and style of play. Reed, off to the NBA, was the motor behind UConn’s run to the national championship game. Backup center Eric Reibe, 7-2, entered the transfer portal.
Hines had four double-doubles off the bench for Seton Hall, including an 11-point, 11-rebound effort in UConn’s final home game of the season, leading the charge as the Pirates almost pulled a Senior Night upset. He had three blocks in both matchups against the Huskies, and went for 10 points and seven rebounds in the first matchup in Newark.
UConn will continue to be active in the transfer portal as it looks to bolster the center position behind its new addition, while also searching for a replacement for Alex Karaban at the four. The Huskies hosted former top-20 recruit Nikolas Khamenia on Wednesday. A 6-8, former Duke forward, Khamenia is another rising sophomore who spent most of his freshman season coming off the bench. He averaged 5.7 points and 3.3 rebounds on 34% shooting from 3 in just 19.8 minutes per game.
As of Wednesday night, the 2026-27 roster has enough for a starting five with Hines joining Silas Demary Jr. and Jayden Ross, along with incoming freshmen Colben Landrew and Junior County. UConn is still waiting on decisions from Solo Ball, Braylon Mullins and Jaylin Stewart, as well as Jacob Ross.
