The offseason in men’s college basketball is in full swing, amid the transfer portal being open until April 21 and teams busily constructing their rosters for the 2026-27 season.
Big Ten Conference powerhouse Michigan will attempt to repeat as national champions after winning the grand prize last week, defeating UConn in the NCAA Tournament title game.
The portal has only been open for seven days, and a lot more activity will transpire in the coming weeks. Some key storylines have already emerged for 2026-27, whether that be new high-profile head coaches, stars electing to return for another season or big-time transfers moving to new programs.
10 names to know in men’s college hoops
Michael Malone, head coach at North CarolinaThe college basketball world will be focused on Malone, who won an NBA championship as the head coach of the Denver Nuggets in 2023. Now he’s shifted to the college level, taking over in Chapel Hill after UNC parted ways with Hubert Davis.
Elliot Cadeau, junior point guard at MichiganThe 6-foot-1, 180-pound Cadeau was instrumental in the Wolverines winning the 2026 NCAA Tournament. He was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four, and last week, word broke that Cadeau will be back in Ann Arbor for his senior season.
Flory Bidunga, sophomore big man at LouisvilleThe 6-foot-10, 235-pound Bidunga has transferred from Kansas to Atlantic Coast Conference school Louisville for his junior season. He is the top-ranked prospect out of the transfer portal, and the pressure will be on Bidunga to lead the Cardinals to a strong showing in the ACC next season.
Jordan Smith Jr., incoming freshman guard at ArkansasThe 6-foot-2, 200-pound Smith is signed with the Razorbacks, and he’s the No. 2 national prospect in the 2026 class, according to several recruiting services. Smith is the MaxPreps National Player of the Year for 2025-26 after averaging 26.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 3.2 steals per game as a senior for St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Chantilly, Va.
Gerry McNamara, head coach at SyracuseMcNamara, after turning around Siena over the past two seasons, is the new head coach at Syracuse, returning to his alma mater, where he won a national championship as SU’s starting point guard in 2003. He’s tasked with getting the Orange back to the Big Dance for the first time since 2021.
Miles Byrd, junior guard at ProvidenceThe 6-foot-6, 190-pound Byrd is a veteran guard who, on April 9, officially transferred from San Diego State to the Friars. He played for the Aztecs for four campaigns, including in the NCAA Tournament championship game in 2023. This past season, he was the Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year, and Byrd will be instrumental as Providence looks to rebound under new head coach Bryan Hodgson.
Tyran Stokes, incoming freshman wing (undecided)In the 2026 cycle, all eyes are on the 6-foot-7, 230-pound Stokes, who is a standout at Seattle’s Rainier Beach High School. Stokes, the No. 1 overall player in the 2026 high school class, has yet to decide on a college, although he’s likely to make his commitment announcement soon, analysts say. Kansas and Kentucky are reportedly the top two contenders for Stokes.
Dusty May, head coach at MichiganThe Wolverines just put forth one of the most dominant seasons in recent memory. Michigan (37-3 overall) absolutely steamrolled the majority of its foes, including in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Floor general Cadeau is back, among others. Earlier in April, 2026 five-star shooting guard Brandon McCoy committed to the Wolverines, which also recently got a pledge from Tennessee transfer center J.P. Estrella. May, who took Florida Atlantic to the Final Four in 2023, has a legit chance to repeat as national champs in the upcoming campaign at Michigan.
Caleb Foster, junior guard at DukeThe Blue Devils were stunned in the Elite Eight by UConn, denying Duke a second straight trip to the Final Four. Gone is elite big man Cameron Boozer, but the Blue Devils have a top-flight 2026 recruiting class. However, Foster will lead the way for Duke in 2026-27, as the team attempts to get over the hump and win a national title under head coach Jon Scheyer.
Caleb Holt, incoming freshman guard at ArizonaBeyond Michigan, the Wildcats (36-3 overall) were arguably the second-best team in the country this past season, reaching the Final Four before bowing out to the Wolverines in the national semifinals. The 6-foot-5, 200-pound Holt, a top-five national prospect in the 2026 class out of the powerhouse Prolific Prep in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., will be an immediate contributor for Arizona, which should contend for a repeat Final Four appearance in 2027.
