After finishing 16th and last in the Big 12 last season, the vast majority of the 2025-26 men’s basketball team graduated or transferred. Only three players return from last year: guard Lucas Langarita, forward Babacar Faye and guard Obomate Abbey. The Utes had 10 players leave via the transfer portal. This list includes Terrence Brown Jr., Keanu Dawes, Alvin Jackson, Jahki Howard, Elijah Moore, Josh Hayes, Kendyl Sanders, Jacob Patrick, Seydou Traore and Ibi Traore.
International Recruiting
Head Coach Alex Jensen and his staff have had their first full offseason and recruiting period to start building their vision for the program. The team has clearly emphasized international recruiting. Landing Langarita from Spain, Alec Anigbata from Germany, Fynn Schott from Austria, and Noam Yaacov from Israel. Schott and Yaacov are viewed as big-time recruiting wins. But they have yet to sign officially. The program expects them to sign in the coming months to compete this season.
High School Recruits
The Utes signed incoming freshmen Styles Clemmons, a 6 ‘1 point guard from Virginia Beach, Virginia, 6’ 4 guard David Katoa from Layton High School, and 6 ’10 center Lukas McCanna from Colorado. They also welcome forward Jaxon Johnson. A consensus 4-star recruit in the class of 2024; he is returning from a 2-year mission.
Transfer Portal Additions
The Utes landed six transfers to go along with high school and international recruiting. But with so little returned experience and continuity, it will take time for the team to gel.
Guard Taison Chatman, guard/forward Jackson Holcombe, forward Zati Loubaki, forward Grayson Gaddis, forward Malek Gomma and guard TJ Burch. Chatman was a top 40 player in his class coming out of high school, but didn’t play much at Ohio State. Holcombe averaged 16 points, 7 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game for Utah Valley last season. Point guard TJ Burch averaged 12.4 points and 3.6 assists at Wright State. Gaddis is a Montana State transfer with little experience, and Loubaki transfers in from Trinity Valley Community College. Gomma averaged 8 points and 7 rebounds last season at Weber State and will provide much-needed depth down low.
26/27 Conference games
While Utah’s non-conference schedule has yet to be finalized, they know their conference opponents. Utah will play BYU, Oklahoma State and Colorado twice, home and away. The Utes play Texas Tech, Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, West Virginia and Cincinnati once, at home only. Utah will play only road games against Arizona, Arizona State, Houston, Iowa State, TCU and UCF. 18 games in total, against the other 15 members of the Big 12.
The road games in particular look very challenging, but they are also opportunities to establish the program’s identity. Burch and Holcombe are the headliners in the backcourt, and will be looked on as the veteran centerpieces to the offense. Yaacov will be a huge part of the team when he signs. He’s someone I expect to lead the team in points and/or assists. 21-year-old Yaacov is currently going through the NBA Draft process, but is still expected to join the Utes.
Some combination of Gomma, Loubaki, Schott and Faye will be the depth in the front court, while freshmen like Jaxon Johnson and Alec Anigbata are likely to figure into the rotation.
Future Outlook
There is a lot of uncertainty about this upcoming basketball season, but Utah fans should have an optimistic outlook. The last NCAA tournament appearance for the program was in 2016, and attendance at the Huntsman Center has consistently declined since.
As Alex Jensen builds the identity and culture of the program, fans will continue to come back. Competitive basketball will return to SLC if all goes according to plan. The University of Utah Athletic Department partnership with Otro Capital will potentially infuse NIL funds into recruiting and the program as a whole.
