Basketball Transfer Portal now open…

With the basketball season in the books, all attention shifts to the off-season with the official opening of the 14-day Transfer Portal

Miami is coming off the second biggest turnaround season in NCAA history with a 26-9 record and a return to the NCAA Tournament.

At the start of last off-season, Miami introduce a new head coach, Jai Lucas, who arrived from Duke to accept his first college head coaching job. Coach was faced with a monumental task of replacing the entire coaching staff AND the entire team, thirteen new players. The rest is history.

Going into next season, coach is again faced with a rebuilding challenge. His three starting seniors have graduated and two underclassmen have made their intention to transfer.

Coach Lucas and his staff have already landed five-star power forward Caleb Gaskins. Now the staff is turning to the portal to acquire talent and experience to fuel a return to the national playoffs.

This article will focus on the team needs and potential prospects. The Canes have four remains spots on the roster.

At this time, the staff will be focused on two positions, point guard and center. Based on reports, the following transfer players are available in the portal.

POINT GUARD:

Miami has twopoint guards currently on the roster, Jordyn Kee and John Laboy. The Canes are looking for an experience quarterback to replace señor Tre Donaldson and lead the offense and set the defense.

Acaden Lewis (Villanova)

Lewis had a standout freshmen season. The 6’-2’/180 rising sophomore is a talented scorer and playmaker. Miami recruited Academe coming out of high school and is expected to compete for him again, taking on the likes of Texas.

Markus Burton (Notre Dame)

Burton is a talented but somewhat inexperienced point guard. He played only three games last season but his talent flashed big time, averaging 18 points and three assists a game. His physical and aggressive style would be a good fit at Miami. However, the Canes must beat out the home state team, Indiana, to land him.

CENTER:

Miami must replace their senior center, Ernest Udeh Jr., In 2025-26, Earnest was the physical anchor of Miami’s defense. The Canes currently have one center, Salih Altuntas, on the roster.

Flory Bidunga (Kansas)

Bidunga is a very talented rising junior center. He is athletically gifted with a powerful frame and physical style of play. He’s an exceptional defensive force in the paint. again a very good fit with coach Lucas affinity for defense. Miami will have to beat out some big names like Auburn, Louisville, Duke and Texas Tech.

Paulius Murauskas (Saint Mary’s)

Murauskas brings a ton of college experience and productivity. At 6-8”/235, is talented, strong and physical and considered one of the best center in the country. The rising junior averaged 18.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists this past season. Miami must battle the likes of UCLA and Oregon for his services.

BOTTOM LINE:

Coach Lucas and his staff are big game hunting. It won’t be easy bt critical in building a competitive team intent on competing at the highest level.

GO CANES!