SEC ROSTER RESHUFFLE: THE CURRENT STATE OF EVERY TEAM’S LINEUP, PART 1

ALABAMA

Departures: Naas Cunningham, 6-foot-7 freshman forward (UNLV); Mouhamed Dioubate, 6-foot-7 sophomore forward (Kentucky); Grant Nelson, 6-foot-11 senior forward (Graduated); Clifford Omoruyi, 6-foot-11 senior center (Graduated); Labaron Philon, 6-foot-4 freshman guard (NBA Draft); Derrion Reid, 6-foot-8 freshman forward (Oklahoma); Mark Sears, 6-foot-1 senior guard (Graduated); Jarin Stevenson, 6-foot-11 sophomore forward (North Carolina); Chris Youngblood 6-foot-4 senior guard (Graduated).

Returnees: Aden Holloway, 6-foot-1 junior guard; Houston Mallette, 6-foot-5 senior guard; Aiden Sherrell, 6-foot-10 sophomore forward; Latrell Wrightsell, Jr. 6-foot-3 graduate guard.

Incoming: Jalil Bethea, 6-foot-5 sophomore guard (Miami); Noah Williamson, 7-foot-0 senior center (Bucknell); Taylor Bol Bowen, 6-foot-10 junior forward (Florida State); Amari Allen, 6-foot-8 freshman forward; Davion Hannah, 6-foot-6 freshman guard; London Jemison, 6-foot-8 freshman forward; Keitenn Bristow, 6-foot-8 sophomore forward (Tarleton State).

Skinny: The surprising development of freshman Labaron Philon into an NBA Draft prospect will add to the massive retooling job at Alabama should he decide to stay in the draft. But coach Nate Oats will still have firepower for his three-centric offense. Most of that will come from returning players Holloway, Mallette and Wrightsell, the latter two redshirted last year. Bethea, the Miami transfer, shot a decent percentage from three (32.6) in his only season with the Hurricanes and could see improvement in Oats’ system. The same goes for Tarleton State transfer Bristow (32.8 percent). The Tide’s front line took a hit, but transfers Williamson (17.6 points, 7.6 rebounds per game) and Bol Bowen (8.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.5 blocks per game) are expected to step into the starting lineup.

ARKANSAS

Departures: Boogie Fland, 6-foot-2 sophomore guard (Florida); Casmir Chavis, 6-foot-0 guard (UT Arlington); Melo Sanchez, 6-foot-4 junior guard (Transfer portal); Zvonimir Ivisic, 7-foot-2 junior center (Illinois); Adou Thiero, 6-foot-8 junior (NBA Draft decision); Karter Knox, 6-foot-6 freshman forward (NBA Draft decision);Johnell Davis, 6-foot-4 senior guard (Graduated). Jonas Aidoo, 6-foot-11 senior center (Graduated).

Returnees: Trevon Brazile, 6-foot-10 senior forward; D.J. Wagner, 6-foot-4 junior guard; Billy Richmond III, 6-foot-5 junior guard.

Incoming: Malique Ewin, 6-foot-11 junior center (Florida State); Nick Pringle, 6-foot-10 senior forward (South Carolina); Darius Acuff, Jr., 6-foot-2 freshman guard; Meleek Thomas, 6-foot-3 freshman guard; Isaiah Sealy, 6-foot-7 freshman guard; Karim Rtail, 6-foot-9 freshman forward.

Skinny: Arkansas lost Fland to SEC rival Florida, but coach John Calipari has reloaded with five-star high school players, one of whom will fill the void created by Fland’s transfer. The Hogs also added a couple of veteran transfers with size in Ewin and Pringle. Pringle knows his way around the SEC; he played 70 games for Alabama from 2022-24 and last season at South Carolina, where he established career highs in scoring, rebounding, free-throw percentage and minutes played. He and Ewin will fortify a frontcourt that was hit hard by the graduation of Aidoo and the transfer of Ivisic. One recruiting analyst called Acuff the “most dominant and dynamic lead guard in the class.” He does his damage with quickness and strength, but he’s at his best when he’s facilitating for teammates.

AUBURN

Departures: Johni Broome, 6-foot-10 senior forward (Graduated); Miles Kelly, 6-foot-6 senior guard (Graduated); Dylan Cardwell, 6-11 senior center (Graduated); Chaney Johnson, 6-foot-7 senior (Graduated), Denver Jones, 6-foot-4 senior guard (Graduated); Chad Baker Mazara, 6-foot-7 senior guard (USC); JP Pegues, 6-foot-2 senior guard (Transfer portal); Addarin Scott, 6-foot-9 senior forward (Kansas City); Jahki Howard, 6-foot-6 freshman forward (Utah); Ja’Heim Hudson, 6-foot-7 senior forward (Graduated); Chris Moore, 6-foot-6 senior (Graduated); Tahaad Pettiford, 6-foot-1 freshman guard (NBA Draft decision).

Returnees: None.

Incoming: Sebastian Williams-Adams, 6-foot-8 freshman forward ; Kaden Magwood, 6-foot-2 freshman guard ; Simon Walker, 6-foot-4 freshman guard ; Abdul Bashir, 6-foot-7 junior (Casper College); Emeka Opurum, 7-foot junior center (Butler Community College); Kevin Overton, 6-foot-5 sophomore guard (Texas Tech); KeShawn Murphy, 6-foot-10 senior center (Mississippi State); Keyshawn Hall, 6-foot-7 forward (UCF); Elyjah Freeman 6-foot-8 sophomore forward (Lincoln Memorial).

Skinny: Coach Bruce Pearl needed to find size and scoring to replace the massive hole left by the graduation of Johni Broome, and he found it both near and far. From the SEC, the Tigers signed Murphy, the former Mississippi State player who put together his best season in 2024-25 (11.7 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.1 blocks per game). Hall led the Big 12 in scoring (18.8) last season, and Freeman was a coveted player from the Division II ranks who narrowed his final choices to Indiana, Tennessee and Auburn. Junior college transfers Bashir and Opurum add size, depth, and experience to go with three Top 100 high school players the Tigers landed in November.

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FLORIDA

Departures: Walter Clayton, Jr., 6-foot-3 senior guard (NBA Draft); Sam Alexis, 6-foot-8 junior forward (Indiana); Will Richard, 6-foot-4 senior forward (Graduated); Denzel Aberdeen, 6-foot-5 senior guard (Kentucky); Alijah Martin, 6-foot-2 senior (Graduated); Kajus Kublickas, 6-2 guard (Pacific)

Returnees: Alex Condon, 6-foot-11 junior forward; Urban Klavzar 6-foot-1 junior guard; Micah Handlogten, 7-foot-1 senior center; Rueben Chinyelu, 6-foot-10 junior center; Thomas Haugh, 6-foot-9 junior forward; Isaiah Brown, 6-foot-4 sophomore; Viktor Mikic, 6-foot-11 sophomore center. 

Incoming: Xaivian Lee, 6-foot-4 senior guard (Princeton); AJ Brown, 6-foot-4 junior guard (Ohio); CJ Ingram, 6-foot-6 freshman forward; Alex Lloyd, 6-foot-4 freshman guard ; Boogie Fland, 6-foot-2 sophomore guard (Arkansas).

Skinny: The Gators’ personnel losses were significant; tough guys like Walter Clayton, Jr.—who put Florida on his back en route to the national championship—and Alijah Martin don’t come around often. But the Gators still have a huge, deep, and talented front line returning, and the late-May acquisition of former Arkansas guard Fland was massive. In addition to finding two freshmen, coach Todd Golden and his staff landed one of the top point guards in the portal (Lee) and Brown, a guard with good positional size who can score (13.2 points per game). It’s possible Golden will again start three guards with Lee, Fland and Brown taking over the spots vacated by Clayton, Richard and Martin. Condon’s decision to withdraw from the NBA Draft and return to Gainesville gives the program a solid chance to repeat as National Champions. The rising junior led Florida in rebounds per game (7.5) and blocks per game (1.3).

GEORGIA

Departures: Silas Demary, 6-foot-5 sophomore guard (Connecticut); RJ Godfrey, 6-foot-8 junior forward (Clemson); Tyrin Lawrence, 6-foot-6 senior guard (Graduated); Dakota Leffew, 6-foot-5 senior guard (Graduated); De’Shayne Montgomery, 6-foot-5 sophomore guard (Dayton); Asa Newell, 6-foot-11 freshman forward (NBA Draft); Jordyn Kee, 6-foot-3 freshman guard (Miami); Savo Drezgic, 6-foot-4 freshman guard (Playing professional basketball in Serbia).

Returnees: Blue Cain, 6-foot-5 junior guard; Dylan James, 6-foot-9 junior forward; Justin Abson, 6-foot-9 senior forward; Jaden Newell, 6-foot-9 junior forward; Brandon Klatsky, 6-foot-4 junior guard; Somto Cyril, sophomore center; Markel Jennings, 6-foot-1 sophomore guard.

Incoming: Jordan Ross, 6-foot-3, junior guard (Saint Mary’s); Marcus “Smurf” Millender, 5-foot-11 junior guard (UTSA); Jeremiah Wilkinson, 6-foot-1 sophomore guard (California); Justin Bailey, 6-foot-3 senior guard (Wofford); Kanon Catchings, 6-foot-9 sophomore forward (BYU); Jackson McVey, 7-foot-1 freshman center ; Kareem Stagg, 6-foot-8 freshman forward ; Jacob Wilkins, 6-9 freshman forward .

Skinny: The loss of freshman Asa Newell to the draft was expected. The transfer of point guard Demary — who wound up at UConn — was not. A five-player portal harvest includes four guards, notably Wilkinson, a Georgia native who last season averaged 15.1 points, was voted the ACC’s Sixth Man of the Year and earned a spot on the league’s all-rookie team—and Ross, who will probably replace Demary at point guard. Last November, coach Mike White and his staff reeled in a freshman class that was rated No. 19 in the country by 247Sports and includes four-star forwards Wilkins, the son of former Georgia and NBA star Dominique Wilkins, and Stagg.

KENTUCKY

Departures: Travis Perry, 6-foot-2 freshman guard (Ole Miss); Kerr Kriisa, 6-foot-3 senior guard (Cincinnati); Ansley Almonor, 6-foot-7 senior forward (Graduated); Koby Brea, 6-foot-7 senior guard (Graduated); Lamont Butler, 6-foot-2 senior guard (Graduated); Andrew Carr, 6-foot-11 senior center (Graduated); Jaxson Robinson, 6-foot-6 senior guard (Graduated); Amari Williams, 7-foot-0, senior center (Graduated); Otega Oweh, 6-foot-4 senior guard (NBA Draft decision).

Returnees: Brandon Garrison, 6-foot-11 junior forward; Collin Chandler, 6-foot-5 sophomore guard; Trent Noah, 6-foot-5, freshman forward.

Incoming: Denzel Aberdeen, 6-foot-5 senior guard (Florida); Mouhamed Dioubate, 6-foot-7 junior forward (Alabama); Jayden Quaintance, 6-foot-9 sophomore forward (Arizona State); Jaland Lowe, 6-foot-3 junior guard (Pittsburgh); Kam Williams, 6-foot-8 sophomore forward (Tulane); Jasper Johnson, 6-foot-4 freshman guard; Malachi Moreno, 6-foot-11 freshman center ; Adrija Jelavic, 6-foot-11 freshman forward ; Reece Potter, 7-foot-1 junior center, (Miami-Ohio); Braydon Hawthorne, 6-foot-8 freshman forward .

Skinny: After losing Williams and Carr, Kentucky coach Mark Pope needed to find some big bodies in the frontcourt. He found his size in  Williams, Quaintance, Potter, and Dioubate, the latter of whom the Wildcats faced twice last year when he played for Alabama. Most of Potter’s stats at Miami (Ohio) don’t jump off the page, but one that does is his three-point shooting (39.8 percent) over the last  two seasons). Two 6-foot-11 freshmen, Moreno and Jelavic, add to Kentucky’s front-line haul. A key acquisition was Aberdeen, national champion Florida’s first guard off the bench last season. It seemed likely he would earn a spot in the Gators’ starting lineup after the three guards who started ahead of him graduated, but he entered the portal and was rewarded with a huge NIL payday. He’s a day-one starter.

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LSU

Departures: Dji Bailey, 6-5 senior guard (Graduated); Cam Carter, 6-foot-3 senior guard (Graduated). Curtis Givens III, 6-foot-3 freshman guard (Memphis); Daimion Collins, 6-foot-9 redshirt junior forward (USF); Noah Boyde, 7-foot-0 junior forward (Western Kentucky); Vyctorious Miller, 6-foot-5 freshman guard (Oklahoma State); Mike Williams III, 6-foot-3 sophomore guard (Transfer portal); Corey Chest, 6-foot-8 redshirt freshman forward (Ole Miss); Tyrell Ward, 6-foot-7 junior forward (VCU); Jordan Sears, 5-foot-11 senior guard (Graduated).

Returnees: Robert Miller III, 6-foot-10 sophomore forward; Jalen Reed, 6-foot-10 junior forward.

Incoming: Pablo Tamba, 6-foot-7 junior forward (UC Davis); PJ Carter, 6-foot-4 senior guard (Memphis); Michael Nwoko, 6-foot-10 junior center (Mississippi State); Marquel Sutton, 6-foot-9 senior forward (Omaha); Max Mackinnon, 6-foot-6 senior guard (Portland); Rashad King, 6-foot-6 senior guard (Northeastern); Dedan Thomas, 6-foot-1 junior guard (UNLV); Jalen Reece, 6-foot-0 freshman guard; Matt Gilhool; 6-foot-11 freshman forward; Mazi Mosley, 6-foot-5 freshman guard; Ron Zipper, 6-foot-5 freshman guard (Israel).

Skinny: LSU worked the portal hard, signing seven players. The most important addition could be Thomas, a point guard who was one of the most coveted players in the portal and earned All-Mountain West third-team honors after averaging 15.6 points, 4.7 assists and shooting 35.3 percent from three. Coach Matt McMahon and his staff also found some size in former Mississippi State center Nowoko and Sutton from Omaha, and a couple of shooters in Carter, who made 39.3 percent of his treys for Memphis last season, and Mackinnon, who shot 40.7 behind the arc at Portland. LSU also landed the No. 17 (247Sports) freshman class in the country led by  four-star guards Mosley and Reece) and four-star power forward Gilhool. They also went International, recruiting Zipper, another shooter with size, all the way from Israel. 

MISSISSIPPI STATE

Departures: EJ Paymon, 6-foot-9 freshman forward (Southern Miss); Harrison Alexander, 6-foot-5 freshman guard (SIUE); KeShawn Murphy, 6-foot-10 junior forward (Auburn); Riley Kugel, 6-foot-5 junior guard (UCF); Adrian Myers, 6-foot-6 sophomore forward (San Jose State); Jeremy Foumena, 6-foot-11 sophomore center (UCF); Martavious Russell 6-foot-3 sophomore guard (ULM); Michael Nwoko, 6-foot-10 sophomore center (LSU); Kanye Clary, 5-foot-11 junior guard (Oregon State);); Cameron Matthews, 6-foot-7 senior forward (Graduated); Claudell Harris, Jr., 6-foot-4 senior guard (Graduated); RJ Melendez, 6-foot-7 senior forward (Graduated).

Returnees: Josh Hubbard, 5-foot-10 junior guard; Sean Jones, Jr., 6-foot-5 senior guard; Dellquan Warren, 6-foot-2 sophomore guard. 

Incoming: Jayden Epps, 6-foot-2 senior guard (Georgetown); Achor Achor, 6-foot-9 senior forward (Kansas State); Amier Ali 6-foot-8 sophomore forward (Arizona State); Ja’Borri McGhee, 6-foot-1 sophomore guard (UAB); Quincy Ballard, 6-foot-11 senior center (Wichita State); Tee Bartlett, 6-foot-11 freshman forward ; King Grace, 6-foot-5 freshman guard; Jamarion Davis-Fleming, 6-foot-9 freshman center; Cameren Paul, 6-foot-5 freshman guard.

Skinny: Graduation and the portal took a heavy toll on the Bulldogs, but they got good news when All-SEC guard Josh Hubbard withdrew from the NBA Draft to return or his junior season. Last November, coach Chris Jans and his assistants got a head start on the personnel losses with a freshman class ranked No. 11 in the country in the 247Sports. Grace, a shooting guard, is the highest rated incoming player (No. 60 in the class, No. 10 at his position). Epps, who played in 32 games and started four at Arizona State, could be the Bulldogs’ prize from the portal.State also found much-needed size in Achor, Ballard and freshman Bartlett.