It’s been a chaotic month in the college basketball world, but portal madness is finally quieting down. Most of the top transfers not going through the NBA Draft process have already found new homes. With summer sessions around the corner, teams are putting the finishing touches on their rosters and gradually shifting focus back to the court.
That said, there was still a lot of offseason action this week, including critical signings at Gonzaga and Louisville, notable international additions at Duke and North Carolina, and more. Below are the top headlines from another busy stretch of commitments.
Louisville Lands High School Superstar
On Sunday, five-star prospect Obinna Ekezie Jr., a 7-foot center out of Southeastern Prep in Orlando, committed to Louisville. Ekezie is reclassifying from 2027 to 2026 and will suit up for a loaded Cardinals team next season.
A native of Nigeria and the son of former NBA player Obinna Ekezie Sr., Ekezie was the No. 1-ranked center in the 2027 class. With his size, length and athleticism, the 17-year-old excels as a rim protector and finisher. He’s also comfortable handling the ball and shooting from the perimeter. Asked by Hoops HQ about his recruitment process during the Basketball Without Borders All-Star Camp back in February, Ekezie said, “I just want to go to a place (where I can) showcase my talent and play through my mistakes. I’m not a finished product, so I just want to keep getting better and play for a fan base that loves to have me.”
Ekezie will have the opportunity to learn from and battle against reigning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Flory Bidunga, a 6-foot-10 forward who transferred from Kansas to Louisville in April.
Missouri Adds to Loaded Class
Missouri already had one of the nation’s top transfer classes according to Hoops HQ’s rankings. Then the program made another splashy move on Friday, earning a commitment from BYU transfer Kennard Davis Jr., a 6-foot-6 junior wing.
Davis, a St. Louis native, received interest from Missouri a year ago when he transferred from Southern Illinois to BYU after a breakout sophomore campaign. In one season with the Cougars, he was a fixture in the starting lineup and posted 8.5 points per game. Davis should fit in nicely alongside five-star point guard Jason Crowe Jr., bringing valuable experience, scoring punch and elite perimeter defense.
The Tigers added three other prominent names via the portal: 6-foot-6 freshman forward Jamier Jones from Providence, 6-foot-11 freshman forward Bryson Tiller from Kansas and 6-foot-8 junior forward Jaylen Carey from Tennessee. With that haul and a highly rated freshman recruiting class headlined by Crowe, Missouri is positioned to contend for an SEC title.
Gonzaga Wins Big Prize
One of the best big men on the market is headed to Spokane.
On Thursday, Arizona State transfer Massamba Diop, a 7-foot-1 freshman center, committed to Gonzaga. Diop, who slotted in at No. 15 in Hoops HQ’s transfer rankings, chose the Bulldogs over St. John’s after visiting both schools in recent weeks. The Senegal native played professionally in Spain before joining the Sun Devils in 2025. In one season at ASU, he averaged 13.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks.
Landing Diop is a massive win for Mark Few and the Zags, especially considering program stalwart Graham Ike is out of eligibility. Diop and returning 6-foot-10 junior forward Braden Huff should form a dominant frontcourt duo and ensure Gonzaga has another superb defense. Prior to suffering a season-ending knee injury, Huff was averaging 17.8 points and 5.6 rebounds in 2025-26.
Offseason Headlines: Tennessee Lands Portal’s Top Prize, Kansas Adds Mid-Major Star
Tennessee plunders the portal, Virginia upgrades its backcourt, LSU goes international and more college basketball storylines from another loaded week
Duke and North Carolina Sign FC Barcelona Standouts
Two ACC bluebloods and archrivals have added promising big men from the same program in Spain.
Duke earned a commitment from 7-foot center Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje, a five-star recruit out of FC Barcelona. The 16-year-old, who isn’t NBA Draft eligible until 2028, is projected as a future lottery pick. This season, he averaged 16.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists for Barca Liga U, Barcelona’s developmental team. A versatile big with tremendous upside, Boumtje Boumtje can score off the dribble and shoot from behind the arc. With returning starter Patrick Ngongba II, Belmont transfer Drew Scharnowski, five-star freshman Cameron Williams and Boumtje Boumtje, Duke is suddenly loaded in the frontcourt.
North Carolina also landed a five-star prospect out of FC Barcelona in 6-foot-11 center Sayon Keita. A native of Mali, the 18-year-old joined the club in 2023 and made his professional debut in Liga ACB, Spain’s top league, last season. He saw action in six EuroLeague contests in 2025-26, averaging 2.5 points and 1.5 rebounds in 8.7 minutes. At the 2025 NBPA Top 100 Camp, he recorded a 7-foot-7 wingspan and a 9-foot-4-and-a-half standing reach. UNC needed a center to replace star Henri Veesaar, who is making the leap to the NBA, and Keita was among the best options available. He is an elite rim protector and lob threat who moves very well for his size.
Kentucky Keeps Building
It has been a disappointing offseason in Lexington, to say the least. Kentucky has whiffed on many of its top targets on the recruiting trail, including No. 1 high school recruit Tyran Stokes (Kansas), five-star forward Miikka Muurinen (Arkansas) and Syracuse transfer Donnie Freeman (St. John’s). With a lot of gaps to fill, the program made a few notable additions via the portal this week: 6-foot-7 junior forward Justin McBride from James Madison and 6-foot-4 junior guard Jerone Morton from Washington State.
The versatile McBride earned All-Sun Belt Third Team honors with averages of 15.3 points and 5.6 rebounds while shooting 49.4 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from three. He is one of only five JMU players since 2004-05 to have multiple 30-point scoring efforts in a single season. Kentucky will be his fourth school in as many years, as he started at Oklahoma State and played his sophomore campaign at Nevada.
A native of Lexington, Morton is returning home following a solid junior season with the Cougars (7.8 points and 2.6 assists per game). He began his college career at Morehead State before transferring to WSU in 2025. Morton provides crucial backcourt depth, likely sliding in as a backup behind Furman transfer Alex Wilkins and Washington transfer Zoom Diallo.
Kentucky still has work to do and surely has its eyes on some of the top transfers remaining, such as Iowa State’s Milan Momcilovic, who is testing the NBA Draft waters. Given UK’s lack of shooting and go-to options, Momcilovic would be a huge get for Mark Pope.
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