CU men’s basketball transfer portal tracker

Coach Tad Boyle will oversee a vastly different Colorado Buffaloes squad next season after eight players entered the transfer portal. (Photo by Aspen Doust/Sko Buffs Sports)

Since the offseason began, big losses have been the story for the Colorado Buffaloes men’s basketball team. The Buffs have lost eight of their 14 scholarship players from the 2025-26 season since the transfer portal opened on April 6.

The portal closes on April 21, and the Buffs will look to add some new talent before then. With all the roster turnover so far, the Buffs will look to add some new forwards, and they desperately need to get a center in the portal to be competitive in the Big 12 next season.

This article will be updated.

Newcomers

Forward Noah Fedderson is an experienced addition to the Colorado Buffaloes, having played 99 games over the last three seasons with the North Dakota State Bison. (Photo via North Dakota State Athletics)

Former North Dakota State forward Noah Fedderson committed to Boulder on April 16 after visiting on April 11. Fedderson was the Summit League Sixth Man of the Year and averaged 9.3 points and five rebounds a game. Fedderson could provide the rebounding the team needs following the loss of Bangot Dak. He is the first pickup the Buffs have had in the transfer portal and hopefully not the last. 

On April 22, former UNC Greensboro forward Justin Neely committed to Boulder. Neely was the second leading rebounder in the nation last year and was a first-team All-Southern Conference honoree. He averaged 17.9 points and 11.5 rebounds per game while shooting 54.2% from the field. Neely is a huge pickup for the Buffs as he brings in much-needed scoring and rebounding at the forward position that was lost with the departures of Dak and Sebastian Rancik.

Former Charlotte forward David Gomez committed to Boulder on April 24. Gomez was only able to play in two games this past season before an injury sidelined him for the remainder of the campaign. Gomez won a Gold Medal with the Spanish National team in the U-19 FIBA World Cup in 2023, averaging 8.3 points per game. He has yet to showcase his skill at the collegiate level, but the Buffs will hope he has a breakout season this year. 

Head Coach Tad Boyle has acquired three recruits to the program: forward Goc Malual, guard Alex Dickenson and forward Rider Portela. Malual and Dickenson are both from Australia and played in the Australian professional league, the NBL.

Portela is a four-star recruit from Phoenix, Arizona. 

Departures

Star freshman guard Isaiah Johnson committed to the Texas Longhorns on April 11, leaving the Big 12's Colorado Buffaloes for an SEC squad that made the Sweet 16 last March. (Photo by Aspen Doust/Sko Buffs Sports)

The first big loss for the Buffs came on March 27, when their leading scorer and most talented freshman guard, Isaiah Johnson, announced intentions to enter the transfer portal. Johnson had averaged 16.9 points, 3 assists and one steal per game. He played in 32 games, averaging 30.6 minutes a night. 

Johnson began the season on the bench, but became a permanent starter in mid-January. Johnson often put up large scoring numbers, including 28 against the Arizona Wildcats and 27 against the BYU Cougars, going on to set CU’s freshman scoring record. 

CU’s fan favorite junior forward, Dak, announced his decision to enter the transfer portal on March 29. Dak’s posterizing dunks landed him on ESPN and got the crowd at the CU Events Center excited. Dak averaged 1.6 blocks per game and was a presence on the defensive glass, averaging 4.9 defensive rebounds last season. He also provided consistent scoring, putting up 11.5 points per night. 

On March 30, the Buffs lost Rancik, one of their top forwards, to the transfer portal. Rancik had averaged 12.3 points and 5.6 rebounds on 28.1 minutes per game and was an important part of the Buffs’ rotation throughout the last two seasons. The Buffs will miss his shooting and ability to get to the free-throw line.

Center Fawaz “Tacko” Ifaola announced his decision to enter the transfer portal on April 6. Ifaola got a few starts last season and played in 20 games total. He averaged less than a point and an assist a game, but did grab 2.1 rebounds a night. His low production made sense considering he only averaged 7.8 minutes a game as a developmental piece. 

But with Elijah Malone running out of eligibility and Ifaola hitting the portal, the Buffs are left with just one true center on the roster: Leonardo Van Elswyk, who didn’t play a minute last season. 

The transfer portal officially opened on April 7, and that same day, the Buffs lost sophomore guard Felix Kossaras, redshirt freshman guard Andrew Crawford and freshman forward Alon Michaeli to the portal. 

Kossaras was an important part of the Buffs lineup in the early season; however, after losing his starting spot to Johnson in January, he saw his role shrink significantly.

Michaeli was a big contributor throughout the non-conference schedule, but his production dwindled during conference play. He finished the season averaging 7.1 points and 3.9 rebounds in 17.5 minutes per game. Crawford made limited contributions in 2025-26 after redshirting his previous season.

On April 10, freshman guard Jon Mani, who didn’t play in a single game for the Buffs last season, entered the transfer portal. Walk-on forward Nick Randall and Van Elswyk are the only two players who haven’t decided what they will do next season.

The Buffs lost their last remaining center from last season, freshman Leonardo Van Elswyk, on April 20th to the portal. Elswyck didn’t see the court besides in exhibition, but his loss makes the depth at the center position even weaker for the Buffs. A center will be an absolutely essential pickup in the portal.

Returners

Sharp-shooting guard Barrington Hargress was the first Colorado Buffaloes player to announce his return to the program for 2026-27. (Photo by Tyler Phillips/Sko Buffs Sports)

So far, freshman guards Ian Inman, Josiah Sanders and Jalin Holland have all announced they plan to return to Boulder next season. Holland was an important part of the Buffs rotation last season, playing in 31 games, averaging 17.4 minutes a night and putting up 4.9 points and 2.7 rebounds. He also provided a good defensive presence for the Buffs, averaging close to a steal a game. 

Sanders started in a few games and played in all 33 games last season, averaging 17.9 minutes and putting up 4.4 points and 2.6 rebounds. He saw his role increase over the course of the season, playing over 20 minutes a game in all but four conference games.

Inman had a smaller role for the Buffs, only playing in 22 games, but he did have a few games in which he scored double digits, and he showed his potential. With  Johnson gone,  these youngsters will have bigger responsibilities next season.

Junior guard Barrington Hargress will be staying as well. Hargress is the most important player the Buffs have kept as he was their best shooter, shooting 53.2% from the field and 48.1% from 3.

He played in every game and averaged the most minutes with 32.5 a night. He also averaged 14.7 points per game, which was just behind Johnson. With Johnson gone, Hargress may have to take on a bigger scoring role if the Buffs don’t pick up another consistent offensive force.

According to LeagueRDY, former Utah freshman forward Kendyl Sanders will have a visit to Colorado on April 20 or 21. Sanders averaged 5.1 points and 3.2 rebounds per game last season. He shot well at 44.2% from the field and 40.3% from three, but on relatively low volume. However, these numbers are still promising, and Sanders could bring in some much-needed shooting that was lost with the departure of Rancik.