UCF basketball, led by Johnny Dawkins, is focused on maintaining its NCAA tournament status after a successful season. With the transfer portal now closed, the team is assessing its offseason gains and losses.
Key points
UCF basketball ended a seven-year NCAA tournament absence
Johnny Dawkins is the head coach of UCF
UCF finished the season with a 21-12 record
The transfer portal is now closed for the offseason
UCF aims to remain competitive in the Big 12 Conference
Dawkins found value last spring and signed many of the key pieces of a squad that went 21-12 with three wins against ranked opponents. UCF earned an at-large tournament bid for just the second time in school history, seeded 10th in the East region but ultimately falling to UCLA in a first-round matchup in Philadelphia.
With the portal closed, it's time to get a first real look at what the Knights gained and lost in the offseason. Here are five takeaways from UCF's transactions to date.
1. Johnny Dawkins won't have to completely start over
Last offseason, Johnny Dawkins had to revamp his entire roster. This year wasn't as chaotic.
Last offseason, Johnny Dawkins had to revamp his entire roster. This year wasn't as chaotic.
In 2025-26, UCF was one of five power-conference teams that did not return a single player who scored a basket the previous season. Projected incumbents (Auburn) and () landed lucrative deals elsewhere, and Dawkins rebuilt the squad from the ground up.
Q&A
What were the key takeaways for UCF basketball after the transfer portal closed?
The key takeaways include the stability of the roster, the impact of new transfers, and the team's strategy for maintaining competitiveness in the Big 12 Conference.
How did UCF perform in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament last season?
UCF ended a seven-year absence from the tournament, earning an at-large bid and reaching the first round before losing to UCLA.
Who is Johnny Dawkins and what is his role with UCF basketball?
Johnny Dawkins is the head coach of UCF basketball, responsible for leading the team and managing player acquisitions through the transfer portal.
What challenges does UCF face as a Big 12 Conference contender?
UCF faces challenges in maintaining its competitive edge amid the annual changes and chaos created by the transfer portal.
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Of course, the Knights hit on many of their evaluations â Riley Kugel, Themus Fulks, Jamichael Stillwell, Jordan Burks, etc. â and built a roster deep enough not only to contend in the Big 12 but qualify for the NCAA Tournament.
Dawkins will not need to overhaul the entire team this year as UCF retained starting center John Bol, reserve shooting guard Carmelo Pacheco, quick-handed point guard Arturo Dean and backup big man Elijah Hulsewe. Bol, a 7-foot-2 former McDonald's All-American, became a bit of a cult hero among Knights fans after notching his second double-double (14 points, 10 rebounds) in a home upset of Texas Tech.
2. Jordan Burks' late portal entry is a major blow
Jordan Burks' departure was a major blow for UCF in the transfer portal.
Jordan Burks' departure was a major blow for UCF in the transfer portal.
UCF could not keep its top projected returner, 6-foot-9 forward Jordan Burks, away from the portal. On3s' Pete Nakos broke the news two days after the portal's closing that Burks had entered ahead of time, dealing a major blow to the Knights.
Burks went through some streaky shooting stretches, but he knocked down 37.3% of his 3-point attempts and averaged 13.3 points and 4.8 rebounds while starting all 33 contests. He set a career high with 24 points on the road in a top-25 win over BYU, and he tallied a team-best 22 in UCF's first-round NCAA Tournament loss to UCLA.
Burks should have significant Power Four and Big East interest, though some teams are holding roster spots and rev-share/NIL dollars open in case the five-for-five rule passes, allowing seniors an extra year of college eligibility.
3. Could Jamichael Stillwell make an unexpected UCF return?
Could Jamichael Stillwell receive an extra year of eligibility? He's waiting to see.
Could Jamichael Stillwell receive an extra year of eligibility? He's waiting to see.
One of those seniors awaiting his fate is Jamichael Stillwell, who entered the portal to keep his options open should the ruling go in his favor. Stillwell played two years of JUCO ball before enrolling at Milwaukee and then transferring to UCF.
The 6-foot-8, 245-pound Atlanta native finished second in the Big 12 for offensive rebounds per game (3.35) and compiled nine double-doubles, highlighted by a 17-point, 15-board performance versus Cincinnati at the Big 12 tournament.
Stillwell left open the possibility for a return to UCF, and he would assuredly be a captain for the team if he were to do so. He emerged as a vocal and emotional leader for the group, and he was also its most trusted on-ball defender, putting in an excellent display against likely No. 1 overall NBA draft pick AJ Dybantsa.
On Monday, April 27, the NCAA's Division I Board of Directors directed its cabinet to advance an age-based eligibility concept. However, under that model, additional retroactive eligibility would not be granted.
4. Dior Johnson comes back after shining at Tarleton State
After one year at Tarleton State, Dior Johnson returned to the UCF Knights in April.
After one year at Tarleton State, Dior Johnson returned to the UCF Knights in April.
Dior Johnson found an expanded role after leaving UCF for Tarleton State last spring, averaging 24 points in his 20 appearances for the Texans â all but two coming off the bench. On Monday, he announced he will be returning to Orlando to play his final year for the Knights.
Johnson, a 6-foot-3 point guard, played 35 times for UCF in 2024-25 but scored just 2.9 points in his 8.5 minutes on the floor. He helped the Knights reach the final of the inaugural College Basketball Crown with 13 points against Villanova.
In his lone campaign for Tarleton, Johnson earned WAC Sixth Man of the Year and second-team all-conference honors. He was one of just four players in the country to record multiple 40-point outings, doing so against Baylor and Southern Utah.
5. UCF hopes for more mid-major magic with new additions
Cayden Vasko joined UCF after an efficient 2025-26 season with the Wofford Terriers.
Cayden Vasko joined UCF after an efficient 2025-26 season with the Wofford Terriers.
UCF struck gold when it double-dipped from Milwaukee (Fulks and Stillwell) and found useful backcourt pieces from the likes of Mount St. Mary's (Pacheco) and Stephen F. Austin (Chris Johnson). Dawkins and his staff scouted the mid-major ranks again this spring and reshaped the rotation with experienced players.
Isaiah Malone picked up ASUN Defensive Player of the Year recognition by protecting the rim for Florida Gulf Coast. Cayden Vasko had the fifth best assist-to-turnover ratio (3.85) in the country at Wofford. Lewis Walker averaged 18.9 points per game and ranked inside the top-100 nationally in free throw makes and attempts per game for North Carolina A&T. Churchill Abass made the Southland Conference's defensive team by rejecting 57 shots.
Those players, along with Bol and the other returners, will form the foundation of UCF's 2026-27 roster. UCF was picked to finish 14th in the Big 12 ahead of last season and might again need to exceed expectations to return to the Big Dance.
