Najai Hines transfers to UConn men’s basketball

Feb 28, 2026; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; Seton Hall Pirates center Najai Hines (25) defends against UConn Huskies guard Solo Ball (1) in the second half at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

UConn men’s basketball’s first addition in the transfer portal is a big one. After the Huskies have lost four players to the portal including potential starting center Eric Reibe, Dan Hurley and UConn landed big man Najai Hines from Seton Hall. Hines is the No. 27 player overall in the transfer portal according to 247Sports and the sixth-best center.

Hines, a 6-foot-10 rising sophomore from Plainfield, New Jersey, didn’t start any games for the Pirates but was incredibly effective off the bench all season long. He ranked second nationally in block percentage at 16.4 percent and was the 19th best player in offensive rebounding percentage at 15.3 percent. He averaged 6.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.2 blocks in 18 minutes per game this past season.

Hines posted two double-doubles on the season, one of which came against UConn on Feb. 28 with 11 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks in 29 minutes against Tarris Reed Jr. and the Huskies. He also hit double figures in his first matchup against UConn, scoring 10 points while adding seven boards and three blocks.

While Hines might be raw offensively, almost no other big in the portal offers the rebounding prowess, shot blocking skills and physicality that Hines brings to the table. With three years of eligibility remaining, Hines has time to follow a developmental path similar to Reed, who transformed from a raw but talented center to the key piece in the Huskies’ 2026 Final Four run.

UConn is far from done shopping in the portal for this coming season, but the Huskies have a foundational centerpiece to build their next great core around.