Nebraska Forward, Lincoln Native Justin Bolis Enters Transfer Portal

Bolis, a sophomore, is the second Husker to enter the portal this offseason.

Apr. 7, 2026 at 10:05pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a Nebraska basketball player in motion, with sharp, overlapping planes of red, blue, and gold representing the team's colors and dynamic style of play.Nebraska's deep and talented frontcourt leaves little room for underutilized players like Justin Bolis, who has entered the transfer portal in search of more playing time.Lincoln Today

Nebraska sophomore forward Justin Bolis has entered the NCAA transfer portal, becoming the second Husker player to do so this offseason. Bolis, a Lincoln native, played in 17 games for Nebraska this past season, scoring a total of 3 points. With a deep and talented frontcourt returning, Bolis was unlikely to see significant playing time next season.

Why it matters

Bolis' departure is the second for Nebraska this offseason, as the Huskers look to build on their best season in program history. While Bolis was not a major contributor, his exit opens up another scholarship spot for Fred Hoiberg to potentially add a transfer or high school recruit to the roster.

The details

Bolis, a 6-foot-8 forward, played sparingly for Nebraska this past season, appearing in 17 games and scoring 3 total points. He redshirted the 2024-25 season after starting 31 games at Southeast Community College, where he averaged 15.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.2 blocks per game. Bolis was unlikely to crack the Huskers' deep and talented frontcourt rotation next season, which includes returning starters Pryce Sandfort and Berke Büyüktuncel, as well as Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year Braden Frager.

  • The NCAA transfer portal opened on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, beginning a 15-day window for underclassmen to enter.
  • Bolis entered the transfer portal during this initial 15-day period.

The players

Justin Bolis

A sophomore forward for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Bolis is a Lincoln native who played sparingly this past season, scoring 3 points in 17 games.

Pryce Sandfort

A first-team All-Big Ten selection and returning starter for Nebraska, Sandfort set the school's single-season record for made 3-pointers this past year.

Berke Büyüktuncel

The longest-tenured starter for Nebraska, Büyüktuncel has made 51 starts over the past two seasons in Lincoln.

Braden Frager

The Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year, Frager averaged 11.8 points per game this past season and scored 20+ points on six occasions.

Fred Hoiberg

The head coach of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Hoiberg is looking to build on the team's best season in program history.

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What they’re saying

“I'm really excited about our freshmen. The way that we've always done it, you throw the ball out and the guys that show that they belong on the court, those are the guys that are in your rotation.”

— Fred Hoiberg, Nebraska Head Coach

“A lot of this is going to revolve around Pryce and Braden and getting Connor (Essegian) back. But it's important to get a group that fits with those guys.”

— Fred Hoiberg, Nebraska Head Coach

What’s next

The transfer portal window runs through April 21, 2026, giving Bolis and other underclassmen 15 days to explore options for a potential new school.

The takeaway

Bolis' departure opens up another scholarship spot for Nebraska, as head coach Fred Hoiberg looks to build on the team's best season in program history. With a deep and talented frontcourt returning, Bolis likely faced an uphill battle for playing time next season, leading to his decision to enter the transfer portal.