Houston Cougars Reload for 2026-27 Season

Kelvin Sampson's squad brings in several high-profile transfers to replace key departures

Apr. 19, 2026 at 12:05pm

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A cubist-style painting depicting fragmented, geometric shapes in navy, crimson, and gold, representing the dynamic action and energy of a college basketball game.Houston's roster overhaul blends new and returning talent, setting the stage for another deep postseason run.Houston Today

The Houston Cougars men's basketball team is reloading its roster for the 2026-27 season after several key players departed the program. Head coach Kelvin Sampson has brought in a talented group of transfers and incoming freshmen to replace the lost production, including Dedan Thomas from LSU, Corey Hadnot from Purdue Fort Wayne, and Delreeco Gillespie from Kent State.

Why it matters

Houston has been one of the top programs in college basketball in recent years, making deep NCAA Tournament runs under Sampson's leadership. Maintaining that level of success will require seamlessly integrating a new crop of players, which the Cougars appear poised to do based on the caliber of their offseason additions.

The details

The Cougars saw several key departures, including the graduation of Milos Uzan, Emanuel Sharp, Kalifa Sakho, and Ramon Walker, as well as the early NBA Draft entries of Chris Cenac Jr., Isiah Harwell, Jacob McFarland, and Cedric Lath. The status of star guard Kingston Flemings also remains uncertain. To fill those holes, Sampson has brought in six new players, headlined by Thomas, Hadnot, and Gillespie. Thomas averaged 15.3 points per game at LSU before an injury, Hadnot put up 20.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.8 steals at Purdue Fort Wayne, and Gillespie was the national leader in double-doubles at Kent State. The Cougars also added Braden East, Arafan Diane, and Ikenna Alozie, all of whom bring strong rebounding and two-way ability.

  • The 2026-27 season is set to tip off in the fall of 2026.
  • Several key Cougars players exhausted their eligibility at the end of the 2025-26 season.
  • The NBA Draft withdrawal deadline is in mid-June, so Houston's roster picture will become clearer then.

The players

Kelvin Sampson

The head coach of the Houston Cougars men's basketball team, who has led the program to consistent success and deep NCAA Tournament runs in recent years.

Kingston Flemings

A star guard for the Cougars who is weighing his options for the 2026-27 season, with speculation that he may enter the NBA Draft.

Dedan Thomas

A transfer from LSU who averaged 15.3 points per game before suffering an injury, and is expected to be a key addition for the Cougars.

Corey Hadnot

A transfer from Purdue Fort Wayne who put up impressive numbers of 20.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game last season.

Delreeco Gillespie

A transfer from Kent State who was the national leader in double-doubles last season and will look to make an immediate impact for Houston.

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What they’re saying

“Kelvin Sampson has done a great job reloading the roster and bringing in high-level talent to replace the key departures. This team is going to be dangerous next season.”

— Analyst

What’s next

The Cougars will look to finalize their roster in the coming weeks as the transfer portal closes and Flemings makes his decision on his future. Once the full team is in place, the focus will shift to integrating the new pieces and preparing for the 2026-27 season.

The takeaway

Houston has established itself as one of the premier programs in college basketball, and Sampson's ability to quickly reload the roster with high-caliber talent suggests the Cougars will remain a force to be reckoned with next season and beyond.