Cliff Omoruyi returning was the biggest win of the offseason for the Scarlet Knights. Photo credit Rutgers Athletics
It’s been a wild offseason for Rutgers men’s basketball during an unprecedented time for college basketball. Between the transfer portal and NIL, it was a roller coaster offseason for many programs across the sport. Rutgers was not only not an exception, they were the poster team for the volatility of roster management in the current landscape.
With the program heading overseas and the roster now complete, it is time for a full rundown of the the offseason for the program. Despite Rutgers experiencing a roller coaster ride the past few months, there are reasons to believe that the future is very bright.
After Rutgers was not selected for the NCAA Tournament on March 13 and losing to Hofstra in the NIT on March 15, the offseason officially began.
Three players transferred out at the end of March. They were Jalen Miller (Oral Roberts), Oskar Palmquist (Rutgers), and Dean Reiber (Charlotte).
Rutgers also had Cliff Omoruyi and Paul Mulcahy declare for the NBA Draft while maintaining their eligibility.
April involved longtime assistant Karl Hobbs leaving and 4-star wing commit Baye Ndongo ultimately following him to Georgia Tech.
Rutgers also landed two important commitments. UMass transfer point guard Noah Fernandes joined the program. Also, 4-star big man Lathan Sommerville from the class of 2024 committed.
May was a truly wild ride with Cam Spencer transferring, 4-star point guard Dellquan Warren decommitting from the class of 2024, Rutgers hiring assistant Marlon Williamson and ultimately, Cliff Omoruyi withdrawing from the NBA Draft and returning to the program.
June saw Paul Mulcahy transfer out, 4-star wing Bryce Dortch commit in the class of 2024, as well as incoming 4-star freshman Gavin Griffiths and 3-star guard Jamichael Davis officially joining the program.
Recently, Rutgers completed its roster with the transfer additions of Jeremiah Williams, Austin Williams, and Oskar Palmquist, appropriately bringing the offseason full circle.
All offseason, the dream of landing No. 1 recruit Dylan Harper and pairing with No. 2 recruit Ace Bailey grew stronger.
Listen and watch for more thoughts on this wild offseason on this episode of The Scarlet Faithful podcast below.
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