How the Runnin’ Utes roster is shaping up for the 2026-27 season
· Yahoo Sports
Following Alex Jensen’s first year as head coach, there was a roster overhaul for the Utah basketball team.
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That’s not unexpected: Jensen’s first team went 10-22 overall, and the current transfer portal era makes overhauls a lot more common in the sport.
Still, it meant that Jensen and his coaching staff were facing a challenge of putting together a roster that could be a lot more competitive in the Big 12, after the Runnin’ Utes went 2-16 in league play last season.
In the past few days, the Utes have received a flurry of commits — and the end result is a roster for 2026-27 that feels more like the defensive, versatile vision Jensen has for his alma mater.
With international talents Noam Yaacov and Alec Anigbata the latest two to commit over the past two days, Utah’s roster is currently sitting at 15 players based on reported commitments, official signings and what the program’s online roster indicated for next season.
That’s the maximum number of players teams at the collegiate level can have, though there could be late or mid-year additions or other player movement before the year begins.
Here’s where the Utes’ roster currently stands.
Wright State's TJ Burch (22) goes up for a shot against Virginia's Johann Grünloh (17) during the first half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, March 20, 2026, in Philadelphia. | Matt SlocumUtah basketball 2026-27 roster
As of April 21
NamePositionHeightClass2025-26 school/teamObomate AbbeyGuard6-0SophomoreUtahTJ BurchGuard6-1JuniorWright StateTaison ChatmanGuard6-4Redshirt JuniorOhio StateStyles ClemmonsGuard6-1FreshmanOvertime EliteJackson HolcombeGuard6-7Redshirt JuniorUtah ValleyDavid KatoaGuard6-4FreshmanOn 2-year missionLucas LangaritaGuard6-5SophomoreUtahNoam YaacovGuard6-2FreshmanFilou OostendeAlec AnigbataForward6-8FreshmanRatiopharm UlmBabacar FayeForward6-9Redshirt 6th YearUtahMalek GommaForward6-8SeniorWeber StateJaxon JohnsonForward6-8FreshmanOn 2-year missionZati LoubakiForward6-9JuniorTrinity Valley CCFynn SchottForward6-8FreshmanHestia MenorcaColin McHaneyCenter6-10SophomoreUtahProjecting the starting lineup and second unit
Though there’s still plenty of time for roster changes before the season starts, here’s my best guess at what the rotation could look like with this group:
- PG: Yaacov, Burch
- SG: Chatman, Langartia
- SF: Holcombe, Anigbata
- PF: Faye, Loubaki
- C: Schott, Gomma
Bench depth: Abbey, Katoa, Johnson, Clemmons, McHaney
With the roster now assembled, it’s clear that Jensen and his staff built it with a purpose and vision in mind. At least on paper, there are a lot of complementary pieces, with multiple high-level defenders and efficient shooters.
Those were luxuries that Utah struggled to put together last season, after the Utes played catch-up on the recruiting trail.
Utah’s staff also leaned heavily into its international ties to find talent.
A season to refine their recruiting vision — with general manager Wes Wilcox leading that task — has culminated in a group that appears to live up to the phrase, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”
There will be more versatility on this roster, which should help offset the losses of guys like Terrence Brown and Keanu Dawes, along with other veterans like Don McHenry and Seydou Traore.
The glaring issue with the roster is the lack of height at center — no expected rotation player stands taller than 6-foot-9 — and that will put the onus on guys like Faye and Gomma, the most experienced post veterans, to set the physical tone.
Western Kentucky forward Babacar Faye (5) shoots over Marquette forward David Joplin (23) in a first-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament Friday, March 22, 2024, in Indianapolis, Ind. | Michael ConroyPoint guard has a pair of intriguing starting options, and perhaps the best way to look at it is that Yaacov and Burch could be interchangeable, given the situation.
Yaacov has a well-rounded offensive game and Burch showed at Wright State he’s a two-way playmaker as a scorer and defender.
With guys like Holcombe, Chatman, Anigbata, Langarita and Loubaki, there’s versatility for guys to be interchangeable at a variety of positions from two to four, and Schott has a solid offensive game.
Can this group mesh together better than last season’s roster? That’s the big question, and while the Utes aren’t likely to be in serious contention for an NCAA Tournament appearance just yet, there’s a healthy mix of younger and older players on this roster to help establish continuity.
There’s more interchangeability in the backcourt, but the front court could be bolstered if Johnson is able to shake off the mission rust and contribute as a freshman.
Last season, Kendyl Sanders was expected to redshirt, but after Faye’s season-ending injury, Sanders was a heavy contributor as a stretch four. The opportunity might be there for Johnson to fill a similar role.
This group, though, follows the vision that Jensen shared with the Deseret News near the end of the season.
“A lot of teams have success with that stronger undersized guy that’s just physical, and I think that’s one thing that we’ve talked about — getting physical, whether it’s defensively, whether it’s at the rim or on the perimeter," he said.
Utah head coach Alex Jensen calls out to his players during an NCAA basketball game against BYU held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News