Tear down, build up: Bearcats begin new chapter after mass departure

The Cincinnati Bearcats' season ended in disappointment, to say the least. They finished 19-16 overall and 7-13 in the Big 12, good enough for 12th in the conference. They missed the NCAA tournament for the fifth straight season, their last appearance being in 2019.

Following their postseason loss to UCF in the Crown Tourney, players did not hesitate to enter the transfer portal. The Bearcats only retained 4 players from last year's roster, Jizzle James, DayDay Thomas, Tyler McKinley, and Halvine Dzellat.

Three players from last year's roster graduated, C.J. Fredrick, Simas Lukosius, and Aziz Bandago (filed a waiver to get an extra year of eligibility, if given he will be in the transfer portal)  while nine players on the Bearcats roster last season entered the transfer portal, 8 of them already committed to play elsewhere. 

Most notably,  Dan Skillings Jr. stayed in the Big 12 and committed to Baylor, Dillion Mitchell is headed to St. Johns, Tyler Betsey is going to Syracuse, Josh Reed moved to the Big Ten committing to Penn State while Arrinten Page is going to Northwestern. All the roster changes these past couple seasons bear the question “is this a college basketball issue or a Wes Miller issue?” After the dust settled and the bearcats made moves in the transfer portal I think it is safe to say it is not a Wes MIller issue. 

The Bearcats have the seventeenth best transfer class in the country, and the third best in the Big 12. Wes Miller landed 6 transfers, 5 of them being 4 star recruits and 1 of them being a 3 star recruit:

Sencire Harris (West Virginia, Guard, Junior)

Ohio native Sencire Harris committed to Cincinnati on April 6, his third team in his three-year collegiate career. Out of high school at St. Mary-St. Vincent Harris committed to Illinois, where he played in 33 games, averaging 14.5 minutes in those games. As a true freshman, he averaged 3.7 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 0.9 assists, most of his production coming from defense. Harris then transferred to West Virginia in hopes of playing a larger role. Harris appeared in 32 games, starting in all 32 of them. He averaged 5.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.9 assists once again, his role being mostly defensive, making the Big 12 all-defensive team. Harris will likely play a defensive guard role off the bench we saw from Josh Reed in 2024 and John Newman III in 2023. Harris shot 6-53 (11.3%) from three-point range this past season, something that definitely needs work if he wants to grow into a larger role for the Bearcats.

Jalen Haynes (George Mason, Forward/Center, Senior)

Jalen Haynes, or as George Mason fans like to call him, “Big Slime” was a first-team All-Atlantic 10 selection last season for the Patriots. Haynes averaged 14.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 36 games last season. Haynes helped lead the Patriots to the best record in the A-10 before they lost to VCU in the conference championship, just missing out on the NCAA tournament. Haynes plays the role of a dominant bruiser down low, something the Bearcats haven’t had in Wes Miller's time as head coach. Haynes makes his presence known in the paint, listed at 6-foot-8, weighing 260 pounds, not backing down from anyone. Hayne will likely start at the 4 alongside UCF transfer Moustapha Thiam at the 5, forming a diverse frontcourt. 

Kerr Kriisa (Kentucky, Guard, Senior)

Cincinnati fans will likely recognize the name Kerr Kriisa from his days at West Virginia in 2023, when the Bearcats played them three times that season. Kriisa spent last year at Kentucky, where his season was cut short after playing just 9 games due to a shoulder injury, and was granted an extra year of eligibility. Kriisa is known for his badgering defense, playmaking ability, and shooting. In his last healthy season, Kriisa averaged 11.0 points and 4.7 assists on 42.4% shooting from beyond the arc. Kriisa will likely be the first off the bench or start at the 3, playing a similar role to what Simas Lukosius had done in past seasons. 

Jalen Celestine (Baylor, Guard, Senior)

Jalen Celestine is entering his fifth season of college basketball, all of them being played in the Power 5 conferences. Celestine started his career at California Berkeley, where he would spend three seasons before transferring into the Big 12 and Baylor, where he spent last season. Celestine appeared in 31 games, averaging 7.1 points and 3.5 rebounds on solid shooting splits. Celestine has a career field goal percentage of 41.5 and a three-point percentage of 38.1, something the Bearcats are going to need if Thomas and James don’t improve from last season. Celestine entered the portal along with almost everyone on Baylor's roster and chose to stay in the Big 12. Many have said that with Skillings Jr. transferring to Baylor and Celestine to Cincinnati, it feels like an even trade.

Baba Miller (Florida Atlantic, Forward, Senior)

Baba Miller, the former top 50 recruit in the class of 2022, committed to Cincinnati shortly after the conclusion of Florida Atlantic’s season. Miller, a 6-foot-11 forward from Mallorca, Spain, got his collegiate career back on track after a promising junior season. Miller averaged 11.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.7 blocks in 34 games for the Owls last season. Miller can do it all, score around the hoop at a high percentage, and even rely on the three. He has great shot-blocking ability and can find open players when the defense collapses on him. Miller will be in Contention with Haynes for the 4 spot, but can also be very impactful if he ends up coming off the bench.

Moustapha Thiam (Central Florida, Center, Sophomore)

Moustapha Thiam is a 7-foot-2 center from Dakar, Senegal, the same place that former Bearcat Aziz Bandago grew up. Along with being from the same area, Thiam and Bandago are also very similar players. Thiam averaged 10.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, and an impressive 2.6 blocks, snubbed from the Big 12 defensive team, leading the conference in blocks per game. Thiam also shot an impressive 29.1% from three-point range, making 23 threes on the season, something that is likely to improve as well. 

Thiam is rumored to have put on some weight, helping guard heavier players who often back him down around the rim last season. Thiam is much for athletic than you would assume a 7-foot-2 player to be, begging the question if he could be as or more productive in the lob game as Mitchell and Bandago were for the Bearcats last season. Don’t be surprised if Thiam ends up being the best player on the team next season, as he only goes into his second collegiate season.

High School Recruits

The Bearcats aren’t just adding talent through the transfer portal; they have 2 high schoolers in the top 60 of the class of 2025 coming to next season, both with high hopes of being day one contributors. 

Shon Abaev is the number 22 overall recruit in the class of 2025, being named a McDonald’s All-American. Abaev is the twelfth Bearcat to have that honor, the first since Lance Stephenson in 2009. Abaev is a 6-foot-7 small forward from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and attended Calvary Christian Academy while also playing for Overtime Elite. Abaev is a hyper athletic wing who can get to the rim with ease as well as shoot the three at a high level. Abaev is the best recruit the Bearcats have had in 16 years, and many think he will be in the starting lineup from day 1. 

Keyshaun Tillery 6-foot-two true point guard from New Hampshire, was the number 57-ranked player in the class of 2025. Tillery chose Cincinnati over schools such as Kansas, Ohio State, Villanova, and Florida. Tillery is a floor general, often creating shots for others when the ball is in his hands. Tillery is one of the best shooters in this year's class, which brings huge upside to the Bearcats this season. Tillery likely won’t crack the starting lineup this season but could blossom into one of the first guards off the bench next season if all goes well.