D1 · Big 12 Conference

UCF Men’s Basketball Recruiting: Roster & Openings

KenPom #59 · 21–12 · 2025–26 · Division 1 · Big 12 Conference · Orlando, FL

UCF finished 21–12 (Big 12 11th, KenPom #59) in 2025–26. 15 players hold the 2026–27 roster; 11 are new this season.

Roster data through 2026–27

Roster15 players
New this season11
Transfer additions8
Clearest projected openingForwards · 2026
Most common home stateFL (5)

Where the door opens

our roster projection · your arrival year

Forwards: open from 2026 — 3 ahead.

Centers: blocked until 2028.

2026
Gbalanced9 ahead
Fopening3 ahead
Ccrowded3 ahead · multi-yr
2027
Gopening7 ahead
Fcrowded6 ahead
Cbalanced2 ahead
2028
Gopening3 ahead · multi-yr
Fbalanced4 ahead
Copen1 ahead
2029
Gopening3 ahead
Fopening3 ahead
Copen0 ahead
2030
Gopen2 ahead
Fopen2 ahead
Copen0 ahead

Projections for 2029, 2030 are low-confidence reads.

Guards in that room (7)
Arturo Dean5′11″RS-Sr
Cayden Vasko6′6″Sr
Mister Dean6′6″RS-So
Tanner Jones6′4″RS-Fr
Jahda Swann6′5″Fr
Dior Johnson6′3″RS-Sr
Carmelo Pacheco6′5″Sr
Forwards in that room (6)
Churchill Abass6′9″Sr
Dylan Mann6′8″Fr
Lewis Walker6′6″RS-So
Ladarius Givan6′10″Fr
Jason Asemota6′8″Jr
Isaiah Malone6′9″Sr
Centers in that room (2)
John Bol7′2″Jr
Elijah Hulsewe7′0″RS-Sr
Those openings are for the roster in general. See whether your position, size and profile fit them →

If you want to play at UCF

How to get recruited here

For 2026 arrivals the roster projection reads: G balanced (9 ahead), F opening (3 ahead), C crowded (3 ahead · multi-yr).

Of the latest cycle's 12 arrivals, 4 came straight from high school and 8 from the transfer portal.

Most arrivals come from FL, NC, AL.

6 of 15 recent arrivals held a national ranking — 6 of 15 appear in our cross-checked rankings ledger; players absent from the ledger are not necessarily unranked.

12% of last season's scoring returns.

The roster, as a depth chart

2026–27 · 15 players

Guards 7 of 15

Cayden Vasko6′6″Sr · final yr
Mister Dean6′6″RS-So
Jahda Swann6′5″Fr
Carmelo Pacheco6′5″Sr · final yr4.6 PPG
Tanner Jones6′4″RS-Fr
Dior Johnson6′3″RS-Sr · final yr
Arturo Dean5′11″RS-Sr · final yr

Frontcourt 8 of 15 · forwards + centers

John Bol7′2″Jr · C5.9 PPG
Elijah Hulsewe7′0″RS-Sr · C · final yr1.1 PPG
Ladarius Givan6′10″Fr · F
Churchill Abass6′9″Sr · F · final yr
Isaiah Malone6′9″Sr · F · final yr
Dylan Mann6′8″Fr · F
Jason Asemota6′8″Jr · F
Lewis Walker6′6″RS-So · F
freshman final year — spot opens returning

Returning production

12%of recorded scoring returns
0 of 5top scorers returning
Top returning scorers
John Bol5.9 PPG in 2025–26 · returning
Carmelo Pacheco4.6 PPG in 2025–26 · returning
Elijah Hulsewe1.1 PPG in 2025–26 · returning

Computed from 13 of 16 players on the 2025–26 roster with recorded stats; "returning" means listed on the 2026–27 roster.

Who actually gets onto this roster?

How players arrive

4from high school8via the portal

7 of 15 roster spots were filled out of high school or held over.

Rankings

6 of 15

6 of 15 appear in our cross-checked rankings ledger; players absent from the ledger are not necessarily unranked.

Best-ranked: Dior Johnson #42.

Where from

FL 5 · NC 4 · AL 2 · GA 2 · IN 2 · NY 2

4 international: Boma, South Sudan; Edo State; Bangkok, Thailand; Montreal, Québec

High schools: Hillcrest Prep ×3; Montverde Academy ×2; IV Greatness Academy ×2 and 2 more

Transfer flow

named arrivals and departures

2025–26 → 2026–27 · in

→Arturo Dean
→Cayden Vasko
→Mister Dean
→Churchill Abass
→Dior Johnson
→Lewis Walker
→Jason Asemota
→Isaiah Malone

2025–26 → 2026–27 · out

←Zach Johnson
←Jeremy Foumena
←Chris Johnson
←Kris Parker
←Jordan Burks
←Jamichael Stillwell

How this roster compares

Big 12 Conference (16 programs, 2025–26 medians)
MeasureUCFConference
Average guard height6′4″6′4″
Average frontcourt height6′10″6′10″
Roster size1515
Freshman share27%36%−9pp

The five-year arc

kenpom rank · wins · conference finish
#982021–22#632022–23#66→ moved to the Big 122023–24#692024–25#592025–26
18–12 · American 7th19–15 · American 4th17–16 · Big 12 11th20–17 · Big 12 13th21–12 · Big 12 11th

Coaching staff

Johnny DawkinsHead coach
Robbie LaingAssociate head coach
Tyson WatermanAssistant coach/recruiting coordinator
Adam HoodAssistant coach
Dwayne Anderson IIAssistant coach
Max ForstotSpecial assistant to the head coach
Charles StephensonHead strength coach, men's basketball
Staff changesNo on-court staff changes across the last 0 offseasons.

Academics

published admissions data
Acceptance rate40%
SAT midpoint1260
ACT midpoint28

How this page is made: Rosters: official UCF rosters, 2025–26 and 2026–27, read from the athletic department's own site · Season: UCF's 2026–27 roster is posted, so this page reads it; the conference comparison uses 2025–26, the newest season every program has on file. · Stats: 2025–26, the last season played — the 2026–27 season has no games yet. · New this season: players not listed on the 2025–26 roster; a newcomer who is not a freshman counts as a transfer addition · Ratings: KenPom, five seasons; conference finish computed among same-conference teams by rating · Openings: Depth Chart's roster projection from listed class years; confidence stated per year · Sample: among players who made a college roster — the data cannot see who didn't. Among players who made a college roster. Model judgments describe positions and cohorts, never a named player's future. Refreshed automatically when the rosters change. Corrections: research@mydepthchart.com.

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