Transfer portal mayhem is well underway for the men’s basketball team, with a plethora of players coming in and out of Hinkle after the Dawgs’ coaching change.
Head coach Ronald Nored is attacking the offseason with just two rotational players — graduate guard Jalen Jackson and senior center Drayton Jones — returning to play for the new head coach.
Nored began his tenure by going global, securing his first commitment from Asim Đulović, a 20-year-old Serbian national who averaged 18.2 points and 6.5 rebounds per game in the 2024-25 season in the top league in Serbia.
Next, Nored reaped the benefit of bringing on new assistant coach Jalen Courtney-Williams from LSU, with four-star high school wing Herly Brutus flipping his commitment from the Tigers to the Bulldogs. Brutus joins unranked guard Baron Walker in Butler’s 2026 high school recruiting class.
Walker was initially recruited by former coach Thad Matta before he stepped into his current role as the special assistant to the president and athletic director.
“We think he’s going to be a heck of a player for us,” Matta told The Collegian in February. “[He] is a local who can [make an] impact.”
Amidst the work being done to bring in players new to college, the portal has not gone unnoticed by Nored and his staff. Ole Miss guard Eduardo Klafke found his home in the Circle City after two seasons in Oxford. The Brazilian averaged 4.6 points and shot 42.6% from deep in 15 minutes per game during his sophomore season with the Rebels.
Elsewhere in the backcourt, Florida Gulf Coast standout Jordan Ellerbee will bring his microwave scoring ability to Hinkle Fieldhouse next season. The Atlantic Sun Conference All-Freshman nominee averaged 13.1 points per game last season, including a 42-point explosion against Kennesaw State.
Ellerbee and Klafke show depth being rebuilt in the Bulldogs’ backcourt, with the pair likely to fill parts of Finley Bizjack and Evan Haywood’s roles, respectively. Ellerbee will share some ball-handling responsibilities with Jackson and should thrive getting up and down the floor quickly in Nored’s fast-paced offensive style. Meanwhile, Klafke will likely play the spot-up shooter role, leaving the playmaking to his fellow guards.
Despite Klafke’s billing as a shooter, Nored is optimistic that he adds a well-rounded skill set to the roster.
“Eduardo is battle-tested from playing in the SEC the past two years,” Nored stated. “He’s earned the reputation as a shooter, but we were also impressed with his ability to drive the ball and his vision in making plays for others. Eduardo will play a significant role for us for the next few seasons and we’re excited to get him on campus soon.”
With the guard rotation taking shape, the arrival of North Dakota State’s Treyson Anderson helps shore up a presence on the interior. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 10.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game in his sophomore season with the Bison. Anderson is a candidate to take on a starting role and fits the need for length and physicality to join Jones in the frontcourt.
Anderson — like all of the Dawgs’ transfer commitments thus far — also aligns with Nored’s preference of players with multiple years of eligibility remaining.
Shortly after landing Anderson, Nored stayed aggressive in the portal, tabbing a commitment from Samis Calderon. The former four-star and top-100 recruit saw just 66 total minutes of action during his first-year campaign at Kansas. The 6-foot-8 forward displayed high levels of athleticism playing for Overtime Elite at the prep level, measuring in with a 7-foot-3 wingspan and a 38-inch vertical.
Overall, Nored has quickly built a roster of 12 players — including six transfers — leaving him with three roster spots remaining, which are expected to be filled soon.