At the end of the 2024-25 basketball season, the University of New Mexico men’s basketball faced a mass upheaval, losing every single player and coach for the 2025-26 roster.
This offseason will have slightly more continuity, though not by much. After the NCAA Transfer Portal opened on Tuesday, April 7, only one player has announced his intention to remain with the Lobos while seven players have declared they will enter the portal. In his first year as head coach, Eric Olen took the Lobos to the semifinals of the National Invitational Tournament and finished the season with a 26-11 record.
Returning:
Guard Uriah Tenette
The freshman guard was the Lobos’ fourth leading scorer this season, averaging 10.6 points per game. He spent most of the season as the Lobos sixth man, starting eight games this season.
Entering Portal:
Guard Jake Hall
The Lobos’ leading scorer plans to enter the transfer portal with a Do Not Contact Tag, meaning teams and coaches can’t initiate contact with him, according to the Albuquerque Journal. Hall averaged 16.4 PPG, was the Mountain West Conference’s Freshman of the Year and named All-Conference first team.
Forward Tomislav Buljan
The 23-year-old Croatian freshman has committed to play for the University of Maryland Terrapins next season. Buljan averaged a double-double this season with 10.3 rebounds and 13.1 PPG. He made the All-Conference Second Team.
Forward Antonio Chol
Chol started 32 games this season and plans to enter the transfer portal, according to League Ready. The Junior averaged 7.7 PPG and 2.9 RPG.
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Center JT Rock
The sophomore averaged 6.2 PPG and shot nearly 40% from beyond the arc this season.
Guard Timéo Pons
The frenchman appeared in 13 games, averaging 2.6 PPG and had a career high of 11 points against New Mexico Highlands University.
Guard Kevin Patton, Jr.
Patton, Jr. appeared in nine games this season and averaged 2.6 PPG. He is entering the transfer portal, according to the Albuquerque Journal.
Guard Kallai Patton
The younger brother of Patton, Jr., the freshman, did not appear in a game this year. He is entering the transfer portal, according to the Albuquerque Journal.
The Lobos are also losing guards Deyton Albury, Tajavis Miller and Luke Haupt and forward Milos Vicentic to graduation.
Olen will have plenty of roster spots to fill this offseason if he hopes to build upon his first year as the Lobos’ head coach.
Jaden McKelvey-Francis is the editor-in-chief of the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at editorinchief@dailylobo.com or on X @jadenmckelvey
