Official 2026 Panther Basketball Recruit List

[GarretW1797]

I get it and agree the system is screwed. It will take some real creativity to make changes that will help and then survive court challenges.

That being said though it was awfully fun to watch a UNI team playing some amazing basketball in St Louis. That Team had great players from absolutely everywhere. We had players that started at High Majors, Virginia/Baylor, Mid Major Loyola, division 2, NAIA, and last year a division 3 player. It is hard not to enjoy watching Tristan Smith playing in the NCAA tournament this year after starting out in the middle of Nebraska.
Or for that matter I actually remember being underwhelmed when we signed Nate Heise. The kid worked his butt off and played great for us and then ended up playing in front of huge crowds and in the sweet 16. I enjoy watching guys like JaKobi Gillespie, and Reink Mast show the country what high level players they are.
I don’t think the current system can last, and it is probably teaching some bad lessons, but it also created 4 days in St Louis that I will never forget. Hopefully the new staff can find the way to use the system like the old staff did.

Exactly this. That's one of the positives to me personally is being able to watch some of these players from mid majors excel at P4 schools and make deeper runs in the NCAA Tournament than they likely would have at their mid major school. Gillespie, Mast, and Heise like you mentioned as well as players like Marcus Domask, Lance Jones, Ben Humrichous, Bennett Stirtz, and Tavion Banks; as well as players outside of the MVC like Walter Clayton, Dalton Knecht, JT Toppin, Will Richard, Alijah Martin, Anthony Dell'Orso and others.

I also look to what Kyle Green said at his press conference about maintaining the culture Jacobson has built and looking for the right players to fit our program regardless of how long they stay. He emphasized the phrase "do it out of love" a lot I remember. I have no question that whoever puts on a jersey next season will give their all regardless of their plans beyond 2027. Because for them all that matters in the moment is the current game and current season, and that's all we can ask for with the landscape the way it is.

[orangetennis]

I'm having a really hard time staying interested in following college basketball. I mean, what's the point if an entire team pretty much gets cleared out at the end of the year? How do you root for players who will take off immediately if they play the way you hope they do? And how do we continue to root for a mid-major program, knowing that even if they recruit well, work their butts off in coaching them, and give them as much NIL as the school can afford, they're likely just preparing them for a bigger program that can offer them more, like we're a farm system for the "real" contenders? I just can't see the point anymore, people. Please give me some arguments to continue to give time and effort to following this team. Feeling pretty defeated and down right now.

Root for the name on the front of the jersey, not the back.
That, and adjust your expectations. A valley regular season and/or tournament title are now the only things that matter.

[skydog0784]

Jaydon Kimbrough tweets…

https://x.com/pk_erredge/status/2044568458306707475?s=46&t=CFyaLgiR_yEh_1AkogI5lg

https://x.com/jaykimbrough07/status/2044565754582831350?s=46&t=CFyaLgiR_yEh_1AkogI5lg

[PantherAlum09]

Jaydon Kimbrough did commit, and although this seems a bit like a weirder last ditch effort, I think this is a great fit and a great prospect. He has a ton of skill and really good size. I think he's going to be very solid for us.

[UNIAlum95]

Jaydon Kimbrough did commit, and although this seems a bit like a weirder last ditch effort, I think this is a great fit and a great prospect. He has a ton of skill and really good size. I think he's going to be very solid for us.

Hey we've had some success with 6'4" guards out of CF. I agree and hope he can take a year to get ready for the college game but if we swap out RJ for Jaydon, I think I'm ok with that trade.

[kochrab]

Jaydon Kimbrough did commit, and although this seems a bit like a weirder last ditch effort, I think this is a great fit and a great prospect. He has a ton of skill and really good size. I think he's going to be very solid for us.

Is there a reason why he didn't commit somewhere sooner? I mean, I think he's got a decent game from his videos, but it usually seems like HS seniors already have something locked up before now.

[Username]

Is there a reason why he didn't commit somewhere sooner? I mean, I think he's got a decent game from his videos, but it usually seems like HS seniors already have something locked up before now.

He was committed D2 but seems his stock has risen following his numbers on an undefeated 4a champion team.

Had an offer from Vermont recently, so it’s not just us either

probably helps we have spots to fill

[Wxcpanther]

Is there a reason why he didn't commit somewhere sooner? I mean, I think he's got a decent game from his videos, but it usually seems like HS seniors already have something locked up before now.

He was committed to a D2 program and reopened his recruitment in February. He's since picked up an offer from Vermont into the UNI offer yesterday.

[PantherAlum09]

Zens is announcing his commitment tonight, but it looks like he is going to Illinois.

[Mudrafan]

Zens is announcing his commitment tonight, but it looks like he is going to Illinois.

which means he'll be back in the portal in a year.

[MVCBeat]

He was committed to a D2 program and reopened his recruitment in February. He's since picked up an offer from Vermont into the UNI offer yesterday.

Which D2 if I may ask?

[BCPanther]

Which D2 if I may ask?

Winona State

[BobCat]

Just noticed the 26-27 Roster is now on the UNI Athletics site, apologies if that's been mentioned here before. So far it lists these (Will Gerdes, Jason Kimbrough committed - not on here yet)

Redek Born
Levi Valdo
Geon Hutchins
Kyle Pock
Cade Courbat
Jalen Wilson

[Fran McCrabby]

So do we know for sure is Will Gerdes committed or not? Also is Jesse VanKaalsbeek Committed or are we still after him? I hear so much stuff that I don't know what's real or not.

[PantherAlum09]

So do we know for sure is Will Gerdes committed or not? Also is Jesse VanKaalsbeek Committed or are we still after him? I hear so much stuff that I don't know what's real or not.

Gerdes is committed as of now. Nothing official on Van Kalsbeek.