UCF's Basketball Haul For 2026-27 Is Already Messy, and the Portal Shuffle Isn't Even Done

UCF basketball is learning the hard way that recruiting in 2026 is equal parts transfer portal dominance and total chaos. Coach Johnny Dawkins' squad landed one high-ceiling freshman commit in Ladarius Givan back in May, but they've already watched a four-star guard slip through their fingers. This is what happens when your roster relies more on portal hoppers than homegrown talent.

The One Keeper: Ladarius Givan Could Be Special if He Gets Minutes

On May 11, UCF finally got some good news when 6-foot-9 forward Ladarius Givan committed to the Knights after decommitting from Mississippi State in January. That's not nothing. Givan beat out LSU, Seton Hall, Indiana, and NC State to land in Orlando, which tells you Dawkins' pitch still works when it matters.

The kid is legit. According to 247Sports, he's the eighth-highest-rated recruit in Knights program history, just ahead of Tacko Fall. In his senior season at Petersburg High School in Virginia, Givan averaged 15.5 points per game and led the team with 12.1 rebounds per game. He projects as either a power forward or center. The Knights are bringing in experienced portal pieces like Churchill Abass and Isaiah Malone at the position, plus they're getting Jon Bol back. So Givan will be a depth piece early, but the talent is there.

The One That Got Away: Christian Gibson Had Too Many Options

Then there's the painful part. Four-star guard Christian Gibson committed back in September, and Dawkins' staff thought they had their lead guard of the future locked in. Wrong. Gibson decommitted in late April and reopened his recruitment, leaving UCF scrambling.

This one stings because Gibson would have been the fourth-highest-rated recruit in Knights history if he'd stuck with the program. On the ESPN100 list, his stock was already sliding from No. 58 at the time of his commitment down to completely off the list by the time he walked. Still, losing a four-star guard commitment is never how you wanted your offseason to go.

The transfer portal is eating everyone's lunch in college basketball right now, and UCF is no exception. They landed one solid freshman in Givan, but losing Gibson is a reminder that commitments don't mean what they used to. Dawkins has got work to do.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.