Relationships. Growth. Victory.
The three words that Marquette Men’s Basketball Coach Shaka Smart has built his program on over the last five seasons. The philosophy of recruiting and developing players both on and off the court. An idea that used to be the standard in college basketball, before the Name, Image and Likeness law (NIL) was passed in 2021 that allowed athletes to profit off their name.
But in the NIL era, where players are now chasing the biggest paycheck and power conference teams are spending millions of dollars in the transfer portal to bolster their roster each year, it can be difficult to keep up with only homegrown talent.
To make matters worse, the Golden Eagles entered 2025-26 without their three leading scorers from the previous season. Kam Jones, David Joplin and Stevie Mitchell all graduated at the end of the 2024-25 campaign. The departure of the talented trio left Smart with a very young and inexperienced squad heading into the 2025-26 season.
Their youth showed; the Golden Eagles finished the season with a 12-20 (7-13) record, their worst winning percentage since 1987-88.
It wasn’t all negative though. The team showed significant growth as the season progressed. First-year guard Nigel James Jr. shined during conference play, averaging 19.3 points per game which helped him take home the Big East Freshman of the Year award, becoming the third in program history to do so.
Even though James Jr. stole the show, he wasn’t alone. First-year guard Adrien Stevens and Sophomore forward Royce Parham were inserted into the started lineup midseason and proved they were valuable pieces to build around in the coming years.
Despite the growth of Marquette’s young players, there were still holes in the roster that couldn’t be filled by high school talent alone.
One of those holes was at the center position. After the graduation of Ben Gold and the departure of first-year forward Sheek Pearson, Smart knew he would have to dip into the transfer portal to find a replacement if he wanted Marquette to return as perennial Big East contenders.
He did just that.
On Apr. 15, the Golden Eagles signed the six-foot-11-inch former Louisville forward Sananda Fru, which marked the first time Marquette had acquired a transfer in four years.
Fru brings the height, rebounding and efficiency at the rim that Marquette desperately needed from its big men. Fru’s 76.5% shooting percentage from inside the arc led the ACC in 2025-26, while his height and athleticism make him a lob threat for James Jr.
“We’re very excited about Sananda (Fru) joining our program and the immediate impact he will make.” Smart said in a press release. “His athleticism, skillset and DNA as a teammate will affect our team in a significant way.”
But Smart didn’t stop there.
On Apr. 20, Marquette brought in the Wisconsin native and former St. Thomas guard Nolan Minessale. The new Marquette addition will now have attended both Marquette High School and Marquette University.
“We are happy to welcome Nolan home and add him to our program,” Smart said in a press release. “He possesses a variety of winning traits as a player and person, including his contagious competitiveness, basketball IQ, and ability to make those around him better.”
Minessale’s ability to get to the rim and finish through contact is a huge reason why he averaged 19.8 points per game for the Tommies last season. He adds much needed shot creation to the Golden Eagles roster that heavily relied on James Jr. last season.
With the additions of Fru and Minessale, the Golden Eagles finished with 50th highest transfer portal ranking in 2026, 2026 Transfer Basketball Team Rankings
The Golden Eagles have already released some high-quality non-conference opponents that will be featured on their schedule for next season, including a road trip to Ann Arbor to face the defending champions Michigan Wolverines and a date with the Mississippi State Bulldogs at the Fiserv Forum. So, it won’t take long to see if this new look roster can keep up with some of the nation’s best.
This article was written by Lukas Schulze. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @LukasschulzeMU.
