As soon as a college basketball team’s end, the conversation immediately turns to roster construction for the next season. It’s always been that way, but it has become increasingly more of a conversation in the wake of NIL and the transfer portal. Many teams see considerable roster turnover each and every year.

Liberty has not been immune to this roster turnover in recent seasons. We’ve already seen three players enter the transfer portal off this past season’s squad in Bryson Spell, Will Gibson, and Kai Yu. Over the next several days and weeks, we will learn more of what the Liberty roster will look like in 2025-26. One thing to keep in mind, the former NCAA limit of 13 scholarship spots is gone, and teams now have 15 roster spots, whether walk-on or scholarship, moving forward. Here is what we know so far of how the Flames’ roster will look like next season:

Expected to return:

5’10” G Colin Porter
6’7″ F Zach Cleveland
6’8″ F Owen Aquino
6’9″ F Josh Smith
6’3″ G Brett Decker
6’8″ F Zander Yates
6’6″ G/F Curtis Blair

This is a strong group to build off heading into next year. It includes three starters – Porter, Cleveland, Aquino – each of whom are all-conference type performers.

Josh Smith returns to the floor after missing this past season as he recovered from a knee injury he suffered late in his final season at Stetson. He will push for starting time and is a career 7.8 points and 5.7 rebounds per game guy while shooting 51.9% from the field and 31.5% from three.

It can be expected that Decker will contend for an uptick in playing time and could even fight for a starting spot depending on how the rest of the roster shakes out. Yates provides a veteran in the front court who has been in the system for a couple years now and can provide something off the bench if needed while Curtis Blair has some potential on the wing.

Incoming freshmen:

6’6″ G Zander Carter
6’8″ F TJ Drain
6’8″ F Andrew Grimes

Rest of the roster:

5’11” G Kaden Metheny
6’9″ F Isaiah Ihnen
6’4″ G Taelon Peter
6’6″ G Jayvon Maughmer
6’3″ G JC Shirer

There are more questions than answers for the rest of the roster right now. Kaden Metheny could return for one more year, but it is not 100% guaranteed that he will. Ihnen missed two full seasons due to injury at Minnesota and missed most of this year, as well. Provided he gets a medical redshirt, he would be able to return, but it has not been approved to this point. Shirer has played three seasons at Liberty and has additional eligibility. It is unsure at the moment if he will return next season.

Peter and Maughmer have more interesting cases. We have heard each wants to return to Liberty next year, but they are currently out of eligibility. Peter played three seasons at the Division II level while Maughmer played four. Look to the report of Charleston star big man Ante Brzovic and him hoping to get an additional season of eligibility after spending two years at the Division II level.

As it currently stands, Liberty could have anywhere from 0-5 roster spots available for next year’s roster.