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2026 Omaha Men’s Basketball Offseason Tracker

by Apr 27, 2026Omavs Mens Basketball

2026 Omaha Men’s Basketball Offseason Tracker

A busy offseason is underway for Coach Chris Crutchfield and the Omaha men’s basketball staff.

The Mavericks followed up their first NCAA Tournament appearance with a 16-17 season (8-8 in Summit League play) and will look to bounce back in a big way in 2026-27.

To keep you updated on all the comings and goings, we’ll update this offseason tracker whenever news drops.

>> March 18: Sophomore wing Benji Nelson announces he will enter the transfer portal.

The 6-foot-8 Wahoo High School product redshirted this season after transferring from Northern Oklahoma Tonkawa College.

>> March 19: Junior guard Khamani Cooper announces he will enter the transfer portal.

The former JUCO standout from Little Rock, Ark., spent two seasons in Omaha, appearing in 45 games. This season, he appeared in 27 games with nine starts, averaging 4.7 points and 1.2 assists in 15.5 minutes per game.

>> March 31: Forward Julian Margrave announces he will enter the transfer portal.

Margrave transferred to Omaha after spending three seasons at South Alabama. He appeared in 21 games this season, averaging 3.7 points in 9.3 minutes per game.

>> April 7: Omaha senior Tony Osburn enters his name in the portal in case the NCAA incorporates a five-year eligibility clock.

>> April 7: Omaha senior Lance Waddles follows Osburn’s lead and enters his name in the portal.

>> April 8: Hurrdat Sports confirms that junior Paul Djobet is in the portal.

The former Miami Hurricane wing played 20 games for Omaha, starting 18 of them. He led the team with 17.5 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, shooting 51.2% from the field and 41.5% from 3. He upped those numbers to nearly 19 points and seven rebounds per game in Summit League play. He topped 20 points eight times, including a 38-point explosion in a loss at North Dakota State, and recorded four double-doubles.

>> April 13: Texas State transfer Deke Thompson commits to Omaha.

The 6-foot-4, 205-pound guard from Jenks, Okla., appeared in three games for the Bobcats as a freshman before missing the rest of the season with an injury. He scored seven points on 3-of-5 shooting (1-of-2 from 3) and grabbed one rebound in 11 minutes.

He averaged 21.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.2 steals as a senior at Charles Page High School in Sand Springs, Oklahoma.

Omaha was the first Division I school to offer Thompson back in August of 2024.

“Deke joins us after redshirting his freshman season at Texas State,” Coach Chris Crutchfield said. “He gives us a big guard that can score at three levels. He is an excellent 3-point shooter and underrated defender. We recruited Deke out of high school. We are so excited that he is coming to Omaha.”

>> April 14: Omaha announces the signing of Drake transfer Heri Bukinga.

The 6-foot-11, 235-pound center is originally from Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

“Heri joins us after redshirting and gaining 25 pounds at Drake,” Crutchfield said. “At 6-foot-11-inches with a 7-foot-5-inch wingspan, Heri gives us a defensive presence at the rim. He also is a quick and explosive rebounder. This a huge addition to our roster. We are looking forward to working with him.”

>> April 17: North Texas transfer Cahmai Crosby commits to Omaha.

The 6-foot-3 guard from Kansas City averaged 2.7 points in 9.4 minutes per game in his lone season with the Mean Green. Seventy-two of his 85 field goal attempts came from beyond the arc, where he shot 34.7%. The Park Hill (Mo.) South graduate spent his first two seasons at Kilgore College, where he averaged 15.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists as a sophomore. Crosby is a former AAU teammate of Omaha senior-to-be Grant Stubblefield.

“Cahmai gives us a veteran guard that is strong and explosive,” Crutchfield said. “He can score at three levels and is an underrated defender. We recruited him out of junior college and glad he picked us after going into the portal. We are excited to get him to Omaha. Coach [Keenan] Holdman did an excellent job recruiting him.”

>> April 21: Howard College wing Dace Pleasant signs with Omaha.

The 6-foot-6 JUCO prospect averaged 10.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists while shooting 41.7% from the field, 35.0% from 3 and 82.4% from the foul line in 37 games as a sophomore. He scored in double figures 23 times with a high of 19.

Pleasant helped the Hawks go 33-4 and capture the NJCAA Division I National Championship.

The Seattle, Wash., native began his college career at North Idaho College where he averaged 11.5 points and 4.4 rebounds while shooting 40.1% from the field, 34.6% from deep and 77.5% from the foul line. Pleasant attended Federal Way High School in Washington.

“Dace is a big versatile forward that can really shoot it,” Crutchfield said. “He’s a very smart, cerebral guy that understands all facets of the game. He played on a national championship team at Howard Junior College. I’m looking forward to him bringing his energetic personality and winning attitude to Omaha.”

>> April 26: Kansas City transfer Chris Dockery commits to Omaha.

The 6-foot-6, 185-pound wing started 20 of his 29 games as a junior for the Kangaroos, averaging 7.2 points and 6.0 rebounds while shooting 51.7% from the field, including 56.4% inside the arc. He scored in double figures 11 times this season with a high of 17 in overtime against South Dakota. He also grabbed double-digit rebounds four times with three double-doubles, including a 13-point, 11-carom performance against the Mavericks in January.

Dockery, a Las Vegas native, began his college career at Weber State, redshirting in 2022-23 and playing in 11 games in 2023-34, totaling nine rebounds, six assists and five points in 40 minutes. He transferred to Independence Community College for his redshirt sophomore season, averaging 16.9 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game while shooting 57% from the field before returning to the Division I level with Kansas City.

“Chris brings an elite level of toughness and a high motor to our program,” Crutchfield said. “We have known him for a while and competed against him last season. He’s a Swiss Army knife, an experienced guy that can do everything well. I am excited about him joining the Maverick family.”

>> April 27: Nebraska transfer Justin Bolis commits to Omaha.

The 6-foot-8, 225-pound forward spent two seasons with the Huskers, redshirting in 2024-25 before appearing in 17 games while recording three points (all from the foul line), five rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block in 26 minutes this past season. He joined Nebraska as a walk-on after spending his freshman season at Southeast Community College where he averaged 15.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.2 blocks while shooting 52% from the field and 27.5% from 3 while starting all 31 games.

Bolis is a Lincoln High graduate who averaged 8.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks as a senior after returning from an Achilles tear that sidelined him for his junior season.

“Justin brings a level of toughness and tenacity to our program, having played and practiced against Big Ten talent,” Crutchfield said. “He a versatile forward with strength and agility. I am looking forward to working with him. It’s always great to keep local talent at home.”

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