Notre Dame’s men’s basketball team is looking to improve after a disappointing season. Finishing with a 13-18 record and missing the ACC tournament was not the desired result. This was despite the injury to junior guard Markus Burton in December. Attention now turns to which players will return.
Shrewsberry’s Retention Efforts
The debate this offseason will centre on whether Micah Shrewsberry should remain as head coach. Regardless of who leads the team, Notre Dame must make strategic moves in the transfer portal. The programme has already confirmed the departure of sophomore forwards Sir Mohammed and Garrett Sundra, along with freshman guard Ryder Frost. These players primarily served as rotational players.
One player confirmed to be returning is freshman Brady Koehler, who averaged 5.6 points and 16 minutes per game. He is expected to be an important part of the team and potentially a starter next season.
Haralson’s Importance and Transfer Portal Strategy
The ideal core group for Notre Dame includes Burton, freshman Jalen Haralson, and sophomore Cole Certa. The programme hopes to retain at least two of these players. Shrewsberry’s recruiting abilities could prove vital in convincing key players to stay for another year. He brought in the program’s most loaded freshman class ever last season.
Two seasons ago, he retained four of his five starters from the 2023-2024 team. This is a notable achievement in the current transfer portal landscape. The transfer portal opens on April 7.
Addressing Needs in the Transfer Portal
Notre Dame will need to add a big man, or ideally two, through the transfer portal. A significant issue for the team last season was the absence of an inside scoring threat. Graduate forward Carson Towt was a strong rebounder. He ranked No. 4 in the ACC in rebounds per game.
With the team expected to be guard-heavy, the focus was on finding a big man skilled at rebounding. However, this approach ultimately did not prove successful.
The departure of Sundra, Mohammed, and Frost could indicate disappointment with the current state of Notre Dame basketball. Alternatively, they may be seeking increased playing time elsewhere. It is possible Notre Dame will retain some of their high-impact players for next campaign.