Rutgers Basketball Lands a Center, So Now What?

The opening of the 2026 transfer portal season, which began on April 7th, was eerily quiet for the Scarlet Knights, as they, like the majority of the non-power brokers in college basketball, watched as the bluebloods jockeyed for the best available players on the market. As each day passed, the panic in the fanbase grew, with fear that Rutgers would enter the 2026-27 season with a guard-heavy lineup once again devoid of front-court talent, preventing them from being competitive in the rugged, physical Big Ten Conference.

Rutgers Signs Darin Smith Jr.

This past Thursday, Rutgers finally made a move in their front court, signing Central Connecticut State forward Darin Smith Jr. Scarlet Knight fans may remember the 6-foot-7, 210-pounder from Springfield, Massachusetts, who put up a game-high 21 points against Rutgers this past November. leading CCSU to an upset victory at Jersey Mike’s Arena. Hey, if you can’t beat them, recruit them.

As a redshirt sophomore, Smith Jr. averaged nearly 21 points per contest, adding 5.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. The rising junior can shoot it from deep - making 37.6% of his shots from beyond the arc. Smith was a good get for sure, helping add a body to a front court with the only player remaining behind center, Gevonte Ware, who played sparingly last season as a true freshman.

Rutgers Finally Lands an Impact Center

Rutgers followed up on the Smith Jr. announcement by signing former Virginia Tech center Christian Gurdak the very next day. The 6’10, 260-pound big man played in 31 games with the Hokies as a freshman last season, scoring 5.6 points and grabbing 4.4 rebounds in 17.2 minutes per game. That roughly projects to a double-double per context in 35 minutes of playing time.

In Gurdak, who hails from Charles Town, West Virginia, and played at Gonzaga High School in Washington, D.C., Rutgers coach Jay Young finally has a center with soft hands who can score the basketball and is considered an excellent rebounder.

Who Will Rutgers Target Next?

With the backcourt largely solidified with the return of guards Tariq Francis, Jamichael Davis, and Lino Mark, and incoming highly-touted freshman Imahri Wooten, Head Coach Pikiell and General Manager Sullivan will likely turn to defense to fill out the roster.

Rutgers has severely lacked a rim-protecting presence since Clifford Omoruyi graduated after the 2023-24 season. Before Omoruyi, Myles Johnson roamed the paint and was known for his thunderous blocks for the most complete Rutgers squads under coach Pikiell. Expect Rutgers to sign a high-upside defensive center that would spell Gurdak for breathers during games, and potentially allow rising sophomore big man Ware to slide over to the four position.

A Defense-First, Rangy Guard

In addition to a rim protector, Rutgers is severely undersized in the backcourt. While the playmaking should not be an issue with Francis and Mark on the floor, a big, rangy on-the-ball defender at the guard position would allow Rutgers to better compete defensively when needing stops.

Landing a defense-first guard would allow the Scarlet Knights to employ a five-man rotation with guard Lino Mark, who proved himself adept at on-ball defense and turning defenders over, returning high-motor defensive forward Darren Buchanan, Gevonte Ware sliding over as the second forward spot, and center Christian Gurdak or a rim protector rounding out a defense-first lineup.

This would allow Rutgers to actually have the roster pieces in place to adjust their lineups based on matchups, rather than just playing the best five men regardless of the situation and hoping to compete, as was the case the last couple of seasons. One thing is for certain: With two notable front-court signings last week, Rutgers is likely not finished trying to add another impact player to this year’s roster.