SerpApi.Org
Rutgers men’s basketball completed its 2026-27 roster on July 21, 2026, with the addition of international signee Mervedi Miteo. The Scarlet Knights’ offseason rebuild included the entry of five transfers and three international signees to Piscataway.
Miteo, 6-10, 260 lbs, F/C from the Democratic Republic of Congo, played for Gran Canaria last season in Spain’s basketball league. He went through the Real Madrid youth development program. A 17-year-old Congolese teenager becomes the youngest player for the senior national team and averages 6.3ppg & 3.8rpg at the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket tournament.
“Mervedi is exactly the type of player we’ve targeted as we’ve expanded our international recruiting,” Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell said. “He’s long, he’s skilled, and he’s played winning basketball at a high level already. We think the world of his upside, and we’re excited to get him into our program and watch him grow.”
Transfer Class Brings Proven Production
Rutgers’ portal class is headlined by former Central Connecticut State forward Darin Smith Jr., the reigning Northeast Conference Player of the Year. Last season, Smith put up averages of 20.7 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. He shot the ball at a 45.6% clip from the field overall, 37.6% from three-point range, and an 89.8% clip at the free-throw line.
Coastal Carolina guard Rasheed Jones gives Rutgers another experienced scorer. The 6-foot-6 transfer started all 32 games last season and averaged 14.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists.
Forward Will Sydnor, a 6-8 native of Manhattan, joins the Rutgers program after garnering MAAC Rookie of the Year accolades. As a freshman, he averaged 13.9 points and 6.8 rebounds per contest.
Former Virginia Tech center Christian Gurdak and Kansas State transfer Dorin Buca strengthen Rutgers’ interior depth. Gurdak averaged 5.6 points and 4.4 rebounds while shooting 63.2% as a freshman. Buca, a 7-foot-2 center, led Kansas State with 35 blocked shots last season.
