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The Cincinnati Bearcats are rounding out their 2026-27 basketball roster with at least one more name this week and likely two as we move into more of July and beyond. That was the big news on Thursday as a Hamilton County judge granted a temporary injunction request from names like MJ Collins and Kolby King.
Both of those veteran former Utah State talents are now able to play one more year of basketball as part of the five-in-five structure allowing NCAA athlete five years to play five seasons. Collins already committed to Cincinnati this week, while King has to officially enter the transfer portal before jumping over to Clifton.
UPDATE: Cincinnati officially announced Collins' addition on Monday, July 20.
"The Cincinnati men’s basketball team has added transfer MJ Collins Jr. to its 2026-27 roster, first-year head coach Jerrod Calhoun announced Monday," A release stated. "Collins Jr. comes to Clifton after spending the 2025-26 campaign at Utah State after a year at Vanderbilt and two at Virginia Tech. Collins Jr. will begin participating in team activities. Cincinnati Athletics will continue to monitor his eligibility status."
Depth For Days
UC has two spots left for them on what will be the deepest roster of the decade once everything settles. UC assistant coach Johnny Hill spoke to the media on Friday and gave the staff's latest take on the situation.
He wasn't ready to say much until things become official with the two transfers.
"Nothing official right now, but you know we like the roster that we put together, and love how everything is coming together so far," Hill said in a media scrum about the final pieces being added.
Collins should be close to a lock for a starting position in Cincinnati's backcourt after leading the Aggies in scoring last season.
The 2026 All-Mountain West Second Team performer could easily lead Cincinnati in scoring this coming campaign. A 6-foot-4, 195-pound three-level scoring wing—Collins was one of two Aggies to start all 36 games (30.7 minutes per outing). He led the team and ranked fourth in the Mountain West in scoring with 17.5 points per game while also averaging 2.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists on 48.7% shooting (36.1% from deep).
He's an elite offensive hub, posting the third-best offensive rating in the Mountain West last season and the top offensive win share mark. Oh, and he shot 81% from the free throw line, setting pretty much every lineup swimmingly with above the median with great free throw shooters.
King is a similarly strong offensive talent, albeit in a smaller role. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound guard averaged 7.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game for USU last season, highlighted by a 46-of-117 mark from deep (39%). He's another strong free throw shooter (74.7%) and has 86 steals in the past three seasons.
The whole roster has come together really well for Cincinnati.
"It's been a great adjustment," Hill said about his first few months in the city with this new staff. "Obviously, when you got a staff that that you've been working with, there's some cohesion there, so guys are very used to each other. But just been great. Obviously, we got a boatload of new guys in, and just kind of learning our system and teaching our system. So it's been great working with them guys as well."
Check out the full media scrum with Hill below via Bearcat Journal's Keegan Knickoson:
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/cincinnati as UC Assistant Johnny Hill Comments on Possible Late Roster Additions.
