Dan Hurley and the UConn Huskies nearly came out on top during the 2026 NCAA Tournament. After finishing the 2025-26 college basketball season with a 29-5 record and a 17-3 mark in Big East play, Connecticut advanced all the way to the national championship. But they came up just short, falling to Yaxel Lendeborg and the Michigan Wolverines, 69-63, missing out on a third title in four years.
Now, Hurley and UConn have a big rebuild ahead of them, set to lose arguably their two best players to the 2026 NBA Draft. This includes senior center Tarris Reed Jr., who led the team with 14.7 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game, along with senior forward Alex Karaban, who helped the Huskies win two national championships. But they aren’t the only players UConn is set to lose.
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Eric Reibe, a 7-foot-1 center out of Germany, was a four-star prospect in the class of 2025 (247Sports). He was ranked as the 36th-best prospect in his class, along with the fifth-best center and the best from Germany. After receiving many offers from the likes of Kansas, Illinois, Kentucky and Michigan, Reibe went on to commit to UConn.
Reibe found a significant role on Hurley’s team during his freshman season. He played in 40 games, starting in five, and averaged 5.9 points on 65.8% shooting, 3.3 rebounds and 0.7 blocks in 13.8 minutes per game. But playing behind Reed, Reibe didn’t see the court as much as he had hoped for.
And on Friday, Reibe decided it was time for a change, entering the NCAA transfer portal and leaving Hurley and the Huskies without a potential starting center going forward.
“NEW: UConn 7’1 center Eric Reibe has entered the NCAA transfer portal, @PeteNakos reports,” On3’s Transfer Portal wrote on X.
NEW: UConn 7'1 center Eric Reibe has entered the NCAA transfer portal, @PeteNakos reports. pic.twitter.com/KNjO6sWcSy
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal) April 10, 2026
Reibe may not be the only player Hurley and UConn lose to the transfer portal, as fellow center Rrezon Elezay is expected to enter as well, according to On3.
Related: UNC’s Caleb Wilson Sends Message After Transfer Portal Announcement