Duke Brennan’s time with the Brooklyn Nets is over for now. After receiving an extra year of eligibility, the Summer League center is returning to college basketball and has committed to Oklahoma for the 2026-27 season.
Duke Brennan's time with the Brooklyn Nets may have been brief, but the Summer League center now knows where he'll be playing next season.
Brennan has committed to Oklahoma for the 2026-27 season after receiving an additional year of eligibility. The 6-foot-10 big man will return to college basketball after a strong senior season at Villanova, joining an Oklahoma team looking to get back to the NCAA Tournament.
Brennan went undrafted in the 2026 NBA Draft before joining the Nets for Summer League. He spent time with Brooklyn during both the California Classic and NBA 2K26 Summer League in Las Vegas, getting a chance to compete against some of the league's top young talent.
His Summer League run did not lead to an NBA contract, and Brennan will instead take advantage of the extra year he was granted and return to the college game.
The opportunity came amid the ongoing legal developments that have allowed several players who had previously exhausted their eligibility to return for another season. Brennan quickly became one of the more notable players available, with Oklahoma ultimately winning his recruitment.
Sooners head coach Porter Moser was particularly impressed by what Brennan can bring to the frontcourt.
"Duke brings a combination of size, toughness, skill and a competitive edge that will enable him to make an immediate impact," Moser said. "He's one of the best rebounders in the country and a proven winner who plays with tremendous passion and physicality."
Brennan is coming off the best season of his college career at Villanova. He started all 32 games and averaged 12.4 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game while shooting 65.8 percent from the field. He recorded 14 double-doubles and earned Third Team All-BIG EAST honors.
His work on the glass was the biggest part of his game.
Brennan ranked 11th nationally in rebounding and finished seventh in the country with 132 offensive rebounds. He also became the first Villanova player to average at least 10 rebounds per game in a season since Harold Pressley did so during the 1985-86 season.
That was also what stood out during his time with Brooklyn.
Brennan played in three games during the California Classic, averaging 6.3 points and 9.0 rebounds. His best performance came in Brooklyn's second game, when he finished with 10 points and 12 rebounds in 23 minutes.
His role became more limited once the Nets moved to Las Vegas. Brennan played four minutes in one game and three minutes in another before getting a larger opportunity in Brooklyn's final Summer League game. He responded with 12 points and four rebounds in 16 minutes.
Overall, Brennan's Summer League numbers were modest, but the Nets got to see the same qualities that made him such a productive college player. He is physical, plays hard, and consistently looks to make an impact on the glass.
Those are the same traits Oklahoma will be counting on next season.
Brennan enters his fifth college season with 1,040 career points and 919 rebounds across 133 games. He has played at Arizona State, Grand Canyon and Villanova, starting 98 games throughout his career.
His path to Oklahoma is certainly not a typical one.
Brennan began his career at Arizona State before transferring to Grand Canyon, where he became one of the WAC's better frontcourt players. He then transferred to Villanova for the 2025-26 season and took another step forward, averaging a double-double and helping the Wildcats reach the NCAA Tournament.
After initially appearing to have played his final college season, Brennan now gets one more chance.
Oklahoma had already added former SMU guard B.J. Edwards after he received another year of eligibility, and Brennan gives Moser another experienced player to add to the roster. The Sooners finished 21-16 last season and 7-11 in SEC play, ultimately missing the NCAA Tournament.
Brennan should give them a physical presence inside and one of the country's more proven rebounders.
For the Nets, Brennan's Summer League stint was a chance to get a look at an experienced big man who knows how to make an impact without needing the ball in his hands. While he won't be continuing with Brooklyn for now, his time around the organization gave him another taste of professional basketball.
Now, Brennan will head back to Oklahoma for one final college season.
And if he can build on what he accomplished at Villanova, the extra year could give him another opportunity to prove that he belongs at the next level.
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