The Miami Hurricanes men's basketball program's historic season takes another hit as Timotej Malovec enters the transfer portal, seeking a bigger role and shooting opportunities.
Despite a historic 26-9 season, the Miami Hurricanes men’s basketball program continues to lose key pieces. It was reported on Saturday that forward Timotej Malovec will enter the transfer portal. He averaged 4.2 points on 35 percent shooting, 33.3 percent from three-point range, and 1.3 rebounds in 33 games as a freshman.
The Slovakian native joined the Hurricanes after spending two years with the Mega Superbet in the Adriatic Basketball Association League First Division. Malovec was primarily relied upon as an outside shooter, consistently in coach Jai Lucas’ rotation. He missed the final game of the regular season against the Louisville Cardinals due to back tightness, which affected his minutes in the ACC and NCAA Tournaments. Noam Dovrat, who entered the transfer portal as well, moved ahead in the rotation.
Malovec is a small forward, listed at 6-8 and weighing 214 pounds. He provides size, but isn’t recognized for backing down defenders, midrange, or having precise handles. The 21-year-old reached double figures in scoring four times with the Hurricanes, including a 16-point performance against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles with four three-pointers made.
The team was among the bottom in the Atlantic Coast Conference in three-pointers made and attempted. Coach Jai Lucas didn’t prioritize outside shooting compared to scoring in the paint and defense.
The Hurricanes retained Shelton Henderson and Dante Allen for next season, bringing in five-star freshman forward Caleb Gaskins. The program is reportedly in the mix for a couple of top-market transfer portal players, such as center Somto Cyril and guard Acaden Lewis.
Unlike last offseason, coach Lucas will have a foundation to build around. The 37-year-old was known as a top recruiter as an assistant with the Duke Blue Devils and Kentucky Wildcats. According to 247Sports, the Hurricanes’ 2025 recruiting class, which consisted of Tre Donaldson, Tru Washington, Malik Reneau, Ernest Udeh Jr., Henderson, Allen, Malovec, and Marcus Allen, along with others, ranked the 26th-best in the nation. They wound up finishing third in the ACC.
If nothing comes out of the transfer portal, Malovec could withdraw and return to the Hurricanes roster. He will have two years of NCAA eligibility remaining. The 21-year-old will likely seek an extended role with more opportunities to shoot.
Meanwhile, coach Lucas is working to revamp the roster and contend with the best in the nation. As the offseason continues to unravel, players will be moving from program to program.
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