SMU basketball may be closing in on Dink Pate, and if the Mustangs land the 6-8 scorer, Andy Enfield’s roster could look very different in 2026.
SMU basketball may be on the verge of a major offseason swing, and if it happens, the Mustangs’ 2026 roster could take on a completely different identity.
Dink Pate, the former G League standout with deep Dallas ties, is emerging as a legitimate name to watch for SMU, especially after Jason Hart’s arrival gave the program a clear connection to one of the most intriguing talents on the market.
That possibility matters because SMU basketball needs more than a few tweaks. The Mustangs are staring at another major roster reset, and as the Locked on SMU Podcast stated, the path forward may depend on landing impact players who can immediately raise the team’s ceiling.
Pate fits that description. At 6-8, he offers the size, scoring punch and on-ball creation that modern college basketball demands, especially for teams trying to make a real jump in the ACC.
SMU has already seen how size can shape a postseason ceiling. The Mustangs were competitive, but the biggest teams in college basketball keep proving the same point every March: length and versatility still win.
Pate could help address that in one move. He improved as a shooter during his G League run, finishing this past season at nearly 37 percent from 3-point range after struggling from deep earlier in his career. That kind of growth suggests he’s not just talented, but developing.
Of course, roster building for Andy Enfield won’t stop with one player. SMU still needs to retain key young pieces, and Jaden Toombs looks like the most important one. Jermaine O’Neal Jr. and Billy White also stand out as players worth protecting as the staff reshapes the rotation.
But this offseason is likely to bring a lot of new faces. That’s just the reality now. The question isn’t whether SMU will overhaul the roster. It’s whether the Mustangs can make the overhaul count.
If Pate ends up in Dallas, that answer gets much more interesting. A roster built around a 6-foot-8 scorer with G League experience, plus a stronger returning core, would give SMU a much different look and a much more dangerous one.
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