Donovan Williams Jr. bolsters the Bulldogs’ backcourt after a stellar summer circuit, leaving the Knights to lean on veteran transfer portal additions and returning seven-footer John Bol.
3-Star combo guard Donovan Williams Jr. was the lone signee for the incoming 2026 UCF recruiting class, but recently announced his decision to flip to Georgia.
Williams joins 4-star Christian Gibson as the latest two incoming freshman to transfer elsewhere or decommit, with Gibson announcing his decision in late April.
The 6-foot-3 Florida native signed with the Knights in November, choosing UCF over programs like USF, Illinois and Arizona State.
Williams finished out his high school career at local Oak Ridge High after completing his first two years at both Edgewater High School and The First Academy.
247 Sports contributor Jordan D. Hill highlighted Williams' production after flipping to the Bulldogs.
"He had a strong summer of 2025 on the Nike EYBL circuit, where he averaged 17.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game," Hill wrote.
Williams possesses the ability and versatility to fill up the stat sheet, stepping into a Georgia backcourt that lost major production, helping form the No. 63-ranked recruiting class.
Despite the lack of high school commits for UCF, the Knights have been active in the transfer portal, securing young talent like Mister Dean and Lewis Walker.
Dean is joined by his brother, Oklahoma State transfer point guard Arturo Dean, who redshirted with UCF after transferring in last season.
Wofford guard Cayden Vasko also joined the ranks after an All-SoCon Third Team season. The 6-foo-6 floor general averaged 10.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.1 steals per game.
Sophomore 7-footer John Bol is also returning to Orlando, providing head coach Johnny Dawkins with a starting-caliber big man with experience in his system.
Bol was the youngest player who saw action for UCF last season, serving as the Knights' starting big man all year, despite only being a sophomore. The seven-footer has a lot of untapped potential and was likely highly sought after in the transfer portal, but ultimately returns to UCF as the undisputed starting center for the Knights.
The former Ole Miss Rebel averaged 5.9 points and 5.5 rebounds on stellar 71.7% shooting, adding 1.1 rejections per game.
Bol stands at 7-foot-2, using his long arms and lanky stature to impact players' drives and send away shots. Bol's level of comfortability rose throughout the year, as he began to look more confident and decisive with the ball in his hands.
With UCF's recent track record in the transfer portal and the evolving landscape of college basketball, losing out on incoming freshmen has become less devastating to a program.
With the combination of returning talent and new faces, the Knights should be poised for another strong season in the Big 12.
Join our ROUNDTABLE community! It's free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members.
Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!