After another underwhelming season, UTSA men’s basketball has once again gone through a total rehaul of its roster. The program managed to retain three players from the 2024 squad, losing a majority of its talent to the transfer portal. Looking to fill a well-balanced roster, head coach Austin Claunch and his staff have once more dipped into the transfer portal and constructed a brand-new team. With dozens of new faces, it is important to know who will be donning the blue , orange and white this year. Though it is not certain, these are the five breakout players likely to start the season for the Roadrunners.
Vasean Allette
Spearheading the point position for the Roadrunners this year is junior transfer Vasean Allette. One of Texas Christian University’s premier players, Allette is the definition of a skilled point guard. He averaged 11 points, four rebounds and three assists per game in 32 starts for the Horned Frogs last season. The junior has a knack for finding open teammates and effortlessly reaching the basket when needed. His court vision and selflessness make him the perfect point man for UTSA. The guard is expected to initiate the ‘Runner offense and put his teammates in the best position to score. Allette and his backcourt teammates will play a major role in the Roadrunners’ overall success.
Jamir Simpson
A transfer from Southern Utah University, Jamir Simpson is certainly one of the highlight additions for the Roadrunners this year. The guard previously averaged a team-high 16.1 points per game last year, along with 4.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists. The senior is an incredibly effective driver of the basketball and possesses an innate ability to draw contact and fouls. Alongside his driving proficiency is his ability to knock down shots from anywhere on the floor. Simpson is highly accurate from beyond the arc and is known to heat up when it matters most. The experienced guard will likely be the number one scoring option for UTSA this season, as he excels at nearly every offensive facet of the game.
Baboucarr Njie
Baboucarr Njie is one of UTSA’s four remaining players from last year. Joining the team as a freshman walk-on, B. Njie found meaningful minutes thanks to his relentless effort on both sides of the ball. The 6-foot-5 forward is long, lean and merciless on defense. He, along with fellow forward Macaleab Rich, will pose a serious threat to the opposing team’s best players. B. Njie can position one through five and will likely do so for the majority of the season. His experience under Claunch’s system will make him one of the leading voices within the locker room.
Macaleab Rich
While it is unclear if junior forward Macaleab Rich will start this season, he will greatly impact the team’s defensive effort. A transfer from Kansas State, Rich is an incredibly athletic two-way forward. His defensive mentality and relentless energy make him a fast-break threat every second he is on the floor. Rich, much like B. Njie, has an immense ability to defend every position. He is quick on his feet, active with his hands and can single-handedly save a possession defensively. While his offensive game will see improvement over the course of the season, his defense will undoubtedly shine bright this year.
Mo Njie
Another returning member from last year’s team is graduate center Mo Njie. The Southern Methodist University transfer scored 3.8 points per game and snagged 4.3 rebounds in only 10 games for the Roadrunners due to nagging injuries. Now healed, the center will look to have a bounce-back year. Though he does not pose much of a threat offensively, M. Njie is a dominant defensive anchor within the paint. His size and shot-blocking ability will make him a key cog in UTSA’s defensive game plan. The graduate will likely be the team’s leading rebounder and shotblocker throughout the year.
