The Houston Cougars men's basketball program is restructuring its frontcourt rotation after losing two key players in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Kingston Flemings and Chris Cenac Jr. were both selected in the first round on Tuesday, June 23.
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Flemings went No. 8 overall to the Atlanta Hawks, while Cenac was picked No. 27 by the Boston Celtics.
Cenac, the top-ranked center in the 2025 class, averaged 9.5 points and 7.9 rebounds per game in his lone collegiate season.
He also shot 33.3 percent from three-point range.
Returning Veterans and New Additions
Senior forward Joseph Tugler is expected to anchor the defense for his fourth consecutive season.
The coaching staff plans to expand his offensive role, positioning him as a potential All-American candidate.
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The Cougars also added senior forward Delrecco Gillespie, a transfer who averaged 17.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, and over one block per game last season.
Gillespie brings interior scoring and rebounding but must adapt to Houston's defensive system.
Sophomore Chase McCarty is expected to compete for significant minutes after averaging 12.3 minutes per game last year.
He scored a career-high 20 points against Oklahoma State and added nine points in the NCAA Tournament loss to Illinois.
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Depth will be supplemented by five-star freshman center Arafan Diané and Lamar University transfer Braden East.
