By Ben Geffner and Harrison Rich
Maryland men’s basketball’s season kicks off Monday night at CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore against Coppin State.
Before the Buzz Williams era gets underway, men’s basketball reporters Ben Geffner and Harrison Rich asked Maryland fans what they’re curious about. Here’s what they had to say.
Questions have been edited for clarity and length.
What is your gut feeling about the team entering the season? Are the Terps Big Ten contenders?
Harrison: I think this team will be extremely mediocre.
Williams himself said it — he has no idea if the roster will be any good. The Terps’ first-year coach signed 15 players this offseason with a focus on finding people he’d want to be around rather than a specific roster construction.
“I understand there’s a prerequisite of talent, but I think from a sustainability standpoint, for us, we want to build,” Williams said. “We want to grow. We want to learn together. We want there to be some remnants with each passing year.”
I think that’s a smart move on Williams’ part, but it might not translate to the immediate results Maryland fans desire.
While I could see this team surprising some and reaching the NCAA tournament, the Terps don’t have the ceiling of last year’s “Crab Five” roster built around flashy scorers like Derik Queen, Ja’Kobi Gillespie and Rodney Rice. Williams’ teams embody toughness, rebounding and defense, and usually don’t produce the most exciting on-court product.
But if it eventually translates to success, Maryland fans probably won’t mind that.
Is there an update on Baba Oladotun’s recruitment?
Ben: Oladotun, originally the No. 1 prospect in ESPN’s 2027 class, reclassified to 2026 in August. He remains the highest-priority recruit for the Terps. The five-star forward and Silver Spring product visited Maryland on Sept. 13.
[The Diamondback Sports Digest: Maryland basketball is back]
“Obviously, I’m from the hometown, so excited to be in my home. I’ve been here a lot, so definitely excited to just meet everyone on campus,” Oladotun told The Diamondback in September. “Coach has been really nice, the whole entire staff has treated me well.”
He shared an inside look of the visit in an episode of his “Road to Greatness” series. Oladotun toured the Terps’ new Barry P. Gossett Basketball Performance Center and met athletic director Jim Smith.
“There’s a lot of positive energy — you’re a part of it,” Smith told Oladotun.
Williams’ signings in Maryland’s 2026 recruiting class, headlined by four-star guard Kaden House’s commitment Friday, could draw Oladotun to College Park.
Oladotun already amassed more than 50 offers and took a visit to Georgetown in October. The Terps host the Hoyas at Xfinity Center on Nov. 7 in a game between the region’s two biggest programs.
With the program now under Williams’ and Smith’s influence, I could see his commitment becoming a reality.
What has been the focus of recruiting under Williams? Is there an emphasis on more high schoolers or transfers?
Harrison: Williams has dipped into both pools during his first seven months in College Park. To put together this season’s roster, he signed 10 players out of the transfer portal and five from the high school ranks.
The majority of this team’s best players will likely be experienced transfers including Pharrel Payne, Myles Rice and Elijah Saunders. But freshman Darius Adams and redshirt freshmen Andre Mills and George Turkson Jr. could also see plenty of playing time.
It’s hard to say what Williams’ plan is moving forward.
[Diggy Coit grew up delivering pizzas. The grind fueled his path to Maryland men’s basketball.]
The portal will likely be a major factor — as it is for most power conference teams during the Name, Image and Likeness era — but Williams appreciates building from within. He takes pride in the fact that his Texas A&M squads consistently had one of the country’s lowest transfer rates at the Power Four level.
High school recruiting will continue to play a role. The Terps already have three commits for the 2026 class, and the list could grow if Maryland secures Oladotun.
And as Williams continues to form connections within the talent-laden Washington, D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area, the staff’s local recruiting presence should only improve.
Who is a darkhorse MVP pick this season? Any surprises to watch for?
Ben: Payne is the obvious leader in Maryland’s frontcourt. The senior forward logged a game-high 26 points and nine rebounds in the Terps’ exhibition win against UMBC on Oct. 27.
But Maryland’s crowded backcourt has multiple players who could be primed for a breakout in 2025-26.
I see graduate guard Diggy Coit, the Terps’ oldest player, filling the role. Coit played in 34 games for Kansas last season but averaged about five points a contest in limited minutes. Bringing high-major experience to a younger guard group is a priority, Coit said.
Now with a bigger role in Maryland’s uncertain rotation, Coit could be relied on as a leader and scorer to start the year. Williams agrees — the Terps’ coach tabbed Coit as his team’s most surprising player in a summer interview.
“I’ve always been a leader and somebody that used my voice, led by example,” Coit said. “[Williams] pushed me, definitely, to a different limit.”
Adams and Mills are lined up for key supporting roles. Though visibly raw, the guard duo’s energy and aggression was apparent in the Terps’ preseason contest.
