Bradley basketball roster 2024-25: Who has eligibility remaining and why one star chose to stay

PEORIA — The 2023-24 season is over for the Bradley Braves, but the NCAA transfer portal and roster retooling season is just beginning. The Braves were 23-12, finished third in the Missouri Valley Conference, and won a bid to the National Invitation Tournament, where they beat old rival Loyola and lost to Cincinnati.

Bradley received good news on March 25, when starting point guard Duke Deen said he is returning to Bradley in 2024-25 for his fifth and final college season.

"I just didn't want to leave the family aspect of Bradley," Deen said. "It's love. I couldn't leave my friends, my coaches, the fans. Our (roster) experience is going to be the most in the league next season. I've learned that having minutes logged and being in situations takes you a long way. It's about building trust, having each other's backs and going through adversity together, and we have that as a team."

Here is a look at the remaining eligibility on the Bradley roster as the program begins its offseason:

Malevy Leons

• The numbers: The star forward's final season of college basketball saw him reach the 50 blocks, 50 steals threshold for a second consecutive season. It's a combination never before seen in MVC history.

• Eligibility remaining: none.

• What's next? One of the greatest forwards Bradley has ever had will focus on launching a pro career.

Duke Deen

• The numbers: Deen shot 38.1% from 3 this season, averaged 13.9 points per game, and produced a team-high 136 assists. He's an All-Valley player who lives at the heart of the Braves leadership group.

• Eligibility remaining: 1 year.

• What's next? The starting point guard has decided to forgo the transfer portal and spend his final season in Peoria.

Darius Hannah

• The numbers: Hannah matched up with opposing 5s all season and turned in 47 steals and 42 blocks while shooting 61.2% from the field.

• Eligibility remaining: 1 year.

• What's next? The 6-foot-9 starting forward falls under the extended eligibility awarded by the NCAA for the lost COVID season. He announced on Wednesday, April 3, that he will return for his fifth season.

Connor Linke

• The numbers: The reserve forward made big strides as a senior, earning significant minutes down the stretch of the 2023-24 season.

• Eligibility remaining: 1 year.

• What's next? He has one more year of eligibility left under the COVID exception, but he may plan to graduate and close out his basketball career.

Goanar Biliew

• The numbers: The reserve forward appeared in five games during his 2023-24 season.

• Eligibility remaining: 1 year

• What's next? He has one more year of eligibility left, under the fifth-year COVID replacement from the NCAA, but it's believed he plans to graduate and close out his basketball career. He announced on March 28 he has entered the transfer portal.

Connor Hickman

• The numbers: The gritty guard has been one of the best defenders at his position in the Missouri Valley Conference. He led BU with 14.5 points per game and 40.2% shooting from 3-point range.

• Eligibility remaining: 1 year.

• What's next? On March 26, Hickman entered the NCAA transfer portal. The starting 2-guard will be a fifth-year senior next season, which will be his final year in college basketball.

TRANSFER PORTAL: Which Missouri Valley basketball players are in the NCAA transfer portal? Here's the list

Christian Davis

• The numbers: The key forward off the Bradley bench just finished his redshirt junior season. He made 11 starts, appeared in 35 games and shot 31% from 3 while showing he can score inside, too.

• Eligibility remaining: 1 year.

• What's next: Davis will return to play for Bradley in 2024-25, he announced on March 28.

Demarion Burch

• The numbers: The slashing, sometimes-acrobatic freshman guard showed flashes of an elite player in the future. He shot 37.5% from 3 and showed aggressive skill in getting to the rim.

• Eligibility remaining: 3 years.

• What's next: Burch is expected to return and should take on a larger role next season. In an X.com post on March 28, he wrote "Year two loading..." with a photo of himself in a Bradley uniform.

Almar Atlason

• The numbers: The freshman forward showed terrific outside shooting, hitting 3s at a 41.5% clip. He made 19 starts for Bradley.

• Eligibility remaining: 3 years.

Ahmet Jonovic

• The numbers: The 7-foot-1, 260-pound native of Serbia who has a 90-inch wing span finished his sophomore season in which he appeared in 25 games.

• Eligibility remaining: 2 years.

Kyle Thomas

• The numbers: The 6-foot-10 center transferred from Eastern Illinois to Bradley for his sophomore season and appeared in 16 games, earning an increase in minutes. He announced Wednesday, March 27 he has entered the transfer portal.

• Eligibility remaining: 2 years.

Sam Hennessy

• The numbers: The junior reserve guard from Naperville saw his walk-on status changed to a scholarship player in the midway point of the season.

• Eligibility remaining: 1 year.

Cade Hardtke

• The numbers: The junior reserve guard from Lombard was elevated from walk-on status to scholarship player at mid-season, and appeared in 21 games. His minutes increased to 4.1 down the stretch.

• Eligibility remaining: 1 year.

MVC AWARDS: How Bradley fared in Missouri Valley basketball awards

Who has committed to Bradley basketball?

As of late March, here are the two commitments Bradley has for next season

• Timoty Van Der Knaap, 18, has committed to BU. The 6-foot-9 forward is from Italy and plays for Bertram Tortona in the country's U20 developmental league.

• Jaquan Johnson, Milwaukee Pius XI Catholic High School point guard, also committed to Bradley. He's a Wisconsin all-state player, nicknamed "Bully," for his physical aggressive style of play.

Who has offers from Bradley basketball?

As of late March 2024, here is a look at the offers Bradley has out to players, split by class:

• Class of 2024: PG Brody Robinson (Garden City Community College), PG Braylon Roman (Normal Community High School) and PF Keenan Garner (Fishers, Ind., High School).

• Class of 2025: PG Dietrich Richardson (Manual), PG Christian Williams (St. Louis Vashon High School), SG Davion Hannah (Milwaukee Nicolet High School), SG Jamarion Batemon (Milwaukee Academy of Science), SG Leshawn Stowers (Peoria High School), SG Matthew Zobrist (Metamora High School), SF Aleks Alston (Chicago Kenwood Academy) and PF Devin Brown (Milwaukee Academy of Science).

• Class of 2026: SF Race Kowalczyk (Toledo St. John's Jesuit High School & Academy).

• In college: Bradley gave an offer on Tuesday to 6-foot-10, 225-pound center Jacksen Moni, who has played the last two seasons with NCAA Div.-II Northern State University. Moni has received offers in March from Bradley, Illinois State, Omaha, Austin Peay, Chattanooga, North Dakota State and North Dakota.

Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men's basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on X.com @icetimecleve.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Examining Bradley basketball roster 2024-25 entering offseason