What Rollie Worster entering transfer portal means for Utah basketball

The first impact for Utah men’s basketball during the current transfer portal window came Friday, as point guard Rollie Worster announced on social media he is entering the NCAA transfer portal.

This comes four days before the Utes play Indiana State in the NIT semifinals at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

The timing isn’t worrisome considering Worster wasn’t expected to play in the NIT final four — he hasn’t played since Utah’s home win over UCLA on Jan. 11 with a lower leg injury.

It does leave Utah with a scholarship spot to fill for next season, though, and some veteran leadership to replace.

What Rollie Worster did before his injury

The 6-foot-4, 204-pound guard averaged a career-best 9.9 points, 5.5 assists and 1.4 steals per game this season, playing in 16 contests before a lingering injury sidelined him.

He also averaged 4.9 rebounds per contest and shot 40.3% from the field.

Worster’s best game of the season came when he scored 17 points and added eight rebounds and an assist in Utah’s win at Saint Mary’s back in late November.

What’s happened at point guard since his injury

With Worster out of the lineup, Deivon Smith has transformed into a new role as the team’s starting point guard.

Smith, a two-time transfer who most recently played two seasons at Georgia Tech before joining the Utes last offseason, has become one of Utah’s most consistent producers while averaging 12.7 points, 7.1 assists and 6.3 rebounds per game.

He’s also shot 45.8% from the field and 35.4% from 3-point range.

In Utah’s NIT quarterfinal win over VCU on Wednesday, Smith recorded his fifth triple-double of the season, breaking the single-season Pac-12 record previously held by Jason Kidd.

Smith has done this despite missing the first nine games this season as he waited to become eligible to play.

What Utah is losing

While there is still the possibility Worster could return to Utah, he didn’t indicate that in his social media post announcing the decision.

Utah coach Craig Smith would lose a glue guy who has been with the head coach the past four seasons. Worster played one season at Utah State before transferring to Utah when Smith took over the Utes’ program.

Worster is a leader and communicator, both on and off the court, and was the Utes’ top defender.

Worster and Deivon Smith also showed a chemistry in their limited opportunities playing together on the floor, though it’s fair to question how Smith’s emergence since Worster’s injury would have impacted Worster’s minutes if he returned next year.

What scholarship players are coming back for Utah?

Worster’s departure, if he chooses not to return to Utah, leaves four open scholarships for the Utes to fill.

That’s because fifth-year senior Branden Carlson and grad transfer Cole Bajema will both exhaust their eligibility after this season.

The Utes also operated with an open scholarship this season after things didn’t work out with Karahan Efeoglu, a power forward out of Turkey who signed with the team in August 2023.

There are four other players besides Worster on Utah’s current roster that are listed as seniors but have one year of eligibility remaining because of the free year of eligibility granted by the NCAA due to COVID-19.

That list includes Smith, starting shooting guard Gabe Madsen, reserve guard Hunter Erickson and forward Ben Carlson.

Worster, who is listed as a senior as well, also has a year of eligibility remaining from the COVID-19 year.

For what it’s worth, Madsen and Ben Carlson were also honored on Senior Day with Branden Carlson and Bajema.

Other scholarship players currently on Utah’s roster include center Lawson Lovering, a junior this year after transferring from Colorado, and true freshman Jake Wahlin, who signed with the Utes after previously signing with BYU before serving his mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

There are also three sophomores — center Keba Keita (who’s started several games this season), guard Luka Tarlac and guard Wilguens Jr. Exacte, who redshirted this season after missing the year due to injury.

What roster holes will Utah have?

Already with four open scholarships for next season, there’s the possibility more could be on the way if other Utah players hit the transfer portal.

One 2024 signee, guard David Katoa, is planning on joining the Utes next year, while the team’s other high school signee, Jaxon Johnson, will head on a two-year mission before enrolling.

With Branden Carlson and Bajema exhausting their eligibility, Utah will need to find another strong inside presence and a wing scorer/defender to fill those roles, and with Worster, the Utes’ point guard depth takes a hit.

Those are three positions Utah could fill through the transfer portal — the spring window opened March 18 and runs through May 1.

Perhaps the most difficult thing, though, is finding players who can fill those leadership roles that Carlson and Worster will vacate.

That’s no small task.

If the Utes can find another gem or two like Smith, a journeyman who’s turned into a fan favorite and triple-double machine, it would benefit Utah greatly as it tries to build on reaching 20-plus wins for the first time in six seasons.