Insider predicts key pieces to return for Nebraska basketball

The 2025-26 Nebraska basketball season was one for the ages. 

Nebraska set the program record for wins. The Huskers won their first NCAA Tournament game and reached the Sweet 16 for the first time before Iowa ended it all.

Most Nebraska fans have taken on the mindset of being happy that it happened, instead of being sad that it’s over.

Yet, now that it is over, it’s time to focus on the future. Nebraska is losing three starters in Rienk Mast, Sam Hoiberg, and Jamarques Lawrence. Some players will need to be added via the transfer portal, specifically to replace Mast and to find a point guard.

However, according to some predictions made by Husker Online’s Robin Washut, a Nebraska basketball insider, Hoiberg won’t have to replace anyone else.

Two key Nebraska basketball players predicted to return

Washut predicted that Pryce Sandfort and Braden Frager would return for the 2026-27 season. Sandfort’s NBA draft stock was a consideration, but with the news of a hernia injury, it’s hard to see Sandfort putting his best foot forward during pre-workouts. He was mocked as a second-rounder, but unless he’s a sure-fire first-round pick, it’s probably better to come back to college.

That sounds like what Sandfort will do. Frager is another question. There have been rumors about him being looking to transfer, but there doesn’t seem to be any truth to it. Nebraska’s season ended over a week ago, and there hasn’t been any rumblings about Frager leaving.

Surely, he wanted to make sure he was compensated fairly. Frager is easily a million-dollar talent on the market, probably multi-million, just like Sandfort. Washut doesn’t make predictions like this, so I would expect them to come true. Maybe deals are just being finalized.

Berke Büyüktuncel is a name to watch. He’s expected back, but he could be ready to play pro ball, too. He’s a better pro prospect than some Nebraska fans realize.

If Nebraska can get Berke, Frager, and Sandfort back, to go along with Cale Jacobsen, Connor Essegian, Leo Curtis, and hopefully, Ugnius Jaruševičius, who will need a medical waiver for a redshirt, just like Essegian, that’s the a strong start in terms of roster construction.

That has the makings of another NCAA Tournament team, though, and if the right pieces are added from the portal, it feels like one that could have a chance to play on the second weekend again.

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