Memphis Basketball Forward Aaron Bradshaw Enters Transfer Portal, Joins Five Teammates in 2025-26 Roster Exodus

Memphis basketball forward Aaron Bradshaw has entered the NCAA transfer portal, marking the sixth player from the Tigers’ 2025-26 roster to do so. The 7-foot-1 big man announced his decision on April 20, 2026, continuing a pattern of roster turnover for the program under coach Penny Hardaway.

Bradshaw’s move follows a season in which he averaged career-highs of 8.6 points and 4.2 rebounds per game while shooting 53.6% from the field. He made 22 starts in 29 appearances for Memphis during the 2025-26 campaign, representing his most productive year at the collegiate level.

The transfer portal entry represents Bradshaw’s third such move in his college career. He began his freshman season at Kentucky under former Wildcats coach John Calipari before transferring to Ohio State for his sophomore year. His stint at Memphis marks his third different school in three seasons of college basketball.

Bradshaw joins teammates Curtis Givens III, Quante Berry, Simon Majok, Ashton Hardaway and Arop Arop in entering the transfer portal from the 2025-26 Memphis roster. To date, only Simon Majok has publicly announced his next destination, having committed to Nevada for the upcoming season.

The departure highlights ongoing challenges with player retention for the Tigers program. Coach Penny Hardaway has brought back just three players from one season to the next across the past three seasons combined. The 2025-26 roster did not include a single player from the previous year’s team.

Looking ahead to the 2026-27 season, Memphis expects to retain junior guard Julius Thedford and junior forward William Whorton. The program is anticipated to add transfers Brandin “Beebah” Cummings, Rihards Vavers and Jerry Deng, along with incoming freshmen Fred Smith Jr., Cello Jackson Jr. And Parker Pounds to fill the roster.

Bradshaw, a New Jersey native and former five-star recruit, was ranked as the No. 4 player in the 2023 recruiting cycle and the top-rated center nationally. He has one year of remaining eligibility after his time at Memphis, making him available for immediate play at his next institution.

Throughout his college career, Bradshaw has played 77 total games with 37 starts, averaging 16.6 minutes per contest. His career averages stand at 6.6 points per game before his breakout season with the Tigers.

The Tigers are expected to have up to seven open scholarships available for the 2026-27 season following the departures, giving Coach Hardaway significant flexibility in roster construction through the transfer portal and incoming recruiting class.