Drake 2026–2027 Season Preview
Next up: Drake
2025–2026 Recap
Outside of a surprise run to the Arch Madness semifinals, last season was one most Drake fans would probably like to forget.
In Eric Henderson’s first year, the Bulldogs finished just 14–20 overall, including a brutal stretch where they lost 9 straight games heading into the conference tournament. That marked their lowest win total since 2017 and resulted in a 9th-place finish in the Valley. Nationally, they finished around 205 in KenPom, which reflects how much they struggled to find consistency on both ends.
The numbers weren’t pretty. Offensively, Drake ranked near the bottom of the conference in:
- Effective FG%
- 3PT%
- FT%
And defensively, things were arguably worse:
- Bottom tier in efficiency
- Struggled to defend the three
- Limited disruption (low steal/block rates)
Jalen Quinn carried a heavy load and earned First Team All-MVC honors, clearly their most impactful player—but there wasn’t enough around him to elevate the group.
Onward to 2026–2027
Drake hit the retool button instead of experiencing a full-on reset.
Departures
- Wilguens Jr. Exacte → Mount St. Mary’s
- Heri Bukinga → Omaha
- Okku Federiko → Northwestern
- Braden Appelhans → Xavier
Plus key graduations:
- Jalen Quinn
- Isaiah Carr
- Jaehshon Thomas
That’s a significant loss of production and leadership.
What Returns
To their credit, Drake didn’t lose everything.
They bring back a solid core of contributors, including:
- Owen Larson (10 PPG, 23 starts) – likely the top returning piece
- Eli Shetler (9.1 PPG, 21 starts) – steady wing production
- Andrew Alia (7.0 PPG, 32 starts) – experienced presence
- Griffen Goodbary – reserve minutes
Along with redshirts:
- LJ Rush
- Bryson Bahl
By today’s standards, this is actually decent continuity:
- 86% of PG minutes
- 0% of SG minutes
- 70% of SF minutes
- 73% of PF minutes
- 36% of C minutes
That’s not nothing—and gives Henderson at least a functional base to build from in Year 2.
Key Incoming Transfers
Dre Kindell (Sr. 6-1, G – Wichita State)
Quick, downhill scoring guard who thrives off the bounce. Brings energy and shot creation, but efficiency and decision-making will determine impact. Could be a spark-plug scorer.
Jon Carroll (Sr. 6-7, F – Morehead State)
Tough, physical wing who plays through contact and rebounds well. Not a knockdown shooter, but adds grit and versatility. Classic glue guy with scoring bursts.
Justin Burns (Jr. 6-6, F – NW Florida State)
Strong interior presence who finishes around the rim and rebounds. Not a spacer, but brings toughness and physicality to the frontcourt.
Gabe Oldham (Sr. 6-8, PF – Denver)
One of the more intriguing adds. Skilled forward who can stretch the floor and play within structure. If he’s consistent, he fits nicely into a system offense.
Incoming Freshmen
- Dothan Ijadimbola (6-6 F)
- Mason Matulis (6-5 G)
- Miles Flemons (6-7 C)
- Gio Quiles (6-4 G, walk-on)
What Is Drake This Year?
That’s where things get interesting.
Year two under Henderson should bring more structure, but the roster is still a mix of:
- Returning role players
- Transfer additions
- Unproven upside pieces
Unlike Bradley, Drake wants to play with more pace and offensive flow—but last year showed they didn’t quite have the personnel to execute it consistently.
This year’s group feels more balanced, but still lacks a proven star. I still am questioning who will replace Quinns production from last season, and have concerns with their frontcourt size and depth next season.
Outlook
Drake’s outlook really hinges on two things:
- Offensive Efficiency Can’t Be Bottom Tier Again
They don’t need to be elite—but they have to be:
- More efficient shooting
- Better spacing
- More consistent scoring options
Kindell and Oldham will be key here.
- Defensive Competency
Last year’s defensive numbers were a problem.
They need to:
- Defend the perimeter better
- Generate more disruption
- Be at least middle-of-the-pack defensively
The Positive
- Returning experience matters
- Henderson gets a Year 2 bump
- Portal additions fit better stylistically
The Concern
- No proven All-MVC-level player
- Still a projection-heavy roster
- Could struggle closing games
Projection
Drake feels like a bounce-back candidate—but with a capped ceiling, there is just a lot of questions that are not addressed it seems to me.
There’s enough returning production and added pieces to improve from last year’s 9th-place finish, but it’s hard to see them jumping into the top half of the league without a true go-to player emerging.
Preseason range: 6–10 in the Valley
Final Thought
This feels like a stabilization year for Drake.
They should be better—more cohesive, more competitive, and harder to beat night-to-night—but whether that translates into real movement up the standings depends on whether someone steps up as a consistent offensive leader.
Right now, it looks like a team that’s trending the right direction…just not there yet.
@justducky, With the recent announcement of the Arch Madness changes I have made the poll options something that will really benefit your mid-pack log jam conundrum.