Whether you are a fan of the direction Boston College is heading for their Men’s basketball program or not, changes are coming. It goes without saying that the 2026-2027 squad will be completely different, that we all know. There’s a new coach in town, a new regime, and hopefully, the foundation of a culture that the proud Eagles fans have been yearning for. But before we get too ahead ourselves here, BC is starting from scratch with their Men’s program.
The firing of Earl Grant was the first domino to fall. Following the dismissal of the head coach, all but one Eagle from last year’s team remains, either from transfers or ineligibility. With basically the entire roster gone, the first order of business for new coach Luke Murray was to recruit talent – both players and coaches.
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So far, nine players have transferred to the team. Let’s go down the list quickly on each player committed, and what they bring to the table.
Zak Smrekar – a 6’7’ 19 year old from Slovenia, Smrekar is a high IQ wing who is gifted on both ends of the floor. He plays like a guard with a unique passing ability, and plays solid defense. If he can work on his jumpers at a somewhat consistent rate, think of a smaller Franz Wagner at his ceiling if he continues to develop.
Money Williams – A transfer from Montana, Williams has one the most inspirational backgrounds if you ever get the chance to research him. As a player, he’s a 6’4’ combo guard who is an elite finisher at the rim. Last season for Montana he averaged 20.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.7 assists on 49% shooting. He plays very physically with his frame and uses his athleticism to his advantage on offense. His defense needs work, especially in pick and roll situations. Keep an eye on Williams as one of the main focal points for BC’s offense next season.
Ernest Shelton – Shelton is another success story. Starting out as a Division II reserve, he’s worked his way up to now being a potential starter in the ACC. Shelton is a 6’5’ guard who averaged 15.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 0.9 assists in his lone season at Merrimack. He’s best known for his shooting ability where he knocked down 99 three pointers on 35% shooting last season.
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JB Frankel – Frankel is a 6’3 guard who transferred from Northeastern. Frenkel is a capable playmaker and decent in dishing out assists. While he’s not likely to start, he’s best served as one of the primary backup ball handlers for Luke Murray’s system.
Brandon Benjamin – Benjamin is a 6’7’ forward who was the top offensive rebounder in the nation last season, averaging 4.2 per game and 10.4 total rebounds for Fairfield. He’s a high level defender who is an absolute force in the paint. Benjamin without a doubt will be one of the Eagles starters.
Jacob Furphy – It only makes sense for Murray to recruit one of your former school’s players, right? Furphy joins BC as a rising prospect. He’s listed at 6’6 with strong skills as a playmaking wing. What makes Furphy unique is the fact he’s a 4 star recruit, so it’ll be interesting to see how Murray plans to utilize the player he coached last season.
Armoni Ziegler – A 6’4 guard from Ball State, Ziegler is best known for his two way skills. He averaged 12.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.3 assists last season. The numbers only tell one side of the story, as he is very intense on defense where he picks on smaller guards, and shows a solid ability at defending wings. Ziegler is a wild card at the moment given the Eagles influx of guards, but could very well make his way into the starting 5.
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Luke Hunger – Hunger joins BC in his final season in CBB. A 6’10 forward, he’ll likely be one of theLuke Hunger – Hunger joins BC in his final season in CBB. A 6’10 forward, he’ll likely be one of the reserves for Boston College. He put up 8.4 points and 5.1 rebounds in 19 minutes per game for George Washington University last season.
Colby Duggan – Duggan is a 6’7 forward who last season averaged 9.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists for Charleston. He’s not the most efficient scorer – only shooting 40% from the field and 29% from three. However he did put up better numbers when playing for Campbell and was named First Team All- CAA.
What’s needed at the moment
As it stands, the most glaring hole on the roster is a starting center. Murray has plenty of options to get creative with his guards and forwards, but a true big man will really be the key difference in turning the team over from last year. How the roster all fits together remains the big question, but a full offseason program with a new staff and fresh roster is what begins the foundation of the Luke Murray era.
