The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Blazers Welcome New Era as Kennedy Rebuilds Roster for 2026-27 Season
6/25/2026 5:12:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – UAB Men's basketball head coach Andy Kennedy is entering his seventh season with a very strong recruiting class. Coach Kennedy added eight players through the transfer portal and three high school signees. With sophomore Salim London being the only returner from last year's team, Kennedy and staff created one of the tallest teams in program history.
The offseason also brought changes to the coaching staff. Following the departure of longtime assistant coaches Ryan Cross and Noah Dartmann, Kennedy added coach Jesse Bopp and former Blazer player Jon Coleman.
The Blazers will welcome 11 newcomers and return one player from last season's roster.
Returners:
Salim London
The Hoover, Alabama, native is the only returning player from last season. As a freshman, London appeared in all 32 games and made 12 starts. He averaged 4.9 points, 1.5 assists, and 2.3 rebounds per game and is expected to play a key role for the Blazers this upcoming season.
Junior College Transfers:
Tim Holliday - Itawamba Community College - 6'3"
Guard Tim Holliday transfers to UAB from Itawamba Community College, where he played 31 games during his freshman season. Holliday averaged 14.0 points and 3.7 rebounds per game while shooting 38.7% from three-point range. UAB has added a proven scorer in Holliday, who recorded 13 games with 15 or more points, including seven performances of 20+ points.
Matt Mbole - South Georgia Tech - 6'11"
One of the tallest additions to this year's roster, Mbole is a 6-foot-11, 280-pound center from South Georgia Tech. Despite having only four years of basketball experience, Mbole averaged 10.0 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per contest while collecting a double-double in 14 games in his first season at college.
Antallah Sandlin'el - South Plains College - 6'8"
A 6-foot-8 forward from Lincoln, Nebraska played his last season at South Plains College in Levelland, Texas. He averaged 12.7 points per game (14.7 in conference play) and five rebounds while shooting 50% from the field, 43% from three-point range and 81% from the free-throw line. The No. 7 Junior college prospect in the nation in the JUCORecruiting.com rankings earned Second Team All-America, First Team All-Conference and First Team All-Region honors during the 2025-26 season.
Division I Transfers:
Jeremy Elyzee - Southeastern Louisiana - 6'7"
Elyzee, a 6-foot-7 forward from Hialeah, Florida, arrives after spending two seasons at Southeastern Louisiana. Jeremy brings a ton of experience to the brand-new Blazer team. In those two seasons, Jeremy played in 58 games and averaged 10.9 points and 4.8 rebounds in nearly 29 minutes per game.
Deuce Jones - Saint Joseph's - 6'2"
Guard Deuce Jones is a former A10 player of the year and a seven-time A-10 rookie of the week. Jones spent his freshman season at La Salle and sophomore season at Saint Joseph's before signing with the Blazers. With a total 30 starts in his career and with 12.5 and 15.8 points averages, respectively, Deuce will have an immediate impact on the scoring offense.
Justyn Fernandez - Delaware - 6'5"
Former 4-star recruit and a transfer from Delaware, Justyn Fernandez signed with the Blazers. He started 28 games at the guard position and averaged 16.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 37.4 minutes per game for the Fightin' Blue Hens. Prior to his time with Delaware, he spent 2 seasons with Providence and his freshman year at George Mason.
TJ Caldwell - Arkansas State - 6'4"
Caldwell, a 6-foot-4 guard from Dallas, Texas, spent the last season with the Red Wolves from Arkansas State. TJ brings an SEC experience to the team after spending 3 seasons with the Ole Miss Rebels, where he started in 63 games. Last season with Arkansas State, he played in 32 games and earned an average of 9.4 points, 1.0 assists, and 2.7 rebounds per contest while scoring in double figures in 14 games.
Aleks Alston - Maryland - 6'10"
Aleks Alston, a Maryland transfer 6 '10 forward from Chicago, Illinois. He had 25 starts and averaged 8.6 minutes per game, scoring 34 points and totaling 42 rebounds in his freshman season for the Terrapins. Prior to signing with Maryland, Alston was ranked in the SportsCenter Next 100 recruits at No. 78 in 2025 and was ranked the 10th best power forward this year out of the portal.
Elijah Duval - Southern Utah - 6'3"
Duval, a 6-foot-3 guard who spent his last season at Southern Utah, played in 31 games for the Thunderbirds. A Wilmington, Delaware, native is the reigning WAC Freshman of the Year. Elijah averaged 26.3 minutes, 15.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game while leading the team in points, assists, free throws made, and steals.
High School Recruits:
Jakobi Sharp - Gadsden City High School - 6'3"
The 6'3 guard played high school basketball at Gadsden City High School all four years. Sharp averaged 22.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game last season and was named North-South All-Star Game MVP. He surpassed 1500 points so far in his high school career.
Korie Corbett - Oak Hill Academy - 6'5"
A 6-foot-5 Columbia, S.C., native, Korie Corbett is a three-star recruit from the high school. Incoming freshman won two state championships at Ridge View High School, where he averaged 16 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.6 steals during his junior season. Transferred to basketball powerhouse Oak Hill Academy in Virginia for his senior season.
Kaleb Davis - Houston High School - 6'11"
Davis, a 6-foot-11 center, brings an additional size to Andy Kennedy's squad this season. A Memphis, TN native spent his high school career at Houston High School, where he earned multiple honors in his senior season. Over his high school career, he averaged 10+ points, 7.6 rebounds, and shot 61% from the field.
With a roster featuring significant size, Division I experience, and young talent, the Blazers are looking to build on Kennedy's success from previous seasons and compete in the American Conference during the 2026-27 season.
2026-27 Men's Basketball Season Tickets
Secure your 2026-27 UAB men's basketball season tickets now to ensure you have access to the best seats possible leading into the newly renovated Bartow Arena. Commit by the June 30, 2026 basketball priority seat deadline to solidify your place in the priority seating and parking selection process. For more information click here or contact the UAB Athletics Ticket Office at (205) 975-UAB1.
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