News Summary
Kris Parker, a former Villanova forward, has announced his transfer to the University of Central Florida (UCF) following limited playing time during his freshman season. After entering the transfer portal, Parker aims to find more opportunities with the Knights as they navigate a roster overhaul. UCF’s coach, Johnny Dawkins, has been actively recruiting transfers to strengthen the team following a challenging season. This move highlights the ongoing trend of player transfers in college basketball as athletes seek better roles.
Orlando, Florida
Kris Parker, a forward from Villanova, has announced his transfer to the University of Central Florida (UCF) via his Instagram account on May 7. This follows his entry into the transfer portal on April 8, as he aims to find a more significant role within a different program.
The transfer news broke first from Jon Rothstein, who reported on the development through social media. Parker played as a redshirt freshman in the 2024-25 season for Villanova, participating in 27 games primarily coming off the bench. Throughout the season, Parker averaged 2.6 points, 1.4 rebounds, and logged approximately 10 minutes of play per game.
Despite being a consistent presence earlier in the season, Parker’s participation dwindled significantly during February, March, and April, wherein he only made six appearances. This reduction in playing time seems to have been a contributing factor to his decision to seek a fresh start at UCF. During the offseason, Parker was among eight players from Villanova who also entered the transfer portal.
The current landscape at Villanova reflects a major roster overhaul, with only three returning players slated for the 2025-26 season: rising junior guard Tyler Perkins, rising redshirt freshman forward Matthew Hodge, and senior walk-on Wade Chiddick. After Parker’s departure, just three individuals from the previous season’s squad remain without new teams. These include rising redshirt sophomore Jordann Dumont and rising fifth-year players Enoch Boakye and Jordan Longino. Both Boakye and Longino are out of eligibility yet are pursuing waivers from the NCAA to extend their playing careers.
Meanwhile, UCF’s men’s basketball roster has seen some considerable changes, currently featuring only six players. The longest-tenured member of the UCF Knights is walk-on senior guard Poopha Warakulnukroh. Head coach Johnny Dawkins, entering his tenth season, aims to strengthen the team’s competitiveness around standout freshman Moustapha Thiam, following a season where the Knights finished with a 20-17 record, including a 7-13 performance against Big 12 teams.
Recognizing the need for improvements in their roster, Dawkins brought in nine transfers over the previous year and is expected to continue in that direction. The upcoming season provides opportunities for two returning guards, Jordan Ivy-Curry and Dior Johnson, as well as former transfer player Elijah Hulsewe, to adapt and contribute to a revitalizing lineup.
Parker’s move to UCF is another indicative step in the ongoing trend of player transfers in college basketball, reflecting how students navigate their collegiate careers in pursuit of better opportunities on the court.
Parker had previously started his collegiate career at Alabama, where he redshirted during his true freshman year without seeing any game action. He was ranked as a three-star recruit by 247Sports, which may explain Villanova’s interest in him as a potential impactful player despite his limited production during his time there.
The coming months will be critical for both Parker at his new university and for Villanova as they work to reassemble their roster amid significant departures and a transitional phase in their basketball program.
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Additional Resources
- Villanova News
- Oklahoma Rivals
- 247Sports
- Daytona Beach News-Journal
- VU Hoops
- Wikipedia: Kris Parker
- Google Search: Kris Parker
- Google Scholar: Kris Parker basketball
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Kris Parker
- Google News: Kris Parker transfer
