Utah loses sharpshooting guard to the transfer portal

Jacob Patrick, a 6-foot-6 guard from Germany who missed most of his lone season at Utah due to injury, has entered the transfer portal.

Patrick’s name appeared in the Verbal Commits’ database late Thursday evening, shortly after Kendyl Sanders’ portal entry had been made public. With those two set to depart, the Utes are on pace to lose their eight of their top nine scorers from the 2025-26 campaign.

Patrick logged meaningful minutes for Alex Jensen’s squad early on, though an injury in nonconference play prevented him from seeing game action for the final three months of the season. He was arguably Utah’s top 3-point shooter when he was on the floor, connecting on 46.5% of his looks while scoring 7.2 points per game.

Patrick’s best game came in one of his last appearances in a Utah uniform, when he scored 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including 3-of-6 from deep, in 21 minutes off the bench against Cal on Dec. 2. It was one of three instances in which Patrick made three 3s in a game.

Patrick had committed to Utah following four seasons with MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg of the German BBL. His international experience also includes stints with the German senior national team and the country’s U16 team.

With Patrick in the portal, Utah is set to lose 12 players by way of transfer or graduation, including all five starters from a squad that went 10-22 (2-16 in Big 12 play) in Jensen’s first season at the helm.

That leaves just Obomate Abbey (2.5 ppg), Lucas Langarita (2.6 ppg) and Jerry Huang as eligible returners who played in at least five games this past season. Babacar Faye, a 6-foot-9 forward who sat out due to injury, is expected to have eligibility as well.

Given the Utes’ perimeter depth has taken a hit since the portal opened, it would be reasonable to assume Utah general manager Wes Wilcox looks to replenish the guard and wing positions with fresh talent acquired through the portal.

Time will tell whether any of the recruits the Utes are set to welcome in the coming months carve out meaningful roles in Jensen’s rotation for the 2026-27 season. If any of the six newcomers Jensen and company have signed in their 2026 class, the three who have experience playing in the Overtime Elite league, junior college or international circuits — Styles Clemmons, Zati Loubaki and Fynn Schott — probably have the clearest paths to playing time.

The three high school prospects Utah welcomes — Simeon Suguturaga, Jaxon Johnson and David Katoa — could make an early impact as well, though it remains to be seen how Utah’s transfer haul impacts the team’s depth chart for the fall.