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May 1, 2026 Update: Pearson has committed to St. Louis University and Billikens' Head Coach Josh Schertz. Pearson is from St. Louis so this move makes sense in that regard. Schertz is a great coach as is Shaka Smart. It would have been nice to see Pearson stick it out at Marquette for another season, but it wasn't meant to be, as Pearson never plays a game for the Golden Eagles.
The transfer portal officially closed at 11 p.m. central time last night, but not before the Marquette Golden Eagles lost a player, with redshirt freshman power forward/center Sheek Pearson entering at the eleventh hour.
From St. Louis, Missouri, Pearson was a top 50 recruit who reclassified to join Marquette for the 2025-26 season, during which he took a redshirt and did not play. Pearson leaves Marquette without ever playing a game for the program.
Last week Marquette added Louisville big man Sananda Fru via the portal, which likely impacted Pearson's decision to leave. However, leaving at essentially the last minute suggests that Pearson was not confident about his playing time next season, and/or another program may have poached him with promises of more playing time and money.
Such is the cruel nature of the college basketball transfer portal, which Marquette Head Coach Shaka Smart has avoided the past five seasons. After failing to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time in his five seasons at Marquette, Smart indicated he would be using the portal this offseason.
Marquette ended up losing four players to the transfer portal, with the defections of:
For a program like Marquette, which prides itself on player retention and a culture of togetherness, this has to be a bit abnormal, though it is par for the course for college basketball programs. Of course, the Golden Eagles expected to lose a few players. However, with the portal, there is always one or two defections that are hard to swallow, with Pearson qualifying in this matter. As a fan of any program, there is hardly much worse than getting a promising, young player who never suits up for the team.
In addition to Fru, Marquette has added St. Thomas (Minnesota) guard Nolan Minessale via the portal.
The Golden Eagles have two open roster spots for the 2026-27 season. Expect Smart to be cautious and intentional about filling these spots. It might make sense to fill one spot in the immediate future and leave the other open entering the summer, especially if the NCAA passes the "five-for-five" rule that would allow current four-year seniors who have seemingly exhausted all eligibility to get one more season in college. Of course, one of these spots could be used for another high school recruit to reclassify and join the program next season.
While not ideal, the loss of Pearson gives Marquette some flexibility to add to its roster for what figures to be a bounceback 2026-27 season.
From St. Louis, Missouri, Pearson was a top 50 recruit who reclassified to join Marquette for the 2025-26 season, during which he took a redshirt and did not play. Pearson leaves Marquette without ever playing a game for the program.
Last week Marquette added Louisville big man Sananda Fru via the portal, which likely impacted Pearson's decision to leave. However, leaving at essentially the last minute suggests that Pearson was not confident about his playing time next season, and/or another program may have poached him with promises of more playing time and money.
Such is the cruel nature of the college basketball transfer portal, which Marquette Head Coach Shaka Smart has avoided the past five seasons. After failing to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time in his five seasons at Marquette, Smart indicated he would be using the portal this offseason.
Marquette ended up losing four players to the transfer portal, with the defections of:
- Senior guard Sean Jones to Toledo.
- Junior guard Zaide Lowery to Dayton.
- Senior guard Tre Norman to undetermined.
- Redshirt freshman center Pearson to undetermined.
For a program like Marquette, which prides itself on player retention and a culture of togetherness, this has to be a bit abnormal, though it is par for the course for college basketball programs. Of course, the Golden Eagles expected to lose a few players. However, with the portal, there is always one or two defections that are hard to swallow, with Pearson qualifying in this matter. As a fan of any program, there is hardly much worse than getting a promising, young player who never suits up for the team.
In addition to Fru, Marquette has added St. Thomas (Minnesota) guard Nolan Minessale via the portal.
The Golden Eagles have two open roster spots for the 2026-27 season. Expect Smart to be cautious and intentional about filling these spots. It might make sense to fill one spot in the immediate future and leave the other open entering the summer, especially if the NCAA passes the "five-for-five" rule that would allow current four-year seniors who have seemingly exhausted all eligibility to get one more season in college. Of course, one of these spots could be used for another high school recruit to reclassify and join the program next season.
While not ideal, the loss of Pearson gives Marquette some flexibility to add to its roster for what figures to be a bounceback 2026-27 season.
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