In a college basketball landscape increasingly reshaped by the transfer portal, Grand Canyon University has emerged as an unlikely but undeniable mid-major powerhouse.
Under head coach Bryce Drew, the Antelopes have rewritten the mid-major playbook, using portal savvy and smart scouting to build a roster that doesn’t just compete with high-majors. Grand Canyon beats them at their own game.
Despite losing key players like four-star recruit Sammie Yeanay, Austin Maurer, Ray Harrison, Tyon Grant-Foster, and Duke Brennan, the pillars of three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, the Antelopes responded with their most impressive transfer class yet.
Grand Canyon is the only mid-major with a top-50 portal class (No. 33) 😳
4⭐️ Brian Moore Jr. (18.1 PPG – Norfolk St.)
4⭐️ Dusty Stromer (4.3 – Gonzaga)
4⭐️ Jaden Henley (12.5 – UNLV)
4⭐️ Nana Owusu-Anane (14.7 – Brown)
3⭐️ Wilhelm Breidenbach (4.5 – UW)Bryce Drew’s cooking in… pic.twitter.com/kYbV2KN0my
— College Basketball Report (@CBKReport) May 5, 2025
Ranked No. 33 nationally for 2025, the Antelopes are the only mid-major inside the top 50, outpacing schools with far more resources and tradition. The 2025 haul features Norfolk State’s Brian Moore Jr., an 18.1 PPG scorer with elite efficiency, and ex-Gonzaga guard Dusty Stromer, a former top-100 recruit poised to thrive in a larger role. Wings Jaden Henley (UNLV) and Nana Owusu-Anane (Brown) bring two-way versatility, while 6’10” big Wilhelm Breidenbach adds frontcourt depth with over 100 games of experience at Nebraska and Washington.
Joining the new faces are returning veterans like Makaih Williams and sharpshooter Caleb Shaw, who will help steady the ship despite all the roster turnover.
Every step the Antelopes took took Drew’s strategy by blending underutilized high-major talent with proven mid-major stars this offseason, showing that Grand Canyon’s identity hasn’t wavered. Under Drew, the Antelopes have become the blueprint for mid-major success in the transfer portal era.
Due to that success, what once seemed improbable, a WAC team assembling top-tier talent, is now Grand Canyon’s reality. The Antelopes appear ready to contend and could make some serious noise if they reach the 2026 men’s championship tournament.
