This is already Johnny Dawkins’ tenth year as head coach at UCF and you have to wonder how many more years he has left with the Knights. His only trip to the Big Dance featured a near-upset over Duke back in 2019, though the road has only gotten tougher since the program joined the Big 12 two years ago. The first two Big 12 seasons weren’t bad by any means, including a 20-17 campaign last year, but things look very different in Orlando now.
The Knights had some success last season but virtually every member of that team is gone. Nearly a dozen names entered the portal while Darius Johnson exhausted his eligibility after four great years at UCF. Dawkins and his staff were left filling every spot in the rotation, replacing valuable talent like Keyshawn Hall and Jordan Ivy-Curry, a pair of double-digit scorers from last season.
There isn’t time to properly run through all twelve transfer additions but it’s clear that UCF hit on several of their targets. A considerably talented class sees players like Devan Cambridge from Texas Tech and Riley Kugel from Mississippi State hoping to bounce back and assume major roles. 7-2 center John Bol hopes for playing time after coming from Ole Miss while names like BJ Freeman from Arizona State step into what could be significant roles.
This isn’t specifically about who might put up the best numbers or score the most points, but Themus Fulks just might be the most important piece of the puzzle. The 6-2 point guard from Winston-Salem, North Carolina has just a single season of eligibility left and is hoping to go out on a high note with the Knights. After previous work at South Carolina State, Dodge City CC, and Louisiana, Fulks became a major piece of the puzzle at Milwaukee, averaging 14.6 points and 5.9 assists per game last season. He earned Second Team All-Horizon League honors while leading the conference in assists.
Fulks isn’t known for his long-range shooting and won’t be the most efficient scorer on the floor for the Knights, but he’s the one who’ll make everyone around him better. After previously leading two different mid-major leagues in assists, Fulks will try to transition into that same kind of facilitating role in the Big 12. UCF doesn’t need him to put up 15 points a night but with assists and his general presence he’ll likely produce or facilitate a few dozen points each night.
We didn’t mention every new face on this roster or even try to piece together Dawkins’ potential lineups, but we know that Fulks will be a major factor. The only point guard added in this mega class, he assumes that important role and has both the veteran presence and athleticism to lead UCF into this season of unknowns. UCF might not be expected to contend in the Big 12 but a great season out of Fulks will go a long way towards getting Dawkins and company on the right track.