USF men’s basketball coach Bryan Hodgson is proving his reputation as a top recruiter is deserved.
On3 sports reported that former LSU and Kentucky 6-foot-9 forward Daimion Collins has committed to join the Bulls through the transfer portal. Collins was a five-star recruit coming out of high school.
He never seemed to find his footing during two seasons at Kentucky, but his game blossomed when he went to LSU.
Life’s A Gamble, Bet On Yourself🎲💚 #LongLivePops #committed @USFMBB pic.twitter.com/KSApYYOIKT
— Daimion Collins (@CollinsDaimion) April 17, 2025
He battled a significant shoulder injury last season but still logged 32 games for the Tigers. He had to play in the middle most of the time because he was one of the few LSU players with the size to do that.
With USF, he will return to his natural power forward position and should thrive.
Coming out of Atlanta as a prep player in 2021, 247Sports recruiting analyst Brandon Jenkins called Collins “a high-level shot blocker.”
“He is quick off the floor as an explosive leaper and is very mobile with good hands,” Jenkins wrote. “He finishes with strength around the rim and is developing as a scorer facing the basket.”
The Bulls also picked up guard Xavier Brown from James Madison in the portal.
On3 reported on April 11 that Brown was headed to USF, but it didn’t receive widespread coverage until Thursday afternoon after Brown posted the news on his Instagram account.
He averaged 10.7 points per game, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.7 assists this season.
The Dukes finished 20-12 this season and advanced to the Sun Belt Conference tournament championship game.
The Bulls 2025-26 schedule is beginning to take shape. Their long-rumored participation in The Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in the Bahamas on November 26-28 became official Thursday.
"This is one of the premier early-season tournaments in college basketball, and it's a tremendous opportunity for our program to compete on a national stage against elite competition. This year's field is loaded — four of the eight teams in this tournament played in the 2025 NCAA Tournament," Hodgson said.
"Being selected for the Battle 4 Atlantis is a testament to the momentum we're building here at USF and reflects the trajectory of our program."
USF will join Virginia Tech, Saint Mary’s, Vanderbilt, VCU, Colorado State, Western Kentucky, and American Athletic Conference rival Wichita State in the tournament.