Maryland looks to establish its identity and make a statement in Buzz Williams’ second season.
Brady Ruth, Staff Writer
10/29/2026
The calendar is turning to basketball season and the Terps are ready to step into the spotlight.
Buzz Williams has revamped the Maryland roster ahead of his second season in College Park with 11 new faces that have already shifted the culture in the locker room.
“The first thing for me as a coach is wanting to be around them,” Williams said. “The character of the people matter the most. I’m excited every day to see them. That allows our rate of growth to be even more exciting, because we enjoy being around them.”
This team’s looking great. We have good chemistry. We’ve bonded with each other. We have a great staff. It’s been a long summer, and we just can’t wait to get on the court and play in front of the fans.Tomislav Buljan
Pharrel Payne and Andre Mills lead a five-man returning core that’s hungry to build off a 2026-27 foundational season. Payne averaged 17.5 points and 7.2 rebounds before missing a majority of the year with injury, while Mills logged 20 double-digit scoring performances in his freshman campaign.
“I’m excited about the roster,” Andre Mills said. “I love our people. I’m really excited to get after it this year. Personally, I’m excited to see my growth, my patience and how poised I’ve become in maturing my game.”
Payne was off the court, but not away from the program. Entering the year as a member of the Preseason All-Big Ten Team, Payne brings a new leadership style and maturity to the Terps.
“I learned my leadership role a lot last year,” Pharrel Payne said. “I learned how to verbally pick guys up and help however I can while they’re playing. Being able to take that into this year, help hold guys to a certain standard and get them where we need to be is a big thing for me.”
Gallery: Maryland Reveals 02 Throwback Uniform
The returners have welcomed the newcomers to College Park with open arms and higher expectations. This year’s team is one that’s eager to rewrite narratives and add another chapter to a storied program.
“We’re here to win a lot of games,” Austin Brown said. “I’m excited to see how all the hard work we put in over the summer plays out. Everybody’s hungry to win.”
Among the new faces are six transfers and four freshmen. Mike McNair, Jr. and DJ Wagner enter with previous Power Conference experience, while 5-star Baba Oladotun headlines a freshmen core ready to hit the collegiate scene running.
Kaden House, Robert Jennings II, Mike McNair, Jr., and Buljan all played big roles in Maryland’s two preseason exhibition wins as the Terps put their new cohesion to the hardwood.
I’ve learned that we’re resilient. That’s going to be our identity this year. We’re going to play hard no matter what. That and how connected we are is going to be our identity.Baba Oladotun
While the Terps are focused on establishing their own identity, they’ll also honor the program’s rich history with special throwback uniforms commemorating the 2002 national championship team.
“Everyone’s aware of the outcomes we want,” Williams said. “We want to be the 2001-02 Maryland Terps. So it comes down to how in the process can we diagnose what’s happening to lead to the outcome we want.”
With 17 home games on the 2025-26 slate — including clashes with preseason No. 9 Virginia (Nov. 13), No. 6 Michigan State (Dec. 9), No. 22 UCLA (Jan. 2), No. 21 USC (Jan. 5) and No. 3 Illinois (Jan. 16) — the Terps will have plenty of opportunities to make new statements of their own at XFINITY Center.
“It’s going to be nice,” Guillermo Del Pino said. “We want to see XFINITY completely full. I’m so excited to see the team this year and silence a lot of the doubts from last year.”
It’s an action-packed schedule that also features another chapter in Maryland’s rivalry with Georgetown in early November, but it’s one that Williams’ new-look Terps are ready for. They’ll be battle tested all season long so they can peak in March and unlock their full potential.
We’ve got a lot of guys that like to work hard. We all want to get better, and we all play off each other really well. The work we all put in in the gym makes all of us better.DJ Wagner
That commitment to growth will be critical for the Terps’ retooled roster. With a renewed sense of purpose, Maryland is ready to turn a summer of work into a season of results.
The expectations are clear, but this team is focused on the process of reaching them. As the Terps build chemistry, embrace their roles and find their identity, they’ll look to make their mark in the Big Ten — with their sights set on a return to the national stage in March.
