Two key frontcourt players for the New Mexico Lobo men’s basketball team have announced their intention to leave the program. Forward Tomislav Buljan and center JT Rock both confirmed via social media on Sunday that they will enter the transfer portal when it officially opens on Tuesday.
The departures represent a significant shift in the Lobos’ roster depth, particularly in the paint. The loss of Buljan, a standout freshman, and Rock, a sophomore, comes as the program continues to navigate a period of transition following coaching changes and previous roster volatility.
The 2025-26 season saw the Lobos finish with a 26-11 record, securing third place in the conference standings. Although the team showed resilience under new leadership, the decision for these two players to enter the transfer portal highlights the ongoing fluidity of collegiate athletics in the current era of athlete mobility.
Analyzing the Impact: Buljan and Rock’s Contributions
The departure of Tomislav Buljan is likely to be the more challenging void to fill for the coaching staff. A 6-foot-9 freshman, Buljan arrived in Albuquerque after playing for the Croatian National Team. He quickly became a focal point of the Lobos’ interior game, starting and appearing in 35 games.
Buljan’s statistical impact was substantial, averaging 13.1 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. Notably, he was the only player in conference play this season to average a double-double, marking him as one of the most efficient interior threats in the region.
JT Rock, a 7-foot-1 sophomore, provides a different profile. Having transferred to New Mexico from Iowa State, Rock appeared in 37 games, though he started only once. While his season averages were more modest—5.2 points and 2.9 rebounds per game—he demonstrated a high ceiling in postseason play.
Rock’s standout moment came during the NIT semifinal game against Tulsa on April 2, where he scored a season-high 14 points. Despite the loss to Tulsa, that run marked the Lobos’ deepest progression in the NIT since 1990 and served as a signal of the team’s growing competitiveness.
A Program in Transition: The Eric Olen Era
The current roster movement must be viewed through the lens of the program’s recent instability. The Lobos are currently rebuilding from a period of significant turnover. In 2025, the program saw the departure of head coach Richard Pitino, which triggered a wave of portal exits that largely gutted the teams that had previously reached the NCAA Tournament.
Eric Olen took the helm for the 2025-26 season, inheriting a squad that needed to be reconstructed almost from scratch. Under Olen, the team managed a respectable 26-11 record, proving that the “ashes” of the previous era could still produce a winning product. However, the loss of two interior players to the transfer portal creates a new set of challenges for Olen as he looks to maintain the program’s trajectory.
While there has been external speculation regarding Olen’s long-term future with the university, there is currently no official indication that he intends to leave. For now, his primary focus will likely be the recruitment of new talent to replace the production lost by Buljan and Rock.
Player Performance Summary (2025-26 Season)
| Player | Position | Games Played | PPG | RPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomislav Buljan | Forward/Center | 35 | 13.1 | 10.3 |
| JT Rock | Center | 37 | 5.2 | 2.9 |
The Broader Context of the Transfer Portal
The decision of these two players to seek new opportunities is a reflection of the modern landscape of college basketball. The NCAA’s transfer portal has fundamentally changed how rosters are built and maintained, turning the “off-season” into a continuous cycle of recruitment and attrition.
For New Mexico, the challenge is twofold: they must not only replace the physical presence of a 7-foot-1 center and a double-double machine in Buljan but also convince remaining players and recruits that the program offers stability. The Lobos’ recent deep run in the NIT suggests the foundation is solid, but the portal continues to be a volatile variable.
The loss of Buljan is particularly poignant given his status as a rare commodity—a freshman capable of dominating the boards and scoring consistently in conference play. His departure leaves a gap in the rotation that will require either a high-profile transfer addition or the rapid development of a bench player.
As the portal opens on Tuesday, the UNM coaching staff will enter a critical window. They will need to balance the pursuit of new talent with the retention of their current core to ensure that the 2026-27 season doesn’t spot a regression from their third-place conference finish.
The next confirmed checkpoint for the program will be the official opening of the transfer portal on Tuesday, after which the university may provide updates on roster changes or new recruitment targets.
We invite readers to share their thoughts on the Lobos’ roster changes and how the team should address the loss of their interior presence in the comments below.
