Charlotte 49ers men’s basketball adds two big men via the transfer portal

The Charlotte 49ers’ men’s basketball program has received commitments from two transfer players.

Washington State center Dishon Jackson announced on April 26 that he would transfer to UNC Charlotte. A day later, Rutgers power forward Dean Reiber followed suit.

“We are excited to add that level of experience from the Pac-12 and the Big Ten,” 49ers coach Ron Sanchez said. “I’m confident that those guys will help us maintain our level of play as we go into next season.”

Dishon Jackson

The 6-foot-10 Jackson was a four-star recruit out of St. Patrick-St. Vincent high school in Vallejo, California. He was sidelined last season with an undisclosed medical condition, according to the Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Washington.

In his freshman year at Washington State, he averaged 7.2 points per game and 4.3 rebounds per game. Jackson struggled with injuries during his sophomore season but managed to play 25 games before missing the 2022-23 campaign.

He played against a lot of tough competition, none tougher arguably than current NBA center, Evan Mobley. Jackson had two great games when he faced Southern Cal, Mobley’s collegiate team, pouring in 18 points at home and 14 on the road.

“I was excited when Dishon committed because it was a vacancy that needed to be filled with the departure of Aly (Khalifa),” Sanchez said. “He brings experience at a Power Five level. He brings great size. He brings a level of athleticism that we haven’t had at that position. He brings interior scoring as well as still some perimeter play.”

Ultimately, Jackson will add much-needed depth to a 49ers frontcourt that lost starting center Khalifa to the transfer portal, and Josh Aldrich to graduation.

Dean Reiber

Reiber joins the 49ers after spending three seasons at Rutgers. Also standing at 6-foot-10, the versatile big man can stretch the floor with his shooting ability as well as score inside the paint.

“When you play in the Big Ten, you know that you’ve been coached well,” Sanchez said of Reiber. “That level of experience is vital as we continue to acquire talent. Dean’s length, like Dishon’s, is really appreciated. We haven’t had that type of length since (Amidou) Bamba was here. So, it’s nice to be able to attract guys like that.”

Charlotte’s staff was familiar with Reiber, who the 49ers had recruited while he was playing for Northwest Guilford High in Greensboro.

“This all happens so fast,” Sanchez said. “So, it is important to already have all of the behind-the-scenes information that we need to make these decisions. It’s not just about talent. It is about the person and their character that go into these decisions.”

Roster rebuilding

The recent departures of Khalifa, a center who transferred to BYU, and guard Brice Williams, who transferred to Nebraska, left a glaring hole in the 49ers’ roster. The additions of Jackson and Reiber, however, seem to be a step in the right direction.

“This is just how college basketball is now,” Sanchez said. “You have to re-recruit your own players as well as recruit new players. This is the state of college basketball. You can look at programs all across the country and see guys that have left their programs because they have been successful.”

As the 49ers transition into the American Athletic Conference, they will still be on the hunt for more transfers to help shape their roster before the season starts.

“It is time for us to continue to look forward,” Sanchez said. “It is time to see if we can continue to add the talent that we need to enter this new league. Is it hard? It is challenging, but it isn’t impossible. You have to embrace it and learn the new age of recruiting and the obstacles that pop up. And, we have to go at it with enthusiasm.”