Sam Houston men’s basketball coach Chris Mudge has announced the signing of five transfers who will join the Bearkats next season.
The new additions include 6-foot-8 forward Isaiah Manning, 6-foot point guard Justin Begg, 6-foot-4 guard Po’Boigh King, 6-foot-3 guard Kashie Natt and 6-foot-10 center Veljko Ilic.
Manning joins Sam Houston after spending the last two seasons at Texas Christian University. As a redshirt freshman with the Horned Frogs, he appeared in 24 games, averaging 7.3 minutes and two points per contest.
Manning’s addition to the Bearkats provides the team more size in the paint and a valuable asset on the boards. Coming out of high school, Manning was a three-star recruit, ranked by 247Sports as the No. 21 forward in Texas.
Beggs joins the Bearkats after spending his freshman year at George Mason University. He appeared in 33 games, averaging 9.2 minutes and three points per contest. Begg’s addition gives the Bearkats another decision-maker on the floor.
Coming out of high school, Beggs was a three-star recruit and the No. 18 point guard in Texas.
King joins the Bearkats after spending two years with North Carolina Central University. As a sophomore, he played in 29 games, averaging 31.6 minutes and 15 points per contest. During his junior year, he played in 33 games, averaging 30.8 minutes and 17 points.
Natt is another name that is being added to the Bearkats roster for the 2025-26 season. He spent his last three seasons at Louisiana State University at Alexandria. He appeared in 32 games last season, averaging a double-double with 19.9 points and 10.1 rebounds per game.
During Natt’s time at LSU-Alexandria, he was a two-time National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics All-American. During the 2024-25 season, he led the Generals to the NAIA Men’s Basketball National Championship Round of eight. Natt also earned All-Red River Athletic Conference first-team accolades, RRAC Player of the Year and RRAC Defensive Player of the Year
Natt’s addition gives the team someone who is a threat both on and off the ball.
The latest addition to the Bearkats’ roster is Ilic, who spent last four seasons at Loyola University Maryland. He appeared in 83 games, averaging 7.8 points and five rebounds in 18 minutes per game.
