Chris Holtmann looks to take DePaul basketball to new heights in his second season. The team is coming off a 14-20 season, with plenty of tightly contested conference matchups, including defeating Georgetown three times in a single season.
The tradition continues! It’s another year of our countdown of the top 100 preseason teams in college basketball until the start of the season. Each day, we will reveal the next team until we reach the team slotted at number one. Up next: DePaul basketball.
After three back-and-forth seasons under former head coach and now Oregon Ducks assistant Tony Stubblefield, the Blue Demons saw a blockbuster head coaching hire in Holtmann.
Immediately, the team saw an improvement in both their overall and conference records. From three total wins to fourteen, which included four conference wins, quadrupling their total from the year before.
Holtmann has built up contenders across three different conferences, from the Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs in the Big South to DePaul’s Big East conference rival Butler. His last tenure saw Holtmann solidify the Ohio State Buckeyes as Big Ten conference contenders through five of his seven years with the program.
Now he looks to bring DePaul basketball to bigger heights. However, it will not be easy.
Many of the more senior members of last year’s squad have moved on. Big forwards like David Skogman and J.J. Traynor have left, some due to graduating like Skogman, and others into the transfer portal like Traynor. There is still, however, plenty of room for optimism and excitement in the new roster.
Along with their big three from the previous season in N.J. Benson, C.J. Gunn, and Layden Blocker, who each had amazing performances throughout the year. Benson arguably had the best single-game performance of the three against Loyola Maryland, with a 22-point, 17-rebound double-double.
Another positive sign for excitement comes from the recent class of transfers and recruits Holtmann and his staff have brought to the team. From proven veteran scorers like Kaleb Banks to gritty incoming freshmen like Kruz McClure, this team has it all.
Head coach: Chris Holtmann (2nd season at DePaul, 15th season overall)
2024-25 record: 14-20, 4-16
2025 postseason finish: Lost to Cincinnati (83-61) in first round of the College Basketball Crown (CBC)
Notable departures:
- Troy D’Amico (6.1 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 1.7 APG, 83.3 FT%)
- Isaiah Rivera (10.8 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 1.6 APG, 41.4 3P%)
- Jacob Meyer (8.9 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 0.7 APG)
- Conor Enright (7.5 PPG, 6.2 APG, 3.3 RPG)
- David Skogman (6.1 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 1.7 APG, 87.2 FT%)
- J.J. Traynor (5.6 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 0.6 APG)
- David Thomas (4.0 PPG, 1.4 APG, 1.4 RPG)
Notable non-conference games:
- vs. Northwestern (Nov. 14)
- vs. Georgia Tech (Nov. 28) – Emerald Coast Classic
- vs. Drake OR LSU (Nov. 29) – Emerald Coast Classic
- at Wichita State (Dec. 13)
Projected Rotation:
PG: Layden Blocker (6-2, 195, Jr.)
2024-25 stats: 9.5 PPG, 3.1 APG, 2.9 RPG, 1.1 SPG
SG: R.J. Smith (6-3, 195, R-Jr.)
2024-25 stats: 6.2 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 1.7 APG (Colorado)
SF: C.J. Gunn (6-7, 200, Sr.)
2024-25 stats: 12.9 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 1.0 APG, 1.3 SPG
PF: Kaleb Banks (6-8, 215, Sr.)
2024-25 stats: 14.7 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.0 APG, 1.3 BPG, 50.6 FG% (Tulane)
C: N.J. Benson (6-8, 235, Sr.)
2024-25 stats: 9.0 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 0.9 APG, 1.4 BPG, 60.6 FG%
6: Brandon Maclin (6-5, 215, Sr.)
2024-25 stats: 10.0 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.2 SPG (Radford)
7: Jeremy Lorenz (6-8, 230, Jr.)
2024-25 stats: 8.0 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 1.7 APG, 50.0 FG% (Wofford)
8: Théo Pierre-Justin (6-10, 215, So.)
2024-25 stats: 1.4 PPG, 0.9 RPG, 0.3 APG, 39.1 FG%, 23.5 3P%
9: Kruz McClure (6-6, 185, Fr.)
247Sports Composite #190 overall ranked recruit
10. Isaiah Medina (7-0, 230, Fr.)
247Sports Composite #111 overall ranked recruit
11: Ilija Milijašević (6-3, 176, Fr.)
2024-25 stats: 3.5 PPG, 0.8 RPG, 0.5 APG, 45 3P%, (Mega Superbet, Adriatic League, Serbia)
12: Khaman Maker (7-1, 225, So.)
2024-25 stats: DNP (St. John’s)
13: Nate Kasher (6-1, 180, So.)
2024-25 stats: N/A
14: Jonas Johnson (6-7, 185, Fr.)
Blue Demons Add Jonas Johnson to 2025-26 Roster – DePaul University Athletics
DePaul Basketball MVP: Layden Blocker
One of the three-headed monster of the Blue Demons, Blocker gets the title of team MVP. Unfortunately, the award can’t be given to Benson and Gunn as well, but Blocker himself has shown both the defensive prowess of future NBA hall of famer Chris Paul, and has grown as both a capable scorer and passer this past season.
For much of the previous year, Conor Enright handled the playmaking responsibilities, and it showed in how fast-paced the offense was when he was issuing marching orders from Holtmann. However, when Enright faced a shoulder injury, this saw Blocker get more and more opportunities to be the signal caller for the Blue Demons.
Blocker brings a powerful, two-way slasher for Holtmann and his offense. He can cut to the basket and has shown the potential to be a great passer when the defenses start to swarm him. On the other side, he is a pest that the opposing team must respect and plan around.
He does need to work on being consistent game-to-game from downtown. One night he’ll 4-6 at home, then the next game goes 0-3 on the road. He’s improved his three-point shooting from year to year, going from 11.8% at Arkansas to 33.7% in Chicago.
DePaul Basketball make-or-break player: Amsal Delalic
A promising transfer from Pitt won’t be able to suit up for the Blue Demons this season due to suffering a torn ACL. This injury was suffered during an open gym prior to summer workouts according to DePaul Athletics.
It’s tough to really give this title to anyone else on the roster either because they are freshman, transfers who are proven veterans or exciting underclassmen, or players who haven’t had enough playing time either with DePaul or their previous school to get a full read on. This injury sets him back until next year, where hopefully he can make an impact then.
However, something else to point out, most of this year’s roster is comprised of seniors, so there will likely be a lot of incoming recruits and possible transfers coming in next year that may make it tougher for him to find a place in the roster.
Thankfully, per his Instagram and reported by Nick Palazzolo on X, he had a successful ACL surgery.
Key Analytic: Assists
With Holtmann’s offensive gameplan and Enright’s passing, DePaul basketball was one of the most pass-happy and aggressive offenses in the nation. The Blue Demons averaged 15.4 assists last year, which was 63rd in the nation, among teams like Tennessee, Kansas State, and the national champion Florida Gators.
This is such a key metric due to the loss of Enright to Indiana. With him gone, how will the offense perform under a new roster with some familiar faces? Blocker has shown promise as a passer and fans have seen how he can lead an offense. Kruz McClure showed great passing potential in high school, so it will be interesting to see how quickly that can translate to college.
DePaul Basketball 2025-26 projections
Projected conference finish: 9th in the Big East
Projected postseason ceiling: CBC Semifinal exit