Rutgers Basketball has suffered its first transfer portal departure of the offseason, as sophomore forward Bryce Dortch has become the initial Scarlet Knight expected to enter portal when it officially opens on April 7th, as reported by On3’s Joe Tipton.
Dortch spent two years at Rutgers and was a part of the historic 2024 recruiting class. Over his Rutgers career, he averaged 1.8 points and 2.6 rebounds per game in 43 games played, at both forward and center.
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The 6-foot-9, 210-pound second-year forward initially joined the program out of Somerville, Massachusetts, as a top-200 player in the 2024 recruiting class. He came in out of high school alongside Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey, Lathan Sommerville, and Dylan Grant to make up the nation’s sixth-best recruiting class.
Dortch was originally set to redshirt as a true freshman, as he adjusted to the Big Ten and college game, as well as add size to his frame, as a forward, but injuries to the Scarlet Knights’ big man rotation — notably a then-season-ending injury to center Emmanuel Ogbole — pressed the true freshman into action.
He opted to burn his redshirt and played in the final 12 games of the 2024-25 season as a backup center. His best performance came in a win over USC, where he recorded nine points, two rebounds, and two blocks.
As a sophomore, the forward continued his development as a backup center behind Ogbole, with increased playing time in the 2025-26 campaign. He averaged 2.1 points and 3.2 rebounds per game while playing in 31 of Rutgers’ 34 games, with three starts.
He departs with two years of Big Ten experience as a forward and center, and will now continue his college basketball career elsewhere.
Dortch will have two years of eligibility remaining to play elsewhere.