The NCAA transfer portal opened on Monday with more than 1,000 student-athletes already stating their intent to seek new athletic opportunities. NKU had a few athletes of their own make this decision.
Forward Keeyan Itejere was the first on the men’s basketball team to make the announcement. He declared he was entering the portal via his Instagram account last week.
This week, four more Norse made a similar announcement.
Randall Pettus II
Randall Pettus II’s decision to transfer after two seasons was revealed through a post on X Monday night.
In his statement, Pettus thanked Head Coach Darrin Horn and the entire coaching staff.
“Your dedication and trust have made my time at NKU truly unforgettable,” Pettus said.
The North Carolina native saw much success during his time with the Norse. He averaged seven points, three rebounds and two assists per game this season in his sophomore campaign.
Pettus capitalized on his minutes this season, increasing from 16 to 20. He stepped up in his role following the transfer of standout guard Marques Warrick last season.
Pettus eclipsed double digits 10 times this season alone. His best performance of the season came against Bellarmine in November 2024 when he dropped a career-high 20 points.
Pettus’ next team will earn a six-foot-three guard going into his junior season who can quickly get on a hot streak shooting the ball. Pettus is also a ferocious rebounder for his size, and his quickness makes him a tough matchup for anyone.
Jeramiah Israel
Jeramiah Israel is set to enter the transfer portal, according to a statement on his Instagram.
Israel is a Northern Kentucky native who played at Lloyd Memorial in high school. He acknowledged the weight of the decision to leave NKU after two seasons with the team.
“This was not an easy decision, as NKU has been my home, and I am truly thankful for the coaches, staff and teammates who have supported me along the way,” he said.
The sophomore had his biggest impact this season during NKU’s contest with the University of the Cumberlands in December 2024. He had a season-high 10 points and three rebounds in the game.
The sophomore saw much more playing time during his freshman year. He played in 31 games in his first season and averaged 13 minutes per contest. He scored double digits three times, with his best performance coming against Eastern Kentucky University in December 2023, where he totaled career-highs of 15 points and five rebounds.
The team Israel joins will get a six-foot-three guard who is a versatile defender and shows promise shooting from the perimeter. He shot 50% from three this season.
Cesar Tchilombo
Cesar Tchilombo also made the decision to enter the portal via. Verbal Commits reported on the decision Monday morning.
Tchilombo started his NKU career in 2022, where he redshirted his first season.
In his true freshman season, the Democratic Republic of the Congo native played 24 games getting an average of four minutes a night. He finished the season with a total of 13 points and 20 rebounds.
In the following season his minutes decreased, only playing in 17 games with a total of 77 minutes throughout the year.
At the end of 2024-25 season, he had a total of four points and 15 rebounds.
He played high school basketball at John Carroll High School in Maryland. In his senior season, he averaged 10 points per game and 11 rebounds.
Tchilombo’s next team will get a six-foot-nine forward who is a great down low presence. He has shown flashes of efficient shooting from all around the court. He’ll need to keep working on his hand-eye coordination to be a better defender.
Paulius Rapolis
Freshman forward Paulius Rapolis’ transfer was the last to be announced at the time of publication.
Verbal Commits shared the news to their X account Tuesday morning.
The seven-footer played his best basketball in November 2024 against Kentucky State. He played 14 minutes and earned six points and four blocks.
Rapolis came to NKU from IMG Academy in Florida. His hometown is Lithuania, where he played youth basketball before coming to the U.S.
Whichever team picks up Rapolis gets a seven-foot center. He is a raw prospect with a lot of talent who has shown great ability with the ball. With his frame, he can be a force on the boards and a pest on the defensive end. He’ll need to continue to work on his footwork to be a prolific post player.