Houston guard Isiah Harwell plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal

Houston guard Isiah Harwell plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, On3’s Joe Tipton has confirmed. Harwell spent just one season with the Cougars and was considered a role player off the bench. Now, the former highly-rated recruit is set to hit the open market. A massive name that will certainly draw plenty of interest from big-time programs.

This past year saw Harwell play in 32 games for Houston. Unfortunately, none of them were of the starting variety. Head coach Kelvin Sampson called on the guard to play just under 14 minutes a night, turning into an average of 3.6 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 0.5 assists. Harwell’s shooting numbers sat at 27.9% from the field and 27.1% from behind the three-point line. To add on, the free-throw clip came in at 61.3%.

Still, flashes were shown by Harwell at different points of the year. He reached double figures on three different occasions, twice in Big 12 play. While 20 points vs. Jackson State was the season-high, Harwell got 13 against Cincinnati and 12 in the Baylor showdown. Making three-pointers was the key to those figures, getting 10 of his 23 total throughout the season in them.

Harwell played high school basketball at Wasatch Academy, where he was a five-star prospect. However, Harwell is originally from Pocatello, Idaho. He was the No. 13 overall recruit in the 2025 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

At the time of his commitment, Harwell was the highest-rated player to ever commit to Houston. Multiple other major schools were coming after him before the Cougars turned into the decision. The Cal Golden Bears, Gonzaga Bulldogs, and Texas Longhorns all finished runner-up. If those three are looking to once again acquire Harwell, an opportunity should arise in the coming days once the guard shows up in the portal.

The NCAA transfer portal will officially open on April 7 and close on April 21. The new 15-day window was enacted following a recommendation by the men’s basketball oversight committee. Athletes don’t have to commit to a new school by the April 21 deadline.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.

On3’s Grant Grubbs contributed to this report