“Much Needed”: Fans Celebrate as Dan Hurley Reportedly Adds 7 Foot Center to UConn Ranks

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“Much Needed”: Fans Celebrate as Dan Hurley Reportedly Adds 7 Foot Center to UConn Ranks

Krutik Jain · College Sports Network

Tue, Jun 2, 2026 ·

3 min read

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UConn Huskies head coach Dan Hurley has reportedly landed Arkansas transfer Elmir Džafić, his agent Miško Ražnatović told DraftExpress. This brings another big body to UConn's frontcourt.

The 7-foot, 285-pound center from Bosnia and Herzegovina spent last season at Arkansas, appearing in just seven games as a freshman. He entered the transfer portal in April and committed to UConn on Monday.

Several UConn fans celebrated this addition.

"Rim protection….got lots of that this year. Much needed," one fan wrote.

"All the best to him," another commented.

"Great signing," one fan remarked.

"Nice… Let's go," another remarked.

"You could have given me 364 guesses as to where Elmir Dzafic would end up after he hit the portal and this would be the one school I don't guess," another added.

"That's good, I suppose," one fan said.

Dzafic is expected to fill the third-string center role instead of getting major minutes, just like fellow recent portal additions, Isaiah Shaw (Northern Arizona) and Jaye Nash (Jacksonville State). After losing veterans like Tarris Reed Jr. (to the 2026 NBA draft), Eric Reibe (USC Trojans) and Rrezon Elezaj (Appalachian State Mountaineers), UConn has been adding to its frontcourt before the summer workouts.

Before playing for Arkansas, Dzafic played professionally with KK Bosna Sarajevo. He also represented Bosnia and Herzegovina at the U18 European Championship Division B, averaging around 13.1 points and 10 rebounds per game.

Dan Hurley Recalibrates UConn Roster After Losing National Championship Game

Dan Hurley's UConn was on the cusp of history, but they lost the national championship game against the Michigan Wolverines. This could either break a program's momentum or sharpen its focus. For Dan Hurley, it appears to be latter.

As noted above, Hurley lost five players in the offseason but was able to land seven players as he retools the roster for yet another deep run in March Madness.

Apart from Arkansas transfer Elmir Dzafic, Hurley has also focused on the backcourt. Star point guard Silas Demary Jr. is returning to UConn. The proven scorer will be joined by Braylon Mullins and Jayden Ross.

One of the biggest additions was the addition of Duke transfer Nik Khamenia, who is expected to essentially replace Alex Karaban. Khamenia has the ability to open the floor, move without the ball and make smart reads.

The recalibration signifies UConn correcting the issues that prevented them from winning a third championship in four years. Ball security was a big concern in March last season but the recent additions suggest the Huskies are prioritizing experience so that they can be better in clutch situations.

As summer workouts begin soon, Hurley has a task on his hand to make the new additions feel at home and once again build the chemistry within the team.