NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt men’s basketball has signed 6-foot-10 veteran Berke Büyüktuncel out of the transfer portal. Büyüktuncel joins the Commodores after two seasons at Nebraska.
Büyüktuncel started all 33 of the games he played for the Cornhuskers this season, averaging 6.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. The Türkiye native shot 46.8 percent from the field and added 1.9 assists per game. Defensively, he led Nebraska with a career-best 34 blocks on the season while also posting a career-high 29 steals.
In Nebraska’s nonconference matchup with North Dakota, Büyüktuncel recorded the program’s fourth triple-double, scoring 12 points with 11 rebounds and 10 assists. In the Cornhuskers Sweet 16 run, Büyüktuncel averaged 7.7 points and a team-leading 7.0 rebound per game, including a 12-point performance against the Commodores in Oklahoma City.
As a sophomore at Nebraska in 2024-25, Büyüktuncel averaged 6.0 points and 5.5 rebounds over 31 games. He made 28 starts for the Huskers.
Büyüktuncel began his collegiate career at UCLA where he appeared in 26 contests with eight starts. He averaged 4.9 points and 2.7 rebounds for the Bruins in 17.5 minutes per game.
Büyüktuncel has also excelled in international basketball, representing Türkiye in numerous youth competitions. Most recently, he averaged 12.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and 1.3 steals per game in the 2024 FIBA European U20 Championships. He has also competed for the senior national team, making his debut in the 2023 World Cup qualifiers.
