​Entering its fourth season in the Big 12, UCF is looking to cement itself as a competitive program within one of the NCAA’s toughest basketball conferences.After a stellar 2025 campaign, head coach Johnny Dawkins has once again had to put together a new squad, with the Knights losing four of their five starters from the year prior.But, the staff did well to supplement the roster with different positions and types of players, including freshman 3-Star guard Jahda Swann.It has been sometime since a first-year athlete has seen significant time for UCF, dating back to first-round pick Taylor Hendricks.But, Swann could definitely be the next to see action as a freshman, as the New York native has looked the part in early practices.On Friday, UCF Men’s Basketball posted a video via Instagram of Swann elevating for a big-time slam with his left hand in practice.The thing that stood out to me was Swann’s length and size, as he is listed at 6-foot-4, 180 pounds, but has seemingly put on some muscle during the preseason.As the No. 170 overall player in the class, Swann has risen to the No. 23 guard, boasting an impressive high school resumé.After averaging 25.5 points, 12 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game at Jefferson High School in Brooklyn, Swann finished out his high school career at The St. James in Springfield, VA.He once again displayed his ability to fill it up, leading his team in scoring at 16.5 points per contest.During his time in New York, he led his team to a city championship, while earning an East Coast McDonald’s All-American nomination.In Virginia, Swann played against much tougher competition, but his scoring remained effective. The Academy finished with a 12-14 record, but was still ranked within the top-25 teams in the state, according to MaxPreps.To find the last freshman guard to get significant run on UCF, you would have to go back to four-year Knights standout Darius Johnson, who grew into one of the best players in the conference by the time his collegiate career came to an end.Swann could be on a similar trajectory, as the Knights’ backcourt had significant turnover from last season.Themus Fulks and Riley Kugel, UCF’s two leading scorers, have moved on to pursue playing professionally, most recently spending time with the Los Angeles Clippers in the NBA Summer League.Players like Arturo Dean, Cayden Vasko, Dior Johnson, and Lewis Walker all join the Knights with more rapport and experience than Swann, but that doesn’t mean the freshman can’t compete for minutes.Swann certainly has the size to play the one or two, and has demonstrated the ability to rebound and facilitate at a high clip.Don’t count out Swann for competing for playing time right away.