2026 Forward Heimir Helgason Talks UMass Hoops Commitment
Minutemen head coach Frank Martin added his third commit in the Class of 2026
After securing commitments from point guard Cam Hailey and center Cheick Sylla, UMass head coach Frank Martin got the power forward he wanted with Heimir Helgason.
The Iceland native comes in at a height of 6-foot-9, and can shoot the ball at a high clip. Helgason can terrorize a defense when attacking the paint and causing havoc inside.
Besides UMass, he received offers from Duquesne, Wyoming, Chattanooga and Dayton.
“(The recruiting process) was exciting at first because I had around 440 schools contacting me,” he said. “I enjoyed learning about different programs and of course different parts of America. Once I narrowed it down to three programs was when it got more difficult, especially when all three were recruiting me hard and constantly staying in touch.”
Despite the attention he was getting from the competitors, the pull of Martin was too much for Helgason to turn down.
“I chose UMass for several reasons,” Helgason said. “I believe that Coach Martin and his staff really believed in me. Coach Martin was at every one of my games in May and July. That meant a lot. He has a proven history of winning. He holds people accountable and you always know where you stand. I feel like I can learn a lot from him and the staff.”
Martin did a lot of recruiting down in Florida in those months, bringing in the likes of Donovan Brown and Isaiah Placide from the transfer portal. Helgason attends DME Academy in Daytona Beach, Fla. When the Minutemen offered him back on May 4, he agreed to an official visit in Amherst, which happened from September 19 to September 21.
“I fell in love with the Champions Center while on my visit,” he said. “The campus is beautiful and I was really impressed with the dining halls, especially Worcester Dining Commons. I like to eat so that was really attractive.”
Helgason brought his parents with him, and they all felt the city of Amherst could be a home away from home.
“We loved everything,” he said. “I liked Amherst because it’s not a big city, but it also has a lot to offer. Basically anything you need. It has a small town feel, kind of like back home in Iceland. I liked the trees and views in some parts.”
As much as he liked the campus and Amherst, it was the journey he could see himself on that made the commitment special.
“It honestly checked every box that was important to me,” Helgason said. “Improving and becoming the best player I can be is my focus. UMass provides everything I need to get better. I believe I can win there. I really want to win and make it to the tournament.”
He acknowledged some of his development is being unselfish to help the team win games, on top of what he does best.
“Being a good person first,” Helgason said. “Being a great teammate, an extremely hard worker, unselfish to care about winning. I’m also a shooter. Shooting the three is something I do consistently. I am athletic and also like to block shots.”
On top of all the recruitment and noise around him, he has grown an appreciation for the journey, and his background in America.
“I have been in America for two years, so I’ve learned a lot about colleges and programs from coaches and friends,” he said. “My coaches have been a big resource for me learning about everything here. When I first started getting recruited, I didn’t know where any of the schools were.
“Also my AAU coaches and teammates explained a lot to me. My dad played college soccer at FAU for one season, so he had a pretty good idea about America and some of the recruiting processes.”
Helgason will stay at DME Academy for his final year of high school before heading to Amherst in the Fall of 2026.
Your one-stop-shop for all your sports marketing needs… Owned and Operated by UMASS Grads.
We specialize in providing top-quality marketing & printing services for coaches, athletic directors, and sports marketing professionals.
Get Fan Ready!