mollyfamwatThe new transfer season has begun. Several early signs point toward a big year for players who transfer after their college career has ended. First, the number of players who change schools in this period could reach an all-time high. In terms of the number of players who transfer between conferences, the current numbers are the highest in the last 20 years.
There’s been a bit of a rash lately of stars transferring from their current schools. This is fairly normal, and the NCAA is not capable of preventing these transfers. However, the fact that they’ve kept happening has gnawed at fans, and the NCAA’s recent decision to prevent high school players from declaring for the draft has only deepened the outrage.
With the NBA Draft drawing near, college basketball fans have been looking around to see who might be on the move in the offseason. College basketball fans have been looking around to see who might be on the move in the offseason, and have found some very interesting (and sometimes surprising) names. With the NBA Draft drawing near, college basketball fans have been looking around to see who might be on the move in the offseason. With the NBA Draft drawing near, college basketball fans have been looking around to see who might be on the move in the offseason, and have found some very interesting (and sometimes surprising) names. With the NBA Draft drawing near, college basketball fans have been looking around to see who might be on the move in the offseason, and. Read more about college basketball transfer rankings for 2021-22 and let us know what you think.
While the transfer site isn’t entirely empty yet — top-100 transfers Keith Williams (Cincinnati) and Tyree Radford (Virginia Tech) are still accessible, for example — it has slowed enough for us to evaluate the offseason transfer picture. More programs than ever were continuously refreshing the gateway to discover new identities to target, resulting in an unprecedented number of participants.
Because to a huge exodus through the portal, several teams had to rebuild nearly completely via the portal. The continuous churn resulted in a chaotic spring, with a handful of obvious winners and losers, as well as programs that were somewhere in the middle.
Winners
Chris Beard is bringing in six of the top 30 transfers in ESPN’s transfer rankings, including three of the top five. Texas Longhorns: The obvious winner of the transfer window, Chris Beard is bringing in six of the top 30 transfers in ESPN’s transfer rankings, including three of the top five. Marcus Carr of Minnesota was probably the greatest transfer of the spring, while Timmy Allen of Utah was a first-team All-Pac-12 pick, and Tre Mitchell of UMass was one of the most dominating big men in the country. Christian Bishop (Creighton) and Dylan Disu (Vanderbilt) were both productive high-major players, while Kentucky’s Devin Askew was a five-star prospect just a year ago.
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Kentucky Wildcats: We’re accustomed to seeing John Calipari and his team acquire a slew of elite high school recruits, but this spring, he and his staff attacked the transfer portal hard (while still bringing in multiple five-star recruits, of course). Oscar Tshiebwe averaged almost a double-double at West Virginia last season, while Kellan Grady is a big-time scorer who has won all-conference accolades at Davidson for the last four seasons. CJ Fredrick (Iowa) was probably the greatest 3-point shooter in the portal, while Sahvir Wheeler (Georgia) topped the SEC in assists.
Auburn Tigers: Bruce Pearl lost a handful of players to the portal, including promising freshman Justin Powell, but he got a possible first-round selection in North Carolina transfer Walker Kessler, a former five-star prospect, as a transfer from North Carolina. K.D. Johnson, one of the best rookies in the SEC last season, as well as mid-major transfers Zep Jasper (Charleston) and Wendell Green Jr., helped the Tigers replenish on the perimeter (Eastern Kentucky). Green could begin at the spot.
Oregon Ducks: Surprisingly, Dana Altman pounded the impact player gateway. He’s as good as anybody in the country at finding the perfect fit for his squad, and with top-50 transfers Jacob Young (Rutgers), Quincy Guerrier (Syracuse), and De’Vion Harmon, he may have secured three starters (Oklahoma). The three players bring scoring, experience, and victory to the table; last season, they all helped their teams reach the NCAA tournament.
Arkansas Razorbacks: Eric Musselman is annually one of the busier coaches in the portal, and this offseason was no different. The Razorbacks did most of their damage early in the transfer cycle, landing three potential starters in Chris Lykes (Miami), Stanley Umude (South Dakota) and Au’diese Toney (Pittsburgh) — all ranked among the top 55 transfers this offseason. They also went out and improved their depth with Trey Wade (Wichita State) and Jaxson Robinson (Texas A&M).
Maryland Terrapins: The Terps got off to a fast start in the portal this summer, acquiring two instant starters. Fatts Russell, a brilliant playmaker at point guard for Rhode Island, was named first-team All-Atlantic in 2019, while Qudus Wahab, a former Georgetown big man, was one of the finest frontcourt players in the conference.
Oklahoma State Cowboys: Mike Boynton is obviously betting that highly regarded high school talents don’t suddenly become terrible after one year in college, since he has brought in four players who had left their former school following their freshmen seasons. Former five-star prospects Moussa Cisse (Memphis) and Bryce Thompson (Kansas), while Tyreek Smith (Texas Tech) and Woody Newton (Syracuse) also showed promise coming out of high school.
Houston Cougars: The Cougars returned to the transfer market this spring after having success with players like Quentin Grimes, DeJon Jarreau, Justin Gorham, and others. Transfer to Texas Tech Kyler Edwards is the main attraction; he averaged double digits in each of his seasons at Lubbock and is a dangerous shooter. Bakersfield’s Taze Moore was a first-team all-league selection, while UConn transfer Josh Carlton is a great match for Houston’s offensive rebounding skills.
Texas Tech Red Raiders: For new head coach Mark Adams, it was a story of two springs. He tried to persuade a few players to remain in Lubbock, but he was able to say goodbye to Kyler Edwards, Micah Peavy, and Jamarius Burton. The Red Raiders, on the other hand, have rebuilt in recent months to the point that they’re currently in the preseason top 25. Kevin Obanor (Oral Roberts) is the best of the group, but Davion Warren (Hampton) was the runner-up for Big South Player of the Year, and Bryson Williams (UTEP), Adonis Arms (Winthrop), and Sardaar Calhoun (Florida State) will also have an effect in the NCAA tournament.
Gators of Florida: While each player put up excellent scoring statistics, Mike White’s transfer quartet may be the finest defensive class in the nation. CJ Felder (Boston College) was one of the top defensive players in the ACC, blocking 2.2 shots per game; Phlandrous Fleming Jr. (Charleston Southern) was named Big South Defensive Player of the Year; and Brandon McKissic (UMKC) was named Summit League Defensive Player of the Year. Oh, and at Penn State, Myreon Jones averaged 15.3 points per game while shooting almost 40% from three-point range.
Mississippi State Bulldogs: I believe Mississippi State can make a preseason top 25 case, mostly due to the Bulldogs’ transfer class. Garrison Brooks, a North Carolina transfer, was the preseason ACC Player of the Year last season and will want to build on that success this season. D.J. Jeffries (Memphis) and Rocket Watts (Michigan State) were both rated in our top 60. NC State’s Shakeel Moore completes the lineup.
TCU Horned Frogs: The Horned Frogs still might struggle next season, but they quietly had a successful spring. Emanuel Miller (Texas A&M) and Micah Peavy (Texas Tech) were both top-100 transfers, while Shahada Wells was a second-team all-Sun Belt selection at UT-Arlington. Maxwell Evans (Vanderbilt) and Damion Baugh (Memphis) are high-major players, and Xavier Cork (Western Carolina) put up double-figures.
Louisville Cardinals: Chris Mack needed to replace his two best players from last season, Carlik Jones and David Johnson, so he turned to the transfer portal for top-100 transfers Mason Faulkner (Western Carolina), Jarrod West (Marshall), Noah Locke (Florida), and Matt Cross (Florida) (Miami).
LSU Tigers: With Cameron Thomas, Trendon Watford, and Javonte Smart all heading to the NBA, there are a few scoring positions open in Baton Rouge. Adam Miller, a former top-30 prospect, and Missouri transfer Xavier Pinson (13.6 PPG) likely start in the backcourt, while Tari Eason showed potential at Cincinnati.
Virginia Cavaliers: With a dearth of proven college production and experience, Tony Bennett’s team has some major question marks heading into next season, but two top-50 transfer arrivals could help. The past three seasons at East Carolina, Jayden Gardner was one of the most prolific players in the nation, while at Indiana, Armaan Franklin averaged 11.4 points per game and shot 42 percent from 3-point range.
Seton Hall Pirates: The Pirates are flying under the radar heading into the season, but their trio of transfer arrivals should all contribute. Jamir Harris averaged 20.5 points per game at American, while Alexis Yetna was a steady performer at South Florida, but former Syracuse guard Kadary Richmond inspires the most hope. In ESPN’s transfer rankings, he was ranked No. 37 and has a lot of promise.
Illinois Fighting Illini: After first entering the transfer portal, they persuaded Kofi Cockburn to return to Champaign. That’s enough to make you a winner on its own. Brad Underwood, on the other hand, acquired Power 5 transfers Omar Payne (Florida) and Alfonso Plummer (California) (Utah). It far offsets the loss of starting guard Adam Miller, who transferred to LSU.
Kermit Davis is bringing in three experienced Power 5 players, who could help the Rebels get out to a fast start. After departing Duke after his freshman season, Jaemyn Brakefield was a top-50 transfer who showed glimpses in Durham. Nysier Brooks was another top-100 transfer who excelled at both Miami and Cincinnati. Then there’s Tye Fagan, who led Georgia with 9.2 points per game.
SMU Mustangs: After COVID-19 delays interrupted their pursuit for an NCAA tournament bid last season, I anticipate the Mustangs to go all out this season, thanks to their transfer acquisitions. Tim Jankovich did lose Tyson Jolly, Ethan Chargois, Darius McNeill, and Yor Anei, but the incoming transfer quartet is much better. At Sam Houston State, Zach Nutall won the Southland Player of the Year, while Marcus Weathers was a second-team All-Atlantic forward at Duquesne. Michael Weathers, Weathers’ brother, was a prolific scorer at Texas Southern. It will be a bonus if Tristan Clark is healthy and can reclaim his form from a couple of seasons ago at Baylor.
Kevin Kruger of the UNLV Rebels isn’t wasting any time in attempting to turn things around in the desert. While he secured seven transfers, persuading Bryce Hamilton to leave the gateway was probably his most significant victory. Mike Nuga, a Kent State transfer, will create an explosive perimeter combination with Hamilton. Kruger also added four Big 12 transfers, including Royce Hamm Jr. (Texas), Victor Iwuakor (Oklahoma), Jordan McCabe (West Virginia), and Donovan Williams (Texas), as well as Lamar’s David Muoka and Hawaii’s Justin Webster.
San Diego State Aztecs: The Aztecs are losing a few important players from one of the greatest two-year runs in the nation the past two seasons, but Brian Dutcher is also bringing in a guy who should be one of the best in the Mountain West right away. Matt Bradley, who averaged 18.0 points per game at California last season, is a fantastic outside shooter. That’s not all, however. Chad Baker (9.5 points per game at Duquesne), Tahirou Diabate (9.6 points per game at Portland in 2019-20), and Jaedon LeDee (5.8 points per game at TCU) are all on the roster.
Iona Gaels: In his first season at Iona, Rick Pitino worked his magic, and it’s spilled over to the recruiting trail. Tyson Jolly, who averaged 14.5 points and 9.3 points in two seasons at SMU, and Elijah Joiner, who averaged 11.3 points at Tulsa, were the two guys he targeted in the AAC. Pitino also added Louisville transfer Quinn Slazinski to his roster as a rotation player. For the Gaels, all three might start straight away.
UAB Blazers: Andy Kennedy led the Blazers to a 22-game winning streak in his first season, and he hopes to continue it in year two. He’s bringing in six new players, five of whom have played in a top-seven league. Past season, KJ Buffen started 21 games for Ole Miss; Auburn’s Jamal Johnson was a prolific 3-point shooter; Josh LeBlanc Sr. played 25 games for LSU in 2020-21; Tulane’s Jordan Walker was second in the AAC in assists; and Justin Brown started 53 games for South Florida the last two seasons. Tyreke Locure, who averaged 13.5 points per game at South Alabama previous season, isn’t among them.
Stony Brook Seawolves: Getting Elijah Olaniyi back after a season at Miami might have been enough to get the Seawolves on this list; Olaniyi was a first-team all-America East selection in 2019-20 after averaging 18.0 points per game, and he also scored in double figures for the Hurricanes last season. Geno Ford also signed Anthony Roberts, who averaged 12.7 points per game for St. Bonaventure in 2019-20, and Jahlil Jenkins, a two-time all-league guard who averaged 16.8 points per game at Fairleigh Dickinson.
Loyola Marymount Lions: In his first season as head coach, Stan Johnson has the Lions on the rise in the WCC, guiding them to a surprise third-place finish. And now LMU is seeing a surge in talent. It was a steal to get All-Big Sky guard Cameron Shelton (19.2 points per game), while Alex Merkviladze (10.0 points per game, 7.0 rebounds per game) was prolific at Cal State Northridge and Kwane Marble II (9.5 points per game, 4.1 assists per game) came on strong late in the season at Wyoming. Gary Harris Jr., a move from Siena, has also joined the team.
Charlotte 49ers: The 49ers fell apart down the stretch last season, but the talent they’ve brought in via the portal should prevent a collapse in 2021-22. Ron Sanchez landed three Power 5 transfers: Clemson’s Clyde Trapp, Syracuse’s Robert Braswell and Ohio State’s Musa Jallow. He also went out and landed productive wing Austin Butler, who averaged 16.1 points and 8.8 rebounds at Holy Cross, as well as Texas A&M-Corpus Christi transfer Perry Francois.
San Diego Toreros: After two disappointing seasons, the Toreros needed to improve their squad, which they accomplished this summer. Last season, Denver’s Jase Townsend averaged 19.2 points per game, while Sam Houston State’s Bryce Monroe was named the Southland Freshman of the Year. Terrell Brown (Pittsburgh) is an excellent shot-blocker up top, while Marcellus Earlington has been a reliable player at St. John’s for the last two seasons. T.J. Smith, a Georgetown transfer, was also added. Berger.
Michael Fly faces a critical season with the Eagles, and the transfer acquisitions will likely decide how successful they are in 2021-22. Fortunately for Fly, he’s bringing in three double-figure scorers and a transfer on the verge of breaking into the top 100. Tavian Dunn-Martin averaged 10.2 points per game for Duquesne, 12.0 points per game for McNeese State, and 12.1 points per game for Western Carolina. TCU’s Kevin Samuel, a 6-foot-11 center who was one of the greatest defensive players in the Big 12, and Tulsa’s Austin Richie, who started 11 games for the Golden Hurricane last season, may be the two finest acquisitions.
Remy Martin’s performance in a Kansas uniform will be closely watched. USA TODAY Sports/Joe Camporeale
For a title race, I’ve included a missing player.
Kansas Jayhawks: After losing Marcus Garrett, Bill Self needed a point guard to put the Jayhawks in contention for a national title. So he went out and signed Arizona State’s Remy Martin, a two-time first-team All-Pac-12 guard. Martin, who averaged 19.1 points and 3.7 assists last season, is a dynamic and quick playmaker at the point of attack for the Jayhawks.
Scott Baylor, Baylor Bears Last season, Drew had the greatest backcourt in NCAA basketball, but all three starting guards left. James Akinjo, a top-15 transfer who earned first-team All-Pac-12 accolades during his lone season with the Wildcats, enters the fray. He had his finest season ever, averaging 15.6 points, 5.4 assists, and 40.8 percent shooting from the three-point line.
Michigan Wolverines: The Wolverines, like the two other teams in this group, needed a lift at point guard this summer. DeVante’ Jones, the Sun Belt Player of the Year and one of the finest two-way players in the nation last season, was signed by Juwan Howard. Jones made an impact during NBA tryouts and finished last season with 19.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 2.8 steals per game.
UCLA Bruins: UCLA returns every player from last season’s NCAA tournament run, although the Bruins were undermanned at times down low. There may not have been a better choice to fill that position than Rutgers graduate transfer Myles Johnson, who averaged 8.5 rebounds and 2.4 blocks as one of the greatest defensive players in the Big Ten.
Mixed bag
North Carolina Tar Heels: Few teams have brought in a frontcourt combination as prolific as Dawson Garcia, a former McDonald’s All-American from Marquette, and Brady Manek, an Oklahoma four-year producer. Few teams, though, have lost a frontcourt combination as talented as Garrison Brooks, the ACC Player of the Year last season, and Walker Kessler, a former five-star prospect who showed glimpses late in the season in Chapel Hill. Hubert Davis, the new head coach, also signed Virginia transfer Justin McKoy.
South Alabama Jaguars: Richie Riley is always busy in the portal, and this spring continued that trend. He went out and landed six high-major transfers, highlighted by Texas A&M transfer Jay Jay Chandler. Lance Thomas (Memphis), Tyrell Jones (Auburn), Javon Franklin (Auburn), Charles Manning Jr. (LSU) and Diante Smith (TCU) joined that group. The Jaguars also signed double-double threat Emanuel Littles from North Alabama, as well as high-scoring all-league wing Greg Parham from VMI. To make room for the newcomers, out the door went the team’s top three scorers, including first-team All-Sun Belt guard Michael Flowers, who took his 21.0 points to Washington State.
UT Martin Skyhawks: When Ryan Ridder was hired from Bethune-Cookman, it wasn’t an easy position for him to take over. The Skyhawks’ 2019-20 roster saw 19 players join the transfer portal, 14 of whom arrived after the season finished. Ridder had to essentially start from the ground up. So he walked out and reloaded seven transfers via the gateway. Darius Simmons, a Division II transfer who averaged 18.2 points and shot more than 40% from three-point range the past two seasons at Lenoir-Rhyne, may be the best of the group.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons: Steve Forbes restructured the Demon Deacons’ roster this summer, and given that the team hasn’t won more than six league games since 2017, they may as well be in the “winners” category. Wake Forest lost seven players to the portal, but was able to replace them with two NCAA tournament starters, Dallas Walton (Colorado) and Alondes Williams (Oklahoma), as well as second-team All-Missouri Valley forward Jake LaRavia. Khadim Sy of Ole Miss adds size.
Tom Crean is about to embark on a pivotal year at Georgia. Is his roster capable of taking the Bulldogs to the next level? Icon Sportswire/Michael Wade
Losers
Georgia Bulldogs: Tom Crean landed a few of potential portal players, but he’ll have to replace a lot of skill. Sahvir Wheeler (Kentucky), K.D. Johnson (Auburn), Toumani Camara (Dayton), Justin Kier (Arizona), Tye Fagan (Ole Miss), Andrew Garcia (Kent State), and Christian Brown (Tennessee State) all departed the SEC.
Boston College Eagles: The Eagles’ top four scorers from last season have graduated: Jay Heath (14.5 points per game) signed with Arizona State, Wynston Tabbs (13.3 points per game) with East Carolina, Rich Kelly (11.0 points per game) with UMass, and key defender CJ Felder (9.7 points per game) with Florida.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights: Jacob Young, Montez Mathis, and Myles Johnson, three players who were a part of one of the greatest two-year runs in school history, have all left. Top-50 transfers include Young (Oregon) and Johnson (UCLA), while Mathis (St. John’s) will be expected to make an instant impact at a nearby rival.
Minnesota Golden Gophers: New head coach Ben Johnson did a great job bringing in an outstanding five-man crop of mid-major transfers this summer, but he had to replace almost the whole team from previous season. Marcus Carr (Texas), perhaps the most skilled transfer of the spring, joined fellow starters Liam Robbins (Vanderbilt), Brandon Johnson (DePaul), Both Gach (Utah), and Gabe Kalscheur (Iowa State), as well as important rotation players Jamal Mashburn Jr. (New Mexico) and Tre’ Williams (Iowa State) (Oregon State).
Pittsburgh Panthers: The most devastating personnel loss was Justin Champagnie’s departure for the NBA draft, but the productive backcourt combination of Au’diese Toney (14.4 PPG, Arkansas) and Xavier Johnson (14.2 PPG, Indiana) will be difficult to replace as well. With the loss of three bench players, Jeff Capel has lost frontcourt depth.
South Florida Bulls: The Bulls struggled last season, finishing 9-13, but three starters — David Collins (Clemson), Michael Durr (Indiana), and Alexis Yetna (Seton Hall) — transferred to high-major programs, while two other important players — Justin Brown (UAB) and Xavier Castaneda (Akron) — left.
Marquette Golden Eagles: I like the additions of Darryl Morsell, the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, and Tyler Kolek, a potential scorer from George Mason, but Shaka Smart lost all five players from last season, including four to the portal. Early in the offseason, Weber State’s Koby McEwen, Duke’s Theo John, and Oakland’s Jamal Cain all departed, but it was Dawson Garcia’s departure to North Carolina in July that was the most devastating.
Tad Boyle of the Colorado Buffaloes didn’t had much success with the transfer portal this spring. Not only did he lose Jeriah Horne (10.8 points per game), D’Shawn Schwartz (9.3 points per game), and Dallas Walton (6.5 points per game) to Tulsa, George Mason, and Wake Forest, respectively, but he also had Western Carolina transfer Mason Faulkner re-enter the portal in early August after picking the Buffaloes a few months before. Faulkner, a SoCon all-conference guard, arrived at Louisville in the end.
Utah Utes: Craig Smith was able to offset some of the losses, but it will be difficult to replace four players who transferred to Power 5 schools. Texas’ Timmy Allen was named first-team all-Pac-12 and was one of the top five transfers in the nation, while Florida’s Alfonso Plummer averaged 13.6 points per game. Pelle Larsson is expected to start for conference foe Arizona, while Ian Martinez has transferred to Maryland.
Eastern Washington Eagles: After dominating the Big Sky and giving Kansas a scare in the NCAA tournament, the Eagles’ season came to an end. Shantay Legans has departed for Portland, and all seven players who played more than three minutes versus Kansas have gone via the transfer portal. Tanner Groves, the Big Sky Player of the Year, was the most notable departure; he and his brother, Jacob, both went to Oklahoma. Kim Aiken Jr., the Defensive Player of the Year, went to Arizona, and three other players followed Legans to Portland.
Green Bay Phoenix: They went 8-8 in the second half of the season after losing their three top players to the portal after losing their first nine games. Will Ryan has a tough task in year two after Amari Davis (17.2 PPG), Josh Jefferson (14.8 PPG), and PJ Pipes (14.5 PPG) all transferred following the season.
Ball State Cardinals: Last season, James Whitford’s squad showed glimpses, including a victory against Toledo and three consecutive victories in late February and early March, but then lost all three of their double-figure scorers to the portal. Ishmael El-Amin, a second-team All-MAC guard, went to Rhode Island, K.J. Walton, an honorable mention pick, went to Akron, and Jarrett Coleman, a reliable scorer, went to Missouri.
Pat Kelsey was one of the better coaching choices in the coaching carousel, but he was thrust into a tough situation. Only Brenden Tucker and Osinachi Smart returned from last season’s rotation, with only a handful of players opting to move. Zep Jasper (Auburn), Payton Willis (Minnesota), Brevin Galloway (Boston College), and others walked out the door. Kelsey rebounded with a pair of excellent signings in Bucknell’s John Meeks and Radford’s Fah’Mir Ali.
Each year, the NCAA men’s basketball transfer season opens up, and this year is no different. With sophomore guards Kyrie Irving and Brandon Ingram leaving Duke and Kentucky, respectively, for the NBA, and freshmanpieces like Frank Mason III and Donovan Mitchell defying expectations to lead their teams to the Final Four, players across the country are eyeing college basketball’s transfer market.. Read more about ncaa men’s basketball transfer portal 2021 and let us know what you think.
Related Tags
This article broadly covered the following related topics:
- college basketball transfer rankings for 2021-22
- college basketball transfer portal 2021
- ncaa women’s basketball transfer portal 2021-2022
- ncaa men’s basketball transfer portal 2021
- college basketball transfer portal 2022
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