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College basketball transfer portal: Hunter Dickinson, Kel'el Ware headline top available bigs – 247Sports
The 2022 transfer portal didn’t feature a ton of elite big men, which made players like Johni Broome (Auburn), Efton Reid (Gonzaga), Fardaws Aimaq (Texas Tech) and Brandon Huntley-Hatfield (Louisville) big priorities for the teams who desperately needed to upgrade their respective frontcourts. Turns out, Miami got the best one of them all in Arkansas State transfer Norchad Omier, who averaged 13.1 points, 10.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists and helped guide the Hurricanes all the way to the Final Four.
But the 2023 cycle is far more stacked with “free agent” big men.
Plenty of squads who have big, bad intentions for 2023-24 are trying to land a big fish out of the transfer portal to bolster their frontcourts. Kansas coach Bill Self wouldn’t mind getting a back-to-the-basket weapon after eking through the 2022-23 campaign with 6-foot-7 KJ Adams Jr. starting at center. Duke could look to the transfer portal to replace starting center Dereck Lively II, too.
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Here are the top available big men and the latest intel on where they could be headed.
Stats: 18.5 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 1.5 APG
Hunter Dickinson is as accomplished as any player to ever enter the transfer portal. The Michigan star has dozens of suitors from heavy-hitters throughout the country, but the ball is in Dickinson’s court. Michigan made a big splash by landing UNC guard Caleb Love and Seton Hall forward Tray Jackson out of the transfer portal. Returning to Michigan could save Dickinson from being a villain in Ann Arbor, but pitches from Kentucky, Arkansas, Kansas, Georgetown, Maryland and many others could be hard to pass up.
Stats: 6.6 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 0.5 APG, 1.3 BPG
Kel’el Ware is undoubtedly dripping with talent. The 7-footer defies physics with his silky-smooth game. Ware has the frame and the skill to cash NBA paychecks for a hot minute. But his freshman season at Oregon was anything but smooth. Ware is hoping that a new home could unlock his sky-high potential. Indiana hosted Ware for a visit, and Mike Woodson has plenty of opportunity to sell with Trayce Jackson-Davis moving onto the professional ranks. The Hoosiers seem to hold the inside track, but things can change on a dime in the transfer portal.
Stats: 19.5 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 1.3 APG
Graham Ike led Wyoming to the 2022 NCAA Tournament by averaging 19.5 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists in his first full collegiate season. The 6-foot-9, 255-pound center was a foul-drawing, rebound-hunting monster last season, but the preseason Mountain West Player of the Year missed the entire 2022-23 season with a lower right leg injury. Ike hopes to regain that star form in 2023-24. At this point, the list of teams that have contacted Ike might be longer than a receipt from Target.
Stats: 6.2 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 0.6 APG
Virginia transfer big man Kadin Shedrick’s stats are not gaudy, but the list of coaches who have contacted him sure is. Dozens of high-major programs have reached out to Shedrick after he totaled 6.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game for Virginia this past season.
But Shedrick’s playing time fluctuated all year. In mid-November, the 6-foot-11, 231-pound center played 32 minutes and scored 17 points in Virginia’s 86-79 win over then-No. 5 Baylor. During the middle of ACC play, Shedrick was buried on the bench. When Ben Vander Plas suffered a season-ending hand injury, Shedrick stepped back into the UVA starting lineup and dominated Furman with 15 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks in the NCAA Tournament.
Virginia’s efficiency numbers on both ends of the floor ballooned with Shedrick in the game. Opponents shot 57% at the rim against UVA when Shedrick was on the bench, according to Hoop Explorer. The effectiveness at the rim dipped dramatically to 48.3% when Shedrick was in the game. Shedrick’s 10.5% block rate and 3% steal rate make for lights-out stuff on the defensive end.
Stats: 7.6 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 1.2 APG, 2.3 BPG
Micah Handlogten has quickly become a major priority for high-majors. Handlogten has three years of eligibility remaining, so with the NCAA’s new rule limiting two-time transfers, the 7-foot-1 center could be a multi-year rotation player. Florida coach Todd Golden put together a detailed sell for Handlogten to replace All-SEC big man Colin Castleton, and the Gators just hosted Handlogten for an official visit. But the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year is also considering NC State, Auburn, Georgia, Indiana, Missouri, Virginia and Arkansas.
Stats: 17.4 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 2.3 APG, 2.6 BPG
Jordan Minor put up gaudy stats at Merrimack and was named Co-NEC Player of the Year and the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year too. The 6-foot-8, 240-pound forward has generated a boatload of interest. Virginia hosted Minor for an official visit Friday.
“For me obviously I want a place that I’m able to impact winning at a high level and find a spot where minutes are available so I can put in that work in the spring and summer to earn those minutes,” Minor told 247Sports’ Dushawn London. “For this last year, I really want to develop and turn into more of a pro than I already am.”
Stats: 19.4 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 2.1 APG
Vanderbilt, Notre Dame, Grand Canyon, Nebraska and Iowa are all in the mix for Valparaiso star Ben Krikke. The 6-foot-9, 235-pound veteran averaged at least 12 points and four rebounds in each of the past three seasons. Krikke is not much of a 3-point sniper (43 career treys in 122 games), but he was one of college basketball’s premier back-to-the-basket scorers this past season. Krikke rated in the 94th percentile in post-up efficiency, averaging a whopping 1.132 points per possession. Iowa leads on the 247Sports Crystal Ball.
Stats: 10.8 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 2.0 APG
It was a little surprising to see Olivier Nkamhoua enter the transfer portal just days after erupting for 30 points in Tennessee’s big win over Duke to advance to the Sweet 16. The graduate transfer had flashes of dominance throughout the 2022-23 campaign. The Duke game was no mirage. He also torched Texas for 27 points. Nkamhoua isn’t a dynamic 3-point specialist, but he shot 13 for 29 (44.8%) on unguarded catch-and-shoot 3-pointers for the Vols last season. Nkamhoua did most of his damage off post-ups and with prudent off-ball cutting. Arizona is a major player for the versatile frontcourt piece.
Yohan Traore entered the transfer portal after a frustrating first season at Auburn. The former five-star prospect averaged just 2.1 points and 1.4 rebounds in 25 games played for the Tigers. Traore could not crack a significant role in Auburn’s frontcourt rotation. The 6-foot-10, 225-pounder has a chance to be a rim-running, dunk-everything big man with the right system. Landing at a spot with an impact point guard could be just what the doctor ordered for Traore. Alabama, Memphis, UCLA, Michigan, Oklahoma, St. John’s, Oklahoma, DePaul, TCU, NC State, Cincinnati, Arizona State, LSU, UCF, St. Louis and UC Santa Barbara have all reached out.
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