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College basketball transfer portal: Hofstra's Aaron Estrada cancels FSU visit, considering Alabama and others – 247Sports
Former Hofstra guard Aaron Estrada, one of the top available players in the NCAA transfer portal, canceled his planned visit to Florida State, reports 247Sports’ Travis Branham. FSU had been among four finalists for the 4-star transfer, including Alabama, Cincinnati and Kansas State. Estrada ranks as the No. 16 player in the transfer portal in college basketball and the No. 7 uncommitted transfer.
Estrada is the reigning back-to-back Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year after starring at Hofstra. This past season, the 6-foot-3 guard from New Jersey averaged 20.2 points per game with 5.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.5 steals while shooting 47.8% from the field, 36.8% from 3-point range and 80.9% from the free-throw line. The Pride went 25-10 with Estrada leading the charge, winning the CAA regular season before falling to UNC Wilmington in the conference tournament.
As such, Hofstra missed the NCAA Tournament and headed to the NIT. The Pride upset Rutgers in the first round on the road last month, then lost to Cincinnati in the second round as the season came to an end.
Alabama needs to replace the scoring punch of Brandon Miller, who declared for the 2023 NBA Draft and widely projects as a top-five pick. Jaden Bradley entered the transfer portal, while Mark Sears and Jahvon Quinerly declared for the draft while maintaining their collegiate eligibility. Depending on how things play out over the next six weeks, coach Nate Oats could have a lot of production to replace.
Kansas State, meanwhile, loses star point guard Markquis Nowell and thus needs more play-making in the backcourt. Coach Jerome Tang hasn’t been shy about using the transfer portal during his tenure with the Wildcats.
Cincinnati has made gradual improvements in its first two seasons under coach Wes Miller but will be under pressure to make the NCAA Tournament next spring. The Bearcats could use another experienced guard with David DeJulius out of eligibility.
In the first year of the portal windows, the college basketball transfer portal began March 13 and runs until May 11.
Numerous graduate transfers already entered the transfer portal prior to the March 13 opening, but that date kicked off the 60-day window for the rest of the prospective transfers to hop in the portal to examine their options. The one-time transfer rule is still intact, per usual. If a player has not transferred yet, they are immediately eligible.
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Name, image and likeness is going to be a factor in the transfer portal. It’s no coincidence that some of the teams who continue to dominate the transfer portal also have structured NIL opportunities set up.
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