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College basketball transfer portal: How ex-USC prized recruit Tre White fits with top suitors – 247Sports
USC transfer Tre White was one of the best freshmen in the Pac-12 this past season, and the 6-foot-7, 210-pound wing has racked up a long list of suitors after entering the NCAA transfer portal. White started 29 games for USC last season and averaged 9.0 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.0 assists. White shot 52.5% on 2s, 69% at the free-throw line and knocked down 13 shots from 3-point range.
White shot 63% at the rim using heady drives and well-timed cuts. White showcased the ability to create his own offense as a secondary play-maker, and he was a relentless offensive rebounder for Andy Enfield. But he has room to grow as a shooter both off the catch and off the bounce.
The former top-35 recruit in the 2022 class is a big-time athlete with elite defensive versatility. White has skyrocketed up the list of available two-way wings in the college basketball transfer portal.
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Here is how White would fit with the schools that are in the mix:
Boston College: Demarr Langford entered the portal and Makai Ashton-Langford is out of eligibility, so Earl Grant needs a talent upgrade alongside Jaeden Zackery and Quinten Post.
St. John’s: New coach Rick Pitino is building the St. John’s roster from scratch, and the Johnnies don’t have a weapon like White in the mix, yet. Playing at Madison Square Garden for a player-development savant like Pitino could be very mesmerizing for White’s NBA dreams.
Georgetown: Ed Cooley’s resume with transfers speaks for itself, and Georgetown has oodles of minutes and shots available on the wing.
Washington State: Washington State has a big hole on the wing after TJ Bamba transferred to Villanova. White could earn a much bigger offensive role and operate as Wazzu’s defensive stopper.
Texas Tech: New coach Grant McCasland is off to a good start with the additions of Grand Canyon transfer Chance McMillian and Nevada transfer Darrion Williams, who was the Mountain West Freshman of the Year. But White would not be blocked by McMillian or Williams and could form a young, intriguing batch of multi-positional defenders that Texas Tech needs if it has any hope of competing for a Big 12 title.
Texas A&M: White fits the prototype of the Dexter Dennis replacement. Texas A&M has elite point guard play and a roster built to win. But a long, rangy forward who can guard everybody and get after it in transition would be the missing link for the Aggies’ SEC championship hopes.
Arizona State: Playing with an electric point guard like Frankie Collins and sniper like Adam Miller could be attractive for White if he wants to stay in the Pac-12. Arizona State’s frenetic pace could unlock White’s tantalizing transition capabilities.
Washington: If Mike Hopkins wants to keep playing a 2-3 zone, White’s length and knack for getting deflections would make a lot of sense. White would walk into UW and immediately become Keion Brooks’ top running mate.
Oklahoma: Rivaldo Soares, Javian McCollum and John Hugley are a big talent surge for Oklahoma, but the Sooners need a Jalen Hill replacement and White would fit that mold flawlessly.
Oklahoma State: Mike Boynton is desperate for some reinforcements. Oklahoma State has a ton of open vacancies if White wants to showcase he’s more than just a really good role player. Oklahoma State was heavily involved with White during his original recruitment.
Texas: The opportunity at Texas speaks for itself, and Rodney Terry is empowered with plenty of resources to make White’s time in Austin worth his while. Texas can offer immediate playing time regardless of Dillon Mitchell’s stay-or-go, NBA Draft decision.
Indiana: The Hoosiers missed out on Dalton Knecht (who picked Tennessee), so Indiana could really use a dynamic wing. White isn’t an elite jump shooter yet, which could be a concern in IU’s current roster construction, but the defensive upside of White teaming up with Trey Galloway and Xavier Johnson is obvious.
Alabama: This would be an interesting fit for White. His lack of proven 3-point shooting (at this moment) goes against Nate Oats’ no-midrange offensive gameplan. But the athleticism and defense speak for themselves. So does the rim pressure. Alabama’s guards could be awfully small, so a big wing like White could cover up the gaps.
Arkansas: The Razorbacks are awaiting a stay-or-go decision from Jordan Walsh. If the defensive menace opts to stay in the NBA Draft, it could have room for a big wing like White. If Walsh returns for a sophomore year, Arkansas would likely be out of the White sweepstakes.
Arizona: Courtney Ramey is out of eligibility, Azuolas Tubelis is expected to pursue professional opportunities and Adama Ball (Santa Clara) and Kerr Kriisa (West Virginia) transferred, so Tommy Lloyd has to retool around Oumar Ballo, Pelle Larsson and Kylan Boswell. White would be one heck of an addition, and his cutting would be spotlighted often in Lloyd’s scheme.
Louisville: White would immediately become one of the most-proven players on the roster, which says more about the rest of the Louisville lineup than White.
Nebraska: The Huskers have made big strides in the NIL market, so it’s no surprise they are in the mix for a talented piece like White. Nebraska could surround White with plenty of shooting if Keisei Tominaga comes back (as expected) and Charlotte transfer Brice Williams lives up to the hype.
LSU: LSU has made major waves in the portal with Carlos Stewart, Will Baker, Jordan Wright and Jalen Cook coming to Death Valley. But Matt McMahon doesn’t have the bouncy, athletic forward that the SEC is jam-packed with.
Auburn: Auburn is pushing for Florida State transfer Matthew Cleveland, but if it misses out, White would be a fantastic pivot. Auburn has a starting spot to sell, and Bruce Pearl can use the quick NBA success of Walker Kessler and Jabari Smith to make a strong impression in the portal.
Georgia: Mike White is in the process of building something really interesting defensively if White chooses to join the Dawgs. RJ Melendez, Jalen Deloach and White would upgrade the athleticism and switchability on the Georgia roster.
Kentucky: Jacob Toppin is off to the NBA Draft and Chris Livingston is going through the pre-draft process, so John Calipari has plenty of available minutes for a talented wing like White.
Ohio State: Malaki Branham and Brice Sensabaugh have transformed into first-round picks in back-to-back seasons under Chris Holtmann. Ohio State might not have a 28% usage rate available for White, but the Buckeyes would be in the Big Ten championship hunt if White wanted to link up with Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle Jr., Jamison Battle, Dale Bonner, Zed Key, Felix Okpara and a fantastic recruiting class.
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