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TCU lands Delaware transfer Jameer Nelson Jr. from college basketball transfer portal – 247Sports
Just days after All-Big 12 guard Mike Miles Jr. announced he was entering his name into the 2023 NBA Draft, TCU coach Jamie Dixon landed an heir apparent to the vacant point guard spot. TCU reeled in prized Delaware transfer guard Jameer Nelson Jr. Saturday, according to a report by CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein. Nelson was the No. 4-rated player in the transfer portal after averaging 20.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game for Delaware. Nelson was one of the most sought-after players in the transfer portal, but he kept his top options close to the vest before hopping on board with TCU.
Nelson shot 52.5% on 2s, 30.2% on 3s and 78.1% from the charity stripe in 2022-23. Nelson shot 35.3% from 3-point range in 2021-22.
The 6-foot-1, 200-point point guard had a 28% assist rate in conference play last season, and graded out in the 75th percentile in pick-and-roll efficiency, according to Synergy. Nelson averaged 0.884 points per possession in 241 pick-and-rolls last season and will be more than comfortable shouldering the heavy, lead-guard role. Both Miles and Nelson have plenty of similarities, so Nelson’s fit with TCU looks flawless on paper.
It’s a big win for Dixon and the Horned Frogs both on and off the court.
Adding a dazzling talent like Nelson could improve TCU’s sell to senior starters Damion Baugh and Emanuel Miller. Both Baugh and Miller could choose to return to TCU for a fifth season. With Miles out of the mix, TCU’s hopes to compete for a Big 12 Championship looked hairy, at best. With Nelson in the fold, TCU could be one of the best teams in the Big 12 (and the rest of the country) next season and build off back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances.
Nelson –– the son of long-time NBA guard Jameer Nelson –– is just the second top-10 transfer to come off the board, joining JJ Starling who entered the transfer portal at Notre Dame and landed at Syracuse a day later.
In the first year of the portal windows, the college basketball transfer portal opened on 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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