Quick thoughts on top 100 players in the college basketball transfer portal – 247Sports

The college basketball transfer portal takes absolutely zero days off. Here are 100 (quick) thoughts on the top 100 players in the transfer portal.
1. Hunter Dickinson’s meh 10.6% assist rate last season doesn’t indicate just how good of a passer he is. Every Dickinson post-up usually generated a really good look for either himself or a mediocre-shooting Michigan club.
2. Major questions have to be asked if Kel’el Ware cannot take a big jump at Indiana with a pick-and-roll maestro point guard like Xavier Johnson.
3. I’d be stunned if Taran Armstrong plays another second of college basketball.
4. Fascinated by how Jesse Edwards defends pick-and-rolls on the perimeter at West Virginia after looming in the lane at the back line of Syracuse’s 2-3 zone.
5. JJ Starling’s 2023-24 impact can’t be properly projected until Judah Mintz makes his stay-or-go, NBA Draft decision. But Starling’s process of picking Syracuse makes a whole lot of sense. The former ballyhooed recruit needed to go to a place where he can make decisions (and mistakes). Syracuse offers him that opportunity.
6. LJ Cryer is an offseason winner all by himself for Houston. Losing Tramon Mark is a significant loss, but Cryer is a flaming dynamo of buckets. That’s exactly what Houston needs to puncture tough Big 12 defenses.
7. Love everything about the Jameer Nelson Jr.-to-TCU fit. Slam dunk for both sides. He is the perfect Mike Miles Jr. replacement.
8. Texas landing Max Abmas was an enormous victory for Rodney Terry. Abmas’ sparkling 92% mark at the charity stripe is great. What’s more impressive? 5.2 free throw attempts per game. If he replicates that at Texas, the Longhorns will be in business.
9. The race between Ryan Nembhard and Saint Mary’s Aidan Mahaney for West Coast Conference Player of the Year is going to be a banger.
10. Javian McCollum missed one free throw in the final two months of the season. He has a chance to be a flat-out superstar at Oklahoma and Porter Moser is about to hand him the keys.
11. If Brandon Murray does not compete for All-SEC Defense next year (assuming he gets a waiver), then it’s a failure. Murray has all the tools to be one of the best wing defenders in the country. That’s his path to a long NBA career.
12. On paper, the fit between Dalton Knecht and Tennessee is a little complicated. A plodding offense with a lot of cooks in the kitchen? That’s iffy. But man, Knecht’s talent might be fit-proof. Tennessee got an absolute baller. Knecht is one of my favorite players in the portal.
13. Putting even more pressure on the rim has to be a priority for Caleb Love at Michigan. Love’s efficiency at the rim quietly improved from 52.5% in 2021-22 to 58.6% this past season. Another efficiency jump would be enormous.
14. Pound for pound, Ace Baldwin is as talented as any lead guard in the transfer portal. But it’s all the other stuff (competitive spirit, fire, work ethic, leadership) that makes him so special.
15. Khalif Battle shot over 46% on wide-open, catch-and-shoot 3s last year for Temple. That’s music to Arkansas’ ears.
16. Gonzaga’s Graham Ike–Ben Gregg frontline combination could be so scary.
17. Kadin Shedrick hasn’t hidden his frustrations with the way Virginia utilized him (or lack thereof) last season. Man, he better back it up at Texas.
18. Arkansas coach Eric Musselman will have a hard time putting Houston transfer Tramon Mark on the bench because he’s a hellacious defender both on and off the ball.
19. Aaron Estrada can absolutely make a run at SEC Player of the Year at ‘Bama.
20. Jordan Dingle would make a push for First Team All-Big East at St. John’s under Rick Pitino.
21. Tyrin Lawrence averaged 0.944 points per drive last season at Vanderbilt, according to Synergy.
22. RayJ Dennis had a monster 28.6% usage rate for a Toledo offense that ranked No. 60 in adjusted tempo, per KenPom. And he still had two or fewer turnovers in 25 of 34 games. The ball is the program, and Dennis refuses to cough it up.
23. Harrison Ingram‘s playmaking will be more valuable than whatever scoring pop he brings.
24. Matthew Cleveland‘s full repertoire has not even been showcased yet. Missouri, Auburn and Miami all make sense in many ways, but personally, Cleveland-to-Miami would be a match made in heaven.
25. Micah Handlogten was constructed in a lab to replace Colin Castleton at Florida.

26. TJ Bamba-to-Villanova gives Kyle Neptune one of the top collections of wings in the country alongside Hakim Hart and Justin Moore.
27. Hart added something a little different to his arsenal every single year at Maryland. He’s always been a solid catch-and-shoot piece, but last year, he developed a really efficient post-up game. Curious to see what the hardworking Hart adds to his toolbox next for his new Villanova squad. 
28. Nick Timberlake should only improve Kansas’ sell to Hunter Dickinson. Timberlake would be the best shooter Dickinson has ever played with in college.
29. Jayden Epps shot 72.6% at the rim last year, per CBB Analytics. He’s poised for a monster year under Ed Cooley.
30. RaeQuan Battle might end up being West Virginia’s second-best player when it’s all said and done.
31. Arterio Morris is one hefty gamble by Bill Self, and it makes so much sense. A realistic goal for Morris should be to earn All-Big 12 Defense Team honors.
32. Reuniting with Mark Madsen at Cal was a wise move for Texas Tech transfer Fardaws Aimaq. Literally everything went wrong last year, and returning to a familiar face can get Aimaq’s career on track.
33. Amaree Abram can be one of the best guards in the ACC next season at Georgia Tech.
34. Jamison Battle is a hand-in-glove fit for Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann. Less offensive responsibility should help Battle’s efficiency numbers to skyrocket.
35. The Jordan Minor addition makes up for Virginia losing some really talented front court pieces. Minor is a double-double machine.
36. Denver Jones is a foul-drawing machine. That’s exactly what Auburn needed from its new-look point guard room.
37. Steven Ashworth is not a better pure point guard than Nembhard, but the Utah State transfer is an absolute sniper who should have a boatload of success at Creighton. Losing a piece like Nembhard would be a dagger for any program, but Creighton should be just fine with Ashworth running the show. It’s a really similar scheme fit between Creighton and Utah State, too, so the learning curve should be easy.
38. It’s hard to find a better overall defender in the transfer portal than Jalen Hill. UNLV snagged a big-time piece.
39. Kowacie Reeves should have a longer leash at Georgia Tech. And if he embraces the value of smarter shot selection, then the Florida transfer should be a beast in the ACC.
40. Jaden Bradley can get to the rim against literally anyone. His start-stop is breathtaking.
41. Playing more off the ball might be a good thing for Joe Girard III who is down to LSU and Clemson.
42. The idea of what Jaylon Tyson can be one day is as tantalizing as any player in the portal.
43. Prized USC transfer Tre White should prioritize a place in the portal where he can make more decisions. There’s untapped potential to be a supersized playmaker.
44. David Jones’ nose for offensive rebounds is an added bonus, but that jumper still needs a lot of work.
45. Jalen Cook is going to get fouled a lot on his crafty step-back threes. LSU got a good one.
46. Take Purge: Kerr Kriisa and Bob Huggins are going to scream at each other publicly multiple times, and they are also going to love each other. Kriisa will run through a brick wall for Huggins by the end of the season.
47. Hopefully, Keyon Menifield has some patience. Even if he doesn’t get a huge role at Arkansas right away, there’s no reason why he can’t become one of the best guards in the SEC one day.
48. RJ Luis is sort of flying under the radar. If you need a wing, the UMass transfer is a high-floor, high-ceiling addition who could be a multi-year guy.
49. Ben Krikke is one of the Big Ten’s sneaky-great additions. Krikke does not miss gimmies. If he gets into the lane, it’s a bucket. Krikke shot 74% at the rim last year, and Iowa can surround him with a strong supporting cast.
50. Isaac Traudt is one heck-of-a insurance policy for Creighton if Ryan Kalkbrenner decides he’s done with college. The Virginia transfer flashed often during Virginia’s offseason Italy tour.
51. Olivier Nkamhoua not committing to Michigan when it had a wide-open front court seems to point toward the idea that the Tennessee transfer could be done with college basketball and will pursue a professional career. We’ll see.
52. Tylor Perry will be extremely productive if he chooses Kansas State. That’s a gem.
53. Aziz Bandaogo pops on film every. single. time. He’s so bouncy, he’s so engaged and he puts his chin on the rim effortlessly. Must be nice.
54. Houston coach Kelvin Sampson demands buy-in from the top guy on the roster to the walk-ons. Temple transfer Damian Dunn won’t have an issue with that. High-floor addition for the Cougars.
55. Mike Mitchell Jr. is the best lead guard prospect Minnesota has had in a hot minute.
56. Steele Venters is a sneaky big get for Gonzaga. He profiles as an elite catch-and-shoot assassin who can help replace the offensive gravity Julian Strawther possessed.
57. Kario Oquendo was a good pivot by the Oregon staff after missing out on Knecht.
58. Fascinated by how Tennessee uses Chris Ledlum in the event Josiah-Jordan James returns. Tennessee could be awfully old and experienced next year.
59. Kalib Boone was quietly fantastic at Oklahoma State last season and might have been the program’s best overall player. Boone is going to bolster UNLV’s new-look frontcourt in a massive way.
60. Jordan Wright is the steady, reliable role player LSU did not have last year.
61. Daniss Jenkins can play with literally anyone St. John’s goes after in the transfer portal. Great get for Pitino.

62. Going from Louisville to Arkansas should be like a swig of fresh cold water after a long run in the desert for El Ellis.
63. Despite the presence of studs like Will Richard and Riley Kugel, Iona transfer Walter Clayton Jr. will lead Florida in scoring.
64. Stanford’s Jared Bynum will be the best pure point guard Jerod Haase has had at Stanford.
65. Will Dayvion McKnight be the next Souley Boum? He’s got a shot to replicate Boum’s success at Xavier.
66. RJ Melendez can get the bigger role he craves at Georgia. But even with extra responsibility on offense, he has to find a way to keep his engine fully revved up on the defensive end, too.
67. Every 5-star seemingly wants to be a one-and-done, but MJ Rice could do some special things at NC State if he sticks around for multiple seasons.
68. Yohan Traore transferring down to UC Santa Barbara was incredibly wise. Traore needs reps and Joe Pasternack is a brilliant coach who can unlock the talented Frenchman.
69. Chance Westry-to-Syracuse was a phenomenal decision if Mintz opts to stay in the 2023 NBA Draft. Westry and Starling is a really fun backcourt that can take lumps and punch back together.
70. John Hugley has to keep his nose clean because if he does, there is an unlocked door for a massive role at Oklahoma.
71. Don’t let Austin Nunez’s so-so counting numbers deceive you. He’s going to be Beard’s next great lead guard.

72. Oodles of opportunity awaits Skyy Clark in the wide-open Louisville backcourt. Are minutes the most important or
73. Reese Dixon-Waters was a UCLA lean for a minute, but picking San Diego State was astute. Dixon-Waters should have every opportunity to improve his stock for the Aztecs.
74. Jayden Taylor had tantalizing flashes playing in a slo-mo Butler offense. NC State’s transition-heavy scheme should be just what the doctor ordered.
75. AJ Storr is the type of prospect Wisconsin should cash in on after Johnny Davis’ rapid rise to an NBA lottery pick. Storr has lots of room to grow, but he’s an enormous talent upgrade for Greg Gard and Co.
76. Texas Tech landed an absolute gem in Darrion Williams. He should stick around for multiple years and be a high-impact, Big 12 starter for a few seasons.
77. If Cormac Ryan is your fourth-best player, you’re in great shape. UNC looks ready for a big bounce-back campaign.
78. Rienk Mast is a different type of big man than Derrick Walker, but he can be just as impactful.
79. Brice Williams shoots the absolute cover off the ball, but he has more in his bag than just catch-and-shoot brilliance. Williams will be a Day One starter for Nebraska and a double-digit scorer.
80. Andrew Rohde and Isaac McKneely is a young, fun backcourt for Virginia to build around for the next few years.
81. Jackson Paveletzke caught my eye early in his freshman year at Wofford, and he parlayed it into an opportunity at Iowa State. Keshon Gilbert and Tamin Lipsey should take the ball-handling burden off Paveletzke.

82. Will Baker made a smart choice to go down to LSU. Baker was one of the dominant post-up scorers in the country last season at Nevada, and with KJ Williams out of the mix, he’s got a chance to keep doing his thing for Matt McMahon. Expect double-digit production.
83. Zach Hicks could flirt with a 100-trey season at Penn State with Baldwin pushing it in transition.
84. Tamar Bates leaving a wide-open Indiana backcourt for a crowded Missouri backcourt is an eyebrow-raiser.
85. Lazar Stefanovic transferring from Utah to UCLA shows where the Bruins sit in the Pac-12 food chain.
86. Oregon State literally went 14-49 during Glenn Taylor Jr.‘s two years. It’s always interesting to see how much coming from a losing program impacts a coaching staff’s decision about taking a transfer.
87. Interested in how Keshon Gilbert fits in the Iowa State backcourt that suddenly has some real depth. The fight for the bulk of the playing time should raise the level for everyone else.
88. Jayden Nunn will put up better-than-you-expect numbers if Adam Flagler returns to Baylor.
89. Latrell Wrightsell Jr. is betting on himself in a crowded Alabama backcourt. Nate Oats has so much depth at lead guard.
90. Avery Anderson III‘s slashing ability should pair well with Nelson at TCU.
91. Big fan of midseason transfers like KyeRon Lindsay. He’s been in Texas Tech’s building since January, so he’s got a big headstart.

92. Not in love with Moussa Cisse entering the transfer portal after the NCAA has said early and often it will not be lenient on undergraduate, two-time transfers. Cisse is a beast but his status for 2023-24 is cloudy.
93. B.J. Mack will be South Carolina’s leading scorer next season. Book it.
94. Caleb Mills is a heavy candidate for positive shooting regression. He’s still a very good defender. And if he gets back to shooting at least 35% from 3-point range like he did in 2021-22 and 2019-20, he’ll be a steal for Memphis.
95. Cobe Williams’ similarity score on KenPom is Remy Martin (in both 2019-20 and 2020-21). I can’t unsee it. It’s perfect.
96. Hopefully, a late-April arrest does not ruin Jaykwon Walton‘s basketball career because it could have been really impressive.
97. If DJ Horne can get back to the mid-40s from 2, that’d be a monster boon for NC State. He’s in line to flirt with career-best numbers in the brand-new NC State backcourt.
98. Primo Spears will get all the shots he wants at Florida State. Will it translate to winning? TBD.
99. Jayden Gardner (Virginia) and Tristen Newton (UConn) both came from East Carolina and turned into really solid pieces for championship-hunting teams. Oklahoma state is betting on Javon Small to be the next East Carolina transfer to thrive at the Power Six level.
100. I love Jalen DeLoach-to-Georgia. Tough, reliable, versatile piece who will help raise the floor in Athens.
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