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Staying Put: The best college basketball players who shunned the transfer portal – 247Sports
The May 11 deadline to enter the college basketball transfer portal has mercifully passed, and some coaches throughout the country can finally breathe a sigh of relief. More than 1,700 names jumped into the portal, but there were a few potholes that kept even more big-name players from entering the portal. The NCAA unveiled a new memo restricting the eligibility of two-time, undergraduate transfers. A waiver would be needed to play right away, even if a coach departed. That curtailed a few players who would have been near the top of the transfer portal market.
Of course, the portal is not closed for graduate transfers. The 60-day window to enter the portal does not apply to graduate students. Veteran, All-Conference stars like Missouri’s Kobe Brown and UCLA’s Tyger Campbell are both going through the NBA Draft process. If Brown or Campbell want to enter the transfer portal after receiving the essential feedback, they are allowed to do just that.
But most expect the transfer portal to be quiet for the next few weeks.
Get the latest football and basketball transfer portal news from 247Sports.
Here are the biggest names that opted to not enter the college basketball transfer portal:
Bryce Hopkins transferred from Kentucky to Providence because of Ed Cooley. The engaging Friars coach had formed a tight connection with Hopkins when he was a prized recruit in the class of 2021. After riding the bench for a year at Kentucky, Hopkins flourished in his first season at Providence, pouring in a team-high 15.8 points per game and leading the Friars to the NCAA Tournament. Hopkins was a First Team All-Big East selection.
When Cooley bounced for the vacant Georgetown gig, Hopkins’ status was very up in the air. Instead of testing the 2023 NBA Draft waters or flirting with fire that is trying to get a waiver from the NCAA to play right away, Hopkins chose to stay out of the transfer portal and return to Providence for a second season. It’s an enormous boon for for new coach Kim English.
Even throughout a turbulent 2022-23 season, Texas Tech point guard Pop Isaacs proved he was one of the top freshmen in the Big 12 and the rest of the country. Then-Texas Tech coach Mark Adams gave Isaacs the keys, and he did not look back. Isaacs averaged 11.5 points, 2.7 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting 37.8% from 3-point range. But Adams was suspended for racially insensitive remarks and later resigned after the Big 12 Tournament.
Isaacs chose to stay at Texas Tech and buy into the vision of new Red Raiders coach Grant McCasland. McCasland was terrific with point guards at North Texas and Isaacs could be next in line to flourish under his guidance.
Chucky Hepburn’s Year 2 breakout season didn’t fully materialize. Wisconsin missed the NCAA Tournament and Hepburn shot a measly 35.7% on 2s. There was some speculation that Hepburn could be on the move, but the talented point guard shut that down. Instead of looking for a fresh change of scenery, Hepburn will return to Wisconsin. The Badgers are projected to get all five starters back, and St. John’s transfer AJ Storr is a monster splash. Hepburn has every opportunity to make a case for the Big Ten’s best point guard in 2023-24.
Illinois coach Brad Underwood asked Coleman Hawkins to do a little bit of everything last season. The 6-foot-10 junior forward guarded all five positions when Illinois was in a switch-everything defense. He was Illinois’ best defender on 7-foot-4, National Player of the Year Zach Edey, and he gave prized Texas guards Marcus Carr and Tyrese Hunter fits in the Illini’s 85-78, overtime win over the then-second-ranked Longhorns. Hawkins played the 5 on offense and even some point-forward when Illinois’ point guard room evaporated. But heavy is the head that wears the crown. Hawkins’ hefty responsibilities led to some erratic moments.
Hawkins has lots to gain from a strong showing in this week’s NBA Combine, but there were whispers of a transfer portal entry. Hawkins choosing not to enter the transfer portal would’ve been a tough look for Underwood and Co. Hawkins owns a fascinating stay-or-go decision, but the portal is not on the table anymore.
Clemson has not made the NCAA Tournament in each of the last two seasons, so if star big man PJ Hall entered the transfer portal looking for a shot at a deep March run, there would have been no shortage of suitors. There’s no guarantee Hall will play college basketball next season – he is making a strong impression at this week’s NBA Combine – but he showed his faith in Clemson coach Brad Brownell by not even choosing to enter his name into the portal as a backup option. If Hall doesn’t believe his stock is high enough for the 2023 NBA Draft, he will return to Clemson.
Jaden Schutt was one of the top shooters in the class of 2022. The four-star, top-80 recruit picked Duke but played sparingly as a true freshman. Schutt totaled just 97 minutes in 14 games (6.9 MPG). Make no mistake, if Schutt hit the transfer portal, he would’ve instantly become a prized asset due to 1) his talent and 2) the NCAA’s new rule limiting two-time transfers. But Jon Scheyer pulled off the nearly impossible in 2023-24 by keeping all of his scholarship players out of the transfer portal. Jacob Grandison exhausted his eligibility, so Schutt has a real shot to step into that vacated role for a Duke squad that has National Championship aspirations in 2023-24.
Getting a second season out of former five-star Adem Bona would be a monumental move for Mick Cronin and UCLA. It appears the Bruins are on the verge of doing just that. Bona did not enter the transfer portal much to a few inquiring programs’ dismay. The 6-foot-10, 235-pound big man is competing in this week’s NBA Combine, but Bona is expected to return to Westwood for his sophomore season. Bona averaged 7.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in just 22.9 minutes per game last year. With a bigger workload and an expanded role, Bona could flex his muscles as a double-double machine in 2023-24.
You’ve heard the Chris Livingston transfer rumors, I’ve heard the Chris Livingston transfer rumors, we’ve all heard the Chris Livingston transfer rumors. Except the May 11 deadline came and went, and Livingston’s name was nowhere to be found in the transfer portal. The 6-foot-6, 220-pound wing has opened eyes at the NBA Combine and could be rising up boards. If he opts for another year of college basketball, Kentucky has a spot (and a featured role) with his name on it.
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