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Top 10 available transfer portal targets ahead of 2024 NCAA Tournament – College Sports Wire
The 2024 NCAA Tournament first round games get fully underway on Thursday, but even with March Madness just beginning it’s already offseason mode for many college basketball teams and players – and the transfer portal window means there is already significant roster churn taking place.
Alabama, who tips off their run in the big dance against Charleston on Friday, already landed a commitment from former Pepperdine guard Houston Mallette – a wild scenario made possible by the lack of institutional control from the NCAA.
Regardless, two days after the portal opened we already have a litany of extremely talented players looking for a new home, and no doubt many big time programs who are splitting time prepping for their upcoming tournament game while scouring the portal for future additions.
Here is a look at the ten most notable early transfer portal entrants – and some potential team fits.
Syndication: Detroit Free Press
Position: PG
Former Team: Michigan
Eligibility: 2 years remaining
2023-24 Stats: 16.3 points, 4.7 assists, 3.7 boards, 1.1 steals, 36.8% from three
Potential Fits: Alabama, Arkansas, Texas, Florida, St. John’s
McDaniel balled out as a sophomore breakout for Juwan Howard and the Wolverines last year, perhaps the only bright spot in a bleak season at Michigan. Howard is now out and McDaniel will follow suit – and just like last year the most sought after transfer portal target might be leaving Ann Arbor.
McDaniel’s youth, outside shooting, and overall scoring ability will make him a hot commodity for just about every guard needy team this offseason.
Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Position: C
Former Team: Stanford
Eligibility: 1 year remaining
2023-24 Stats: 15.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 36.1% from three
Potential Fits: Indiana, Kentucky, UCLA, Arizona, North Carolina, Purdue
Raynaud might be the biggest (pun intended) name available right now. The 7’1 frenchmen had a breakout season for the Cardinal, averaging roughly 16 and 10 while shooting it well from distance and displaying the kind of overall skill and size that will make him a big draw for every team in college basketball who has a starting hole to fill.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Position: PG
Former Team: Washington
Eligibility: 2 years remaining
2023-24 Stats: 11.1 points, 2.7 assists, 2.2 rebounds, 1.2 steals, 37.3% from three
Potential Fits: Gonzaga, USC, UCLA, BYU, Arkansas
Johnson is out after coach Mike Hopkins was dismissed, and the 6’2 guard is a sharpshooter who can play both the one and the two. A native of Seattle and an attendee at Wasatch in Utah, Johnson could stay close to home and play for any number of west coast schools looking for guard depth in 2024-25.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Position: PG
Former team: Stanford
Eligibility: 3 years remaining
2023-24 Stats: 11.5 points, 2.7 assists, 2.7 rebounds, 32% from three
Potential fits: Gonzaga, Baylor, Indiana, Arkansas
Carlyle has already received contact from the four schools listed above, as well as a few others, no surprise considering the pedigree he had coming out of high school as a top 50 prospect from Overtime elite.
Carlyle is a 6’3 point guard who still has some development to do as an outside shooter, but the potential is sky high and whichever program lands him will have a potential future star on their hands.
James Snook-USA TODAY Sports
Position: PF
Former Team: Pepperdine
Eligibility: 2 years remaining
2023-24 Stats: 16.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.0 blocks, 29.8% from three
Potential Fits: Missouri, Indiana, USC, LMU, Colorado
Porter is the younger brother of Michael and Jontay, who both starred at Missouri and are now playing in the NBA. Could Jevon follow suit and join Dennis Gates’ team – who could desperately use some good news after a disaster season? Or could Jevon go to Colorado to be closer to his brother Michael who plays in Denver?
LMU cracks the list as well thanks to Jevon’s tight relationship with Lorenzo Romar, his coach who was fired at Pepperdine but is now an assistant at LMU.
William Howard-USA TODAY Sports
Position: SG/SF
Former Team: Wake Forest
Eligibility: 1 year remaining
2023-24 Stats: 5.1 points, 2.2 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 34.7% from three (11 games, 12.5 MPG)
Potential Fits: Miami, Arkansas, Gonzaga, Kentucky
Monsanto was pushed out of the regular rotation at Wake Forest this season, but his production in 2022-23 (13.3 points, 40.5% from three on 8 attempts per game) will make him a hot commodity in the portal for a team looking for a one year stopgap.
The 6’6 wing is a career 38.2% shooter from distance dating back to his time at ETSU, and if he can stay healthy he can provide a very valuable role for someone in his final season.
Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports
Position: SF
Former Team: Stanford
Eligibility: 3 years remaining
2023-24 Stats: 7.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 32.7% from three
Potential Fits: Oregon, Gonzaga, UCLA, Texas, Kansas, Louisville
Stojakovic did not live up to his lofty expectations while at Stanford, shooting under 33% from three and struggling to finish around the rim. However, the top 50 prospect with NBA bloodlines is expected to be a hot commodity in the portal, and programs that recruited him out of high school like UCLA, Texas, Oregon, and Kansas will likely jump back into the mix here.
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Position: PG
Former Team: Miami
Eligibility: 1 year remaining
2023-24 Stats: 9.6 points, 3.4 assists, 3.4 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 36.4% from three
Potential Fits: St. John’s, Providence, Georgetown, Boston College, UConn
Joseph had his breakout season for a disappointing Miami team, averaging 9.6 points and shooting 36.4% from three on 4.5 attempts per game, while starting 27 times and playing over 31 minutes a night.
He becomes the fourth Cane to leave after a tough year in Coral Gables, and as an east coast native it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him stick in the area and play at a Big East school – after all he was recruited by Rick Pitino and Ed Cooley out of high school.
Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports
Position: SG
Former Team: Furman
Eligibility: 1 year remaining
2023-24 Stats: 17 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.0 steals, 29.7% from three
Potential Fits: Indiana, Arkansas, Texas Tech, Xavier, Gonzaga
Foster was one of the first big name portal entries from the mid-major level, coming off an All-Southern league performance for the Paladins of Furman.
Foster has already been contacted by the above schools, and as a veteran guard who has displayed excellent scoring knack throughout his career – including two previous years over 35% from three – it’s easy to see why he is a top target.
Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Position: PG
Former Team: Georgetown
Eligibility: 3 years remaining
2023-24 Stats: 8.3 points, 2.6 assists, 2.2 rebounds, 0.9 steals, 37% from three
Potential Fits: Miami, West Virginia, Northwestern, Texas, Maryland, Wisconsin
Brumbaugh has had a hard time making up his mind, committing to Northwestern before decommitting a few months later, committing to Texas, signing an NLI, entering the portal before ever playing, and then finally enrolling at Georgetown to play for Ed Cooley.
After displaying excellent outside shooting in year one, the 6’4 guard is back in the portal and should have plenty of suitors, including some of his previous ones, thanks to his size and shooting ability.
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