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College basketball transfer portal: Kansas, North Carolina highlight top programs seeking wings – 247Sports
The best wing in the 2023 transfer cycle was Dalton Knecht, but AJ Storr, Jaylon Tyson or Harrison Ingram were terrific runner-up options. The best wing in the 2022 transfer cycle was Terrence Shannon Jr. or Kevin McCullar. Those are two All-Americans right there.
The college basketball transfer portal has erupted with names, and coaching staffs throughout the country are trying to find their version of Knecht or Shannon who can put a team on his back and carry you to banners.
It’s early, but the 2024 portal is already stocked with big-time options on the wing. USC’s Kobe Johnson has all the tools to be a star if the jumper comes around. Former McDonald’s All-American Andrej Stojakovic, from Stanford, is an intriguing bet on talent. Oklahoma’s Otega Oweh is a bulldozer who can fly downhill and steamroll defenders out of the way.
RELATED: Highlighting the transfer portal’s best available wings … so far
The portal window still has over a month to go, and there are some no-doubt, needle-moving dudes for wing-needy teams.
Let’s dive into some of the top teams expected to be active in the wing transfer market.
Trey Alexander might be a first-round pick and Baylor Scheierman is out of eligibility. Creighton has two top-60ish recruits on the way in Jackson McAndrew and Larry Johnson who can shore up some perimeter depth concerns, but playing in a Greg McDermott offense is so attractive. Creighton can go big-game hunting in the transfer portal to find its 2024-25 centerpiece.
Getting Steven Ashworth back for a fifth season would be a huge shot in the arm, but Creighton has to make waves in the portal.
Arizona is licking its wounds after a devastating Sweet 16 loss to Clemson, but it quickly has to pivot its sights to the transfer portal. Arizona’s roster could have a huge hole on the wing, and Tommy Lloyd knows it. Versatile forward Keshad Johnson is out of eligibility after the season, and both Caleb Love and Pelle Larsson have NBA Draft, stay-or-go decisions to make which could clear room for Lloyd to go big-game hunting for a difference-making transfer wing. Arizona is one of the four frontrunners for prized Florida transfer wing Riley Kugel.
A game-changing point guard is the top priority for Indiana in the transfer portal, but a shot-making wing might not be far behind. Mike Woodson reeled in prized 2024 freshman Bryson Tucker, but the Hoosiers are expected to still be involved with some of the top transfer wings in case Mackenzie Mgbako parlays his strong close to his freshman season by testing his luck in the wide-open 2024 NBA Draft.
Iowa transfer Tony Perkins (an Indianapolis, Ind.) native would check the lead guard box, but even a core of Perkins, Tucker, Mgbako, Malik Reneau and Trey Galloway would still need a plus-sized shooter to bring it all together.
Tad Boyle is looking at a total revamp. Tristan da Silva was one of March Madness’ biggest risers from a 2024 NBA Draft perspective. The smooth forward looks every bit the part of a first-round pick. Five-star wing Cody Williams is also expected to be a potential lottery pick. J’Vonne Hadley started all 36 games and Luke O’Brien was a key sixth man-turned-starter on the wing, too. Both entered the transfer portal this week. Colorado has to hit the wings market with a fury.
Illinois believes Terrence Shannon Jr. is the best wing in the country. Shannon’s late-season, March heater makes it hard to dispute.
Brad Underwood will have to find a way to replace the First Team, All-Big Ten star who doubles as the best transition scorer in the country and a lockdown on-ball defender.
Oh, and Quincy Guerrier and Justin Harmon are both out of eligibility, and Marcus Domask will be out of time unless the Illini can get a miracle waiver for an extra year due to a season-ending injury in 2021.
Illinois has deep pockets and lots of opportunities to sell in the portal. It also has a proof of concept on its side. After transferring to Illinois, Shannon, Domask, Alfonso Plummer, and Matthew Mayer have all earned All-League honors.
Star wing AJ Storr and sophomore Connor Essegian entered the transfer portal, so the complexion of Wisconsin’s wing rotation has changed mightily. Wisconsin’s core will remain strong if Chucky Hepburn, Max Klesmit, John Blackwell and Steven Crowl all run it back, but the Badgers will have to make some magic in the portal for the second offseason in a row. Wisconsin’s sell in the portal is much better after Storr’s terrific glow-up, but it might sting if the Badgers have to play against Storr next year.
Wisconsin has been linked to talented Nebraska-Omaha transfer wing Frankie Fidler. Keep an eye on that one. Fidler has tight bonds with Hepburn.
The status quo is not good enough for Kansas. Bill Self is expected to wade into the transfer wing market looking for a two-way stud to replace Kevin McCullar. Kansas could also have to replace Johnny Furphy (in my opinion, he should run it back, but we’ll see what the NBA feedback has to say).
KU could get Dajuan Harris, KJ Adams and Hunter Dickinson back next year. The transfer wings must include a dynamic, two-way stopper and a high-volume sniper to make the roster construction work a little more effectively.
North Carolina is a bit hamstrung in the transfer portal until it can find out what Harrison Ingram wants to do. The Stanford transfer had a fabulous junior season at UNC. Does he want to go pro after shooting a career-best 38% from downtown on 169 attempts? If Ingram departs, UNC will be a coveted destination for some of the top transfer wings in the portal. A quick, decisive stay-or-go decision from Ingram would be ideal for the UNC staff, but it could drag out.
Kentucky: John Calipari has too much on the line to not look long and hard at the transfer wing market to shore up some of the shot-making that’s walking out of the door. The loss of Adou Thiero clears the deck for even more playing time on the wing as long as Justin Edwards doesn’t run it back.
Florida: Zyon Pullin is out of eligibility and Riley Kugel hit the transfer portal. Florida will have to pony up to get Walter Clayton Jr., Will Richard and Denzel Aberdeen back, but trying to land another guard/wing hybrid feels like a complete no-brainer. Golden’s offense is electric, and playing with a shot-maker like Clayton eases the burden and clears driving lanes.
Kansas State: Cam Carter already hit the transfer portal, and Arthur Kaluma will likely go through the NBA Draft process again and make another stay-or-go decision. Regardless of Kaluma’s decision, Kansas State has to hit the portal hard for experienced wings to slot next to Dai Dai Ames and incoming freshman David Castillo. It’d significantly ease the pressure on rising, soon-to-be sophomore RJ Jones.
Virginia: The presence of Andrew Rohde and Taine Murray should not stop Virginia from hitting the transfer portal to see if it can find potential upgrades. Virginia is definitely losing Jordan Minor, Jacob Groves and Reece Beekman while Ryan Dunn looks like a first round pick. That’s a lot of minutes walking out the door. A big wing might need to be a priority.
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