Our favorite college basketball transfer portal fits of 2023 (so far) – 247Sports

Some big names in college basketball have found new homes via the transfer portal this offseason. And while there are plenty of players with new programs to be excited about, there were a few stars who stood out from the rest and caught our attention. This prompted 247Sports to ask our analysts to share their favorite transfer portal move and to explain why they think this new school will be a great fit for said player.
Here are the seven moves that we think are among the most exciting transitions in college basketball, as of April 11. 
Jamie Dixon used transition buckets to fuel TCU’s offense this year. With Mike Miles Jr. off to chase his NBA dreams, TCU needed a replacement for its All-Big 12 point guard.
Enter Jameer Nelson Jr.
The Delaware transfer was one of college basketball’s premier transition scorers this past season. Nelson averaged 1.301 points per possession in transition which ranked in the 87th percentile nationally, per Synergy.
Nelson should have no issues stepping right into TCU’s starting lineup and being a strong contributor from day one. His dip from 35% from 3-point range in 2021-22 to 30% in 2022-23 is slightly concerning, but a deeper dive calms some of the worries.
Nelson shot 41.9% on contested catch-and-shoot 3s compared to just 5 for 26 (19.2%) on unguarded catch-and-shoot 3-pointers last season, per Synergy. In 2021-22, Nelson shot 14 for 34 (41.2%) on unguarded catch-and-shoots. So, I’d expect a positive change in that department when he arrives in Fort Worth.
Nelson is also capable of being a tough shot-maker and his 6.5 fouls drawn per 40 minutes is an enticing look at what could be in store for TCU. Look for plenty of transition buckets and even more free throws for the Horned Frogs.
The jump for mid-major guards to the best league in college basketball should not be a big fear anymore. Lower-level transfers like Sir’Jabari Rice, Baylor Scheierman, Mark Sears, Souley Boum and Jahmir Young had no issues translating to Power Six hoops. Nelson shouldn’t either.
— Isaac Trotter, 247Sports National Writer
As we’ve written about several times in the past, Eric Musselman has been at the forefront of recruiting the transfer portal.
Over the weekend, he landed another impact player in Houston transfer Tramon Mark. With Ricky Council IV already off to the NBA draft and more players leaning towards turning pro, securing a seasoned guard capable of making an immediate impact was critical for the Razorbacks.
Currently ranked No. 15 in the 247Sports Transfer Portal ranking, Mark isn’t quite as big or athletic as Council. But he’s every bit as tough and has been a major part of Houston’s success over the past few seasons. He averaged just over 10 points and nearly five rebounds per game last season. Mark should be able to step right in and put up similar numbers in Fayetteville.
— Eric Bossi, 247Sports Director of Recruiting
Houston’s landing of LJ Cryer was a clutch portal grab after losing Tramon Mark to Arkansas and Marcus Sasser to the NBA draft.
A 6-foot-1 combination guard out of Katy (Texas), Cryer already has experience playing in the Big 12. Now, he will get a chance to do so while repping his hometown.
He will fill in for Sasser by joining Jamal Shead in the backcourt. Although he doesn’t bring Sasser’s size and athletic ability, Cryer will come in with a reputation of being one of the most elite scorers in the college.
Cryer is wired to get buckets in a variety of ways and he’s just as deadly playing on the ball as he is off of it. He averaged 15 points per game last season on a Baylor team filled with scoring options. So, it should come as no surprise if Cryer’s production continues to increase playing for Kelvin Sampson.
— Brandon Jenkins, 247Sports Recruiting Analyst
Anytime a new head coach takes over a program, they have two immediate priorities — the talent on the roster and the culture of the program. For Mike Rhoades, Ace Baldwin addresses both of those needs.
For the last three years, Baldwin has been both the leader and a top player for Rhoades’ VCU program. In 2022-23, he was named the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. Rhoades emphasized in his opening press conference that his teams would be “bold, different and aggressive.” That is likely going to start on the defensive end of the floor, where the Nittany Lions will try to adopt the same pressure system that we’ve seen in recent years at VCU.
Baldwin was the quarterback of that system. So, his addition is a critical first domino for Penn State. If that weren’t enough, his presence also can’t hurt the pursuit of other VCU products who are all now in the transfer portal — including Jayden Nunn, Nicholas Kern and Jalen DeLoach.
— Adam Finkelstein, 247Sports Director of Scouting
Ed Cooley desperately needed to make a splash to start his tenure off with the Hoyas and that’s exactly what he did when he signed former Illinois point guard Jayden Epps.
Epps now has one year of college experience under his belt and he gets to play closer to his hometown of Charlotte. Epps is already known as a bucket getter, averaging 9.5 points per game. He also scored in double figures on 20 different occasions last season.
Epps comes into Georgetown with some knowledge of Ed Cooley. Epps originally committed to Providence when Ed Cooley was the head coach. Now, his move reunites the two as Cooley looks to turn Georgetown around.
— Dushawn London, 247Sports Recruiting Analyst
Brandon Murray is the kind of two-way player that Chris Beard values, particularly in the way he can create his own scoring as needed. In some ways, Murray projects as a better defensive version of what Mac McClung brought to Beard’s final Texas Tech team.
Murray has a varied offensive package that saw him use at least 24 possessions last season as a pick-and-roll ball-handler, a spot-up shooter, coming off screens, in isolation and in post ups. He can change pace as a ball-handler, is a better passer than he gets credit for and is an athletic and creative finisher at the rim. He’s shown flashes of this skill set for a Georgetown team that didn’t exactly generate great offensive opportunities.
Beard’s own offenses have been clunky at times as well (McClung often had to create shots — some bad ones — late in the shot clock). But Beard could prove to be an excellent coach for Murray defensively. His athleticism, strength and instincts could make him one of the SEC’s better defenders, particularly as Beard continues to coach him up on that end.
If Beard can unlock Murray’s full potential on that end, while helping him get more efficient offensive looks like he had under Will Wade at LSU, then Murray could easily live up to his ranking as 247Sports’ No. 8 transfer.
– Kevin Flaherty, 247Sports National Writer
Jamison Battle is a perfect pairing with Ohio State.
He provides experience and a versatile stretch four to complement a young core in Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle and Felix Okpara. He’s a plug-and-play southpaw that stretches the floor with his jumper.
But it’s his basketball IQ that steals the show. Battle has a feel and sense for the game that is second to few. This allows him to impact the game in a variety of ways that aren’t limited to his athletic ability.
— Travis Branham, 247Sports Recruiting Analyst
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