Author: Aidan Joly

By Aidan Joly

Sometimes, the best additions are the ones you already have.

That sentiment can certainly be said for what happened Monday as the state of Connecticut breaths a sign of relief. Just before 1:45 p.m., the news broke that Dan Hurley had turned down a reported six-year, $70 million offer from the Los Angeles Lakers in order to return to UConn and go for a third straight national title.

It ends a story that dominated the sports discourse since Thursday morning and through the rest of the weekend. A classic will-he-stay-or-will-he-go decision as the two-time reigning national champion mulled over what would have been a seismic shift in the college basketball landscape.

It speaks to how loyal Hurley is. He’s from Jersey City, is a northeast guy, and like I said in a previous column on Thursday, he is a guy who understands the UConn program and what it takes to win there, and winning he has done. A 141-58 record in six years in Storrs, of course, the two national titles, a Big East championship, and a Naismith coach of the year award earlier this year. It’s a heck of a win for UConn as he also turned down Kentucky earlier in the off-season.

It’s a win for college basketball as it keeps one of the faces of the sport, after losing so many the past few years from the retirements of Mike Krzyzewski, Roy Williams, Jay Wright and Jim Boeheim. Hurley is already a hall of famer, but will have an opportunity to become one of the sport’s immortals, if he wants that.

The Hurley family is known to be very close. The family surely played a role in the decision, including his wife Andrea and his father Bob. He’s also very loyal to what he has built at UConn the past few years.

That doesn’t mean he will never leave UConn. Heck, we might be doing this whole show again a year from now if another big NBA job opens up. Hurley has been open about his desire to coach in the NBA one day. Maybe that job will be the New York Knicks when that job eventually opens. I tend to think that if this whole situation was the same, but if it was the Knicks, there is a very good chance Hurley would have taken the gig. At 51 years old, he still has plenty of coaching left in him.

He didn’t even stay in Southern California for long. He met with the Lakers brass on Friday and was back in the area by Saturday night, evidenced by a cryptic Instagram story post from UConn assistant Luke Murray of himself and the Hurleys at a Billy Joel concert at Madison Square Garden. Hurley was wearing a “New York New York” shirt and throwing up a peace sign, looking relaxed and maybe even signifying that he was leaning staying by that point. That’s super reading into it, but it’s certainly possible. At the time we thought it was an eight-year, $100 million deal that was offered. We later learned it wasn’t that.

Speaking of the Lakers, where do they go from here? Getting turned down by Hurley at a significantly lower number than what was initially reported is a bad look. Even if he took the $70 million, it would not have made him even a top five highest paid coach in the league and not even the highest paid coach in Los Angeles (Clippers coach Ty Lue makes around $14 million per year). If you are a premier franchise and you have your guy, who didn’t want to leave in the first place, you have to blow him away to convince him. The Lakers didn’t do that and now they will pay for it.

It makes Los Angeles one of two teams in the NBA (Cleveland) without a head coach with less than three weeks until the NBA draft. Former veteran shooting guard and current ESPN analyst JJ Redick was long rumored to be the top candidate, but now one can wonder if Jeanie Buss and Rob Pelinka will circle back to him, and even if Redick would want the job after all of this. New Orleans Pelicans assistant and former Charlotte Hornets head coach James Borrego is still out there, as is longtime NBA assistant Sam Cassell, currently with the Boston Celtics. If it’s not one of those three, it’s a total disaster of a head coach search.

Now, he will have a chance to do something that hasn’t been done since John Wooden, and that is win three straight NCAA championships. He’s the only one who can truly say whether or not he made the right decision.

Winning three straight championships is an extremely hard task, but UConn will head into the season with the best coach in the country and a top-five roster in the country. It will be fascinating to see what UConn will do this year, and on a broader brush stroke, what the rest of Hurley’s coaching years will look like.

By Aidan Joly

Two months ago Saturday, UConn and Dan Hurley were at the top of the college basketball world again, winning a second straight national title, the sixth for the program since 1999 and becoming the first college basketball program in nearly two decades to go back-to-back.

UConn had the most national titles of any program in the past 25 years. With Hurley – a throwback college basketball coach, brash, bold and a showman – at the helm, it seemed like the program based in Storrs, Connecticut was in heaven.

That curtain was pulled back as we all woke up on Thursday morning, with ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reporting that Hurley was in talks with the Los Angeles Lakers about becoming the franchise’s next head coach.

It is very, very important that note that nothing is done. According to Fox Sports’ John Fanta, Hurley did meet with the team Thursday morning to inform them that he was in fact in talks with the Lakers, but that nothing was done and it was business as usual.

It doesn’t always come to fruition with these things. In 2010, Tom Izzo was offered the chance to coach LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, but turned it down. The Lakers talked to both then-UConn coach Kevin Ollie and then-Kentucky coach John Calipari about the job in 2014 after they faced each other in the national title game, but neither got the gig. Billy Donovan even agreed to become the coach of the Orlando Magic in 2007 after winning back-to-back national titles at Florida, but changed his mind in the 11th hour and returned to Gainesville (of course, Donovan did end up leaving Florida to coach the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2015 and is now closing in on 400 NBA wins).

College basketball is about the coaches. It always has been. Hurley is without question the best coach in the sport right now, and might be the best basketball coach at any level right now. He can stay and keep winning national titles. Jim Calhoun, the brash, defiant, intimidating man from South Boston, won three national titles there. Dan Hurley, the brash, defiant, intimidating man from Jersey City, has won two. Kevin Ollie had one, too, but didn’t do much outside of that. UConn is a “fit” job that needs someone who understands New England and what the program is about. Calhoun understood that, and Hurley understands that.

On the flip side of this: the Los Angeles Lakers is the number one brand in all of basketball and a top five brand in all of sports. When you talk about the biggest sports brands in North American sports the Lakers are right in that conversation, with the likes of the Dallas Cowboys, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Celtics. Brad Stevens left Butler for the Celtics in 2013 after taking the Bulldogs to back-to-back national title games in 2010 and 2011. He’s now the president of basketball operations for the Celtics after a promotion in 2021. If the Lakers are courting you and are willing to give you a dump truck full of money, you at least listen.

UConn does have real challenges. State funding is a mess. Both of their venues – Gampel Pavilion in Storrs and XL Center in Hartford – are in desperate need of upgrades. The school is currently attempting to secure $100 million in state funding to upgrade the Storrs venue. The Big East has already been somewhat boxed out by football leagues in terms of revenue. UConn does have a football program, but it barely produces any revenue as an independent that hasn’t done much winning in the past two-plus decades. What it does mean, though, is that a larger percentage of revenue for Big East schools goes to basketball. There’s a silver lining there.

Plenty of great college basketball coaches have flamed out in the NBA. After winning more than 750 games in college, John Beilein didn’t even make it a full season with the Cavaliers in 2019-20. John Calipari went 72-112 in two-plus seasons with the New Jersey Nets. Rick Pitino had a successful season with the New York Knicks in the late 80s, but that was the only year he went above .500 in five full NBA seasons, resigning in Boston midway through a sixth year. People forget that Leonard Hamilton went a forgettable 19-63 in one year with the Washington Wizards in 2000-01. Lon Kruger only lasted two-plus seasons with the Atlanta Hawks in the early 2000s. Fred Hoiberg went 115-155 in three-plus seasons with the Chicago Bulls between college jobs.

Hurley’s personality might make it tough too, as venerable NBA players might not want to put up with it. He’d be coaching the most venerable NBA player of all in LeBron James, potentially his son Bronny, as well as Anthony Davis. Worst case, yes, he gets fired in a few years and takes the best college job available to come back to the ranks, but maybe he has success.

What it means for UConn: the school did give Hurley a major contract extension after the first title in 2022. If it does in fact end up needing a new head coach, the best way for continuity it to give it to either Luke Murray or Kimani Young, both very capable assistant coaches.

Dan Hurley is not someone who you just replace. But it would be foolish to ignore the history of the program and think a collapse is coming. It’s not going anywhere.

By Aidan Joly

The 2024 NBA Draft deadline has come and gone, and many players took it right down the wire.

With several huge NIL packages handed out, many of the big names that were on the fence elected to return to college basketball, giving teams clarity on what their rosters will look like for the 2024-25 season.

That being said, here are some of the biggest winners and losers from Wednesday’s deadline.

Winners

Alabama

The Crimson Tide were perhaps the biggest winner from this week. Alabama will bring back Mark Sears, who was perhaps the biggest 5o-50 name. He averaged 21.5 points per game on an Alabama team that went to the Final Four in 2023-24.

This propels Alabama into being a prime contender for the preseason No. 1 slot with an absolutely loaded 1-13 roster. That roster includes rising sophomore Jarin Stevenson, who is also back for another year after a solid freshman season after testing the NBA waters. He will be one of the most notable breakout candidates for 2024-25.

Arizona

Tommy Lloyd and the Wildcats have had some good pickups in the portal this off-season, but the biggest name dropped as Caleb Love elected to come back to Tucson for his final season of college basketball.

It’s a massive addition to a roster that’s already pretty good. He averaged 18 points per game and was an AP All-American. His shot selection is indeed flawed at times, but there’s no doubting that he is one of the best guards in the country. He’s done just about everything there is to do in college basketball – except win a national title, which Arizona has not done since 1997.

UConn

The two-time defending national champions got an essential piece back in the program’s quest for a threepeat, with Alex Karaban announcing he will return to Storrs.

He will be the only Husky starter from 2023-24 to return, making his return pivotal. It gives UConn a proven star heading int0 2024-25, a guy who would have likely heard his name called if he stayed in the draft. Instead, he’ll come back to keep winning and try to improve his draft stock.

Wake Forest

Wake Forest got its biggest name back, with Hunter Sallis announcing he will return to Winston-Salem after averaging 18 points per game for a team that was a late-season collapse away from making the NCAA tournament. He did this after playing two seasons at Gonzaga.

Wake did pretty well in the portal too and looks solid for 2024-25, but having Sallis back is the key as the Demon Deacons try to make the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2017. Much less, it would be the first tournament appearance under Steve Forbes.

Iowa

Payton Sandfort will return to Iowa City after taking his decision down to the last few hours before the deadline.

Sandfort was second in the Big Ten in scoring with 16.4 points per game and shot 37.9% from three, one of the better sharpshooters in the country. His return will give Iowa a boost it really needs to try to do well in the Big Ten. He will have plenty of talent around him, too.

Texas Tech

The Red Raiders didn’t have any players that were 50-50 to stay, but they were able to grab JT Toppin out of the portal right after he withdrew from the draft.

Toppin had a fantastic freshman season at New Mexico, averaging 12.4 points and 9.1 rebounds per game on his way to winning Mountain West Rookie of the Year. It’s a big win for Grant McCasland after he won 23 games and reached the NCAA tournament in his first year at the helm. Toppin should have a significant role at Texas Tech, while likely also helping his future draft position.

Kentucky

Kentucky was in a similar spot of Texas Tech, with no big names really on the fence, but the Wildcats were able to grab Jaxson Robinson after he withdrew from the draft after a very good season at BYU.

Robinson, who averaged 14.2 points per game in 2023-24, was seen as one of the biggest 50-50 names still on the board in the final days and hours before the deadline. It gives Kentucky a roster that will get top 25 consideration in Mark Pope’s first season at the helm. Robinson was one of those high-level players Pope needed.

Losers

Memphis

Memphis’ chances of getting back to the NCAA tournament took a hit as star wing David Jones elected to stay in the draft after averaging 21.8 points per game for the Tigers in 2023-24.

It will be interesting to see where Jones lands in the draft as not a lot of mocks are high on him, and by all accounts he did not do as well at the combine. Memphis and Penny Hardaway have had a decent off-season in the portal but seemed to be hopeful that Jones would come back. Replacing his production this late in the portal cycle will be difficult.

Kansas

Kansas still has a very good roster, that should not be doubted, and it always seemed like it was unlikely that he would stay, but the Jayhawks were one of the few teams to not retain their 50-50 guy as Johnny Furphy elected to stay in the draft.

Furphy had quite the rise, from a little-known prospect a year ago to a solid season at Kansas, averaging 9.0 points per game and getting better as the season went on. His stock is anywhere from mid-late first round to early second round, so it will be interesting to see where he ends up going.

Kansas is still in a solid position, using the transfer portal to bring in Zeke Mayo, Rylem Griffin and AJ Storr, on top of DaJuan Harris and Hunter Dickinson sticking around. It’s a loss, but far from the end of the world.

Illinois

Coleman Hawkins did withdraw from the draft and will be back in college basketball in 2024-25, but it will not be with the Illini as he decided to stay in the transfer portal, too.

Hawkins has not committed anywhere yet, but he is one of the top targets still available. He is a veteran who can play multiple positions, and played a key role on an Illinois team that reached the Elite Eight.

As for Illinois, it will be nearly an entirely new roster, highlighted by portal adds Tre White (Louisville), Kylan Boswell (Arizona) and Ben Humrichous (Evansville). Four-star prospect Morez Johnson and Lithuanian Kasparas Jakucionis will likely play sizable roles as freshmen.

Dayton

DaRon Holmes, the 2024 Atlantic 10 Player of the Year and a three-time all-league selection, made the right decision to stay in the draft. He will join Obi Toppin as the second Dayton Flyer to be a first round pick in recent years.

Dayton did land two solid portal adds in Posh Alexander (Butler) and Zed Key (Ohio State) so the Flyers will remain competitive in 2024-25. However, neither of those guys will replaces Holmes’ production.

By Aidan Joly

As of Monday night, just over 48 hours remain until Wednesday night’s 11:59 p.m. deadline for potential NBA prospects to decide if they will stay in college or return to the pros.

Two key names dropped on Monday, with the news that Arkansas transfer Trevon Brazile and Florida’s Walter Clayton both will forego turning pro and will return to the college ranks for another season.

That being said, many big names still loom. Here are 14 of the most critical, listed in no particular order.

Johnny Furphy

Furphy has risen from low- to mid-major prospect to a potential one-and-done in the span of a year, a very impressive feat. He averaged 9.0 points per game for Kansas as a freshman while earning 19 starts and turned into one of the better wings in the country in the latter parts of the season. He is projected to go in the late first round, so it would be hard for him to turn down that money. Kansas still does have a scholarship open for him, but it is tough to see him returning to Lawrence.

Caleb Love

Love is the reigning (and final for now) Pac-12 player of the year after averaging 18.0 points per game for Arizona in 2023-24. He would likely be a preseason All-American if he does decide to come back to Arizona and would get a great NIL deal. On the flip side of that, he has done just about everything there is to do in college basketball and would likely end up getting picked should be opt to go pro. It’s an interesting call.

Mark Sears

If Sears does come back to Alabama for another season, it is fair to make an argument that the Crimson Tide could be the preseason No. 1 in the AP poll. He averaged 21.5 points per game and shot 43.6% from behind the three-point line. He missed most of the combine with an injury and is not on a ton of draft boards but could end up going in the second round. This is one that could really go either way in the next 48 hours.

Jaylen Wells

Wells was very solid in his first season of Division I basketball at Washington State, averaging 12.6 points per game and making 41.7% of his three-pointers. He also played well as an on-ball defender and has improved every season, something that he would be sure to do as a pro. He is currently projected as a second round pick. It would not be shocking to see him come back to school for another year to try to improve his draft stock.

JT Toppin

Toppin’s candidacy to be a draft pick is certainly interesting. He was the Mountain West freshman of the year out of New Mexico after averaging 12.4 points and 9.1 rebounds per game but did so inefficiently at times, including only shooting 34.4% from three and only going 56.5% from the free throw line. He did do well in the combine, but it is clear that his game needs some fine-tuning to it. Perhaps a return to college ball would be wise.

Hunter Sallis

After two average seasons at Gonzaga, Sallis burst onto the scene with Wake Forest in 2023-24, averaging 18.0 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. He also shot 40.5% from three. In doing all of this, he nearly willed Wake Forest to the NCAA tournament on his own, and a return to Winston-Salem feels like Wake’s best chance of making the tournament in 2025. He is currently projected as a late first or early second round pick. It feels very 50-50 whether he will stay in the draft or come back to Wake.

Alex Karaban

Karaban is now a tw0-time national champion at UConn in two seasons of college basketball. He took on a larger role in 2023-24, averaging 13.3 points and grabbing 5.1 rebounds per contest. He’s also one of the smarter players you’ll see in the college ranks, too. He is currently projected as a second round pick, and it does feel like it might be in his best interest to come back and try to improve on his draft stock to move up to the first round in a year.

Coleman Hawkins

This feels like one of the better bets as a guy who will stay in the draft, but you never know. Hawkins averaged 12.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game at Illinois in 2023-24. The 6-foot-10 forward is a very physical player, but one of those types who also has a good offensive game. He is someone who could command major NIL dollars if he comes back to college, and compared to what a second round pick would make, that could very well be the difference.

Jaxson Robinson

Robinson is a solid 6-foot-7 winger who averaged 14.2 points per game at BYU this past season. A few mocks here and there have him pegged as a second round pick. It would likely make much more sense for him to stay in college, though, as he could get a very good NIL package if he ends up following Mark Pope to Kentucky and plays there in 2024-25. He has been linked to the Wildcats, for obvious reasons.

Jamir Watkins

Watkins had a fantastic season at Florida State after transferring in from VCU, averaging 15.6 points and 6.0 rebounds per game for the Seminoles in 2023-24. He initially declared for the draft early but later entered the transfer portal, making it seem more likely that he will return to college basketball for another season, especially so that he has fallen down some boards in recent weeks. He is someone who will be in high demand should he return.

Jarin Stevenson

Stevenson had a solid freshman year at Alabama to get his collegiate career started, averaging 5.3 points per game while earning five starts along the way. However, this seems as much more of a “test the waters and get evaluated” type of deal for him, as he has an outside chance of being a second round pick and getting a call does not seem overly likely. Assuming he does return to college, he will be a major breakout candidate.

Payton Sandfort

By many accounts Sandfort struggled at the combine, but has a very good sample size to show for at Iowa. He averaged 16.4 points per game for the Hawkeyes and shot 37.9% from three in over seven attempts per game. Right now, signs seem to point to a return to Iowa, where he will likely end up being a big part of the Hawkeyes’ plans in 2024-25.

Arthur Kaluma

Kaluma had a solid season at Kansas State after transferring in from Creighton, averaging 14.4 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. He is definitely a player who it makes sense for him to return to college basketball and try to move up draft boards, since many of them are not super high on him. He should be able to make some decent NIL money.

Cam Christie

Christie had a great freshman season at Minnesota, averaging 11.3 points per game while shooting 39.1% from three. Right now, he probably ranks as something of an underrated prospect who right now is projected in the second round. He stands at 6-foot-6 and has made a quick ascent in the past year, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him officially turn pro. It does feel like one that could go either way.

By Aidan Joly

More of the latest transfer portal adds are in the books, highlighted by Great Osobor heading to Washington, Mississippi State adding someone who originally committed to Kansas, and Kansas State adding a mid-major star. Let’s get into it.

Great Osobor: Old school: Utah State | New school: Washington

Osobor was in the portal for a while, but ends up following coach Danny Sprinkle from Utah State to Washington. Osobor averaged 17.7 points and 9.0 rebounds per game for the Aggies last season on his way to being an honorable mention All-American. He also gets a landmark $2 million NIL deal, believed to be the highest in college basketball. Osobor, who began his career at Montana State, will be a big part of Washington’s plans.

Riley Kugel: Old school: Florida | New school: Mississippi State

Kugel, who originally committed to Kansas earlier in the off-season before heading back into the portal, averaged 9.2 points per game across 33 games (11 starts) for Florida last season. He had 20+ points five times too. He shows legitimate potential as a pro, but has yet to put it together consistently. Mississippi State coach Chris Jans has quietly put together a good roster ahead of year three in Starkville.

Achor Achor: Old school: Samford | New school: Kansas State

Achor had a very successful junior season at Samford, averaging 16.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game on his way to first team all-Southern Conference honors. He also had 23 points and eight rebounds in the NCAA tournament when Samford came a blown call away from pulling off an upset of Kansas. It’ll be interesting to see how he does outside of Samford’s very unique offensive system, but either way he should be a big part of Jerome Tang’s frontcourt.

Igor Milicic, Jr.: Old school: Charlotte | New school: Tennessee

Milicic earned all-AAC honors after a very good season at Charlotte, where he averaged 12.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. A 6-foot-10 forward who can play multiple positions, he should be in play to have a solid role for Tennessee. He began his career at Virginia.

Tyler Bilodeau: Old school: Oregon State | New school: UCLA

Bilodeau had a surprise breaking sophomore campaign for Oregon State, averaging 14.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per game for the Beavers and started all 32 games. He hit 34.5% from behind the three-point arc and made over 60% from inside the arc. He is a natural scorer who should succeed at UCLA with Mick Cronin.

Andrej Stojakovic: Old school: Stanford | New school: Cal

Stojakovic, the son of former NBA veteran Peja Stojakovic, heads from one side of the rivalry to the other after a very good freshman season at Stanford where he averaged 7.8 points per game across 32 games and earned 10 starting nods. He was a McDonald’s All-American one year ago. He should be a big part of Mark Madsen’s second season at Cal.

Zhuric Phelps: Old school: SMU | New school: Texas A&M

Phelps was SMU’s leading scorer in 2023-24 with 14.8 points per game and was second team all-AAC. The 6-foot-2 guard did leave some things to be desired though, most notably three-point shooting after he made just 21.6% from behind the arc. He topped out at 3o.9% as a sophomore in 2022-23, when he averaged 17.5 points per game. It will be interesting to see if he can up those numbers in the SEC.

Brandon Johnson: Old school: East Carolina | New school: Miami

Johnson committed to Miami about a month and a half ago. He had a very good season for East Carolina in 2023-24, averaging 14.0 points and 8.6 rebounds per game and made 36.5% of his threes. With Miami needing to replace much of its roster for 2024-25, Johnson is a big step in the right direction.

RJ Godfrey: Old school: Clemson | New school: Georgia

Godfrey has been a role player at Clemson in each of the past two seasons, and averaged 6.1 points per game in just over 15 minutes per night for the Tigers. He did made 59.4% of his field goal attempts, though. He also had 12 points in 15 minutes in Clemson’s Elite Eight game against Alabama. With two seasons of eligibility, he should be a solid depth piece for Georgia.

Sam Walters: Old school: Alabama | New school: Michigan

Walters, a former top-100 prospect, had a decent freshman season at Alabama. He averaged 5.4 points per game in just over 12 minutes per game and appeared in all 37 of the Crimson Tide’s games. Most notably, he made 39.4% of his threes. He scored in double digits seven times. Dusty May will hope to continue his development as a good college basketball player in Ann Arbor.

TJ Power: Old school: Duke | New school: Virginia

Power was a five-star prospect one year ago but saw limited action at Duke as he fell down the depth chart due to a logjam in the frontcourt. He still saw action in 26 games to the tune of 2.1 points per game, but showed flashes of potential as a shooter, making 35.7% from three. He will have a chance to have a solid role for Virginia.

Lynn Kidd: Old school: Virginia Tech | New school: Miami

Kidd had his long-anticipated breakout season after never getting big minutes in his previous three seasons of college basketball, averaging 13.2 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, while shooting 66.8% from the field. He did this in only 23.3 minutes per game, too. A 6-foot-10 center, he has proven himself against ACC competition and maybe gets penciled in as Miami’s starting center. He began his college career at Clemson.

Rytis Petraitis: Old school: Air Force | New school: Cal

Not even the service academies are safe from the transfer portal. Petraitis is an up-and-coming player on the west coast who averaged 15.7 points and 6.3 rebounds per game as a sophomore for Air Force in 2023-24, while hitting 34.9% of his threes, although it wasn’t at a high volume. He is another player who should be able to carve himself out a role for Madsen’s team. He scored 27 points in the regular season finale against Colorado State and 26 against New Mexico in Air Force’s lone conference tournament game.

Kevin Miller: Old school: Wake Forest | New school: SMU

Miller had a terrific lone season at Wake Forest after transferring in from Central Michigan one year ago, becoming the Demon Deacons’ second-leading scorer at 15.8 points per game and was 36.9% from behind the three-point line. As SMU heads to the ACC for this year, Miller is sure to have a big role in what is also Andy Enfield’s first season at the helm.

Layden Blocker: Old school: Arkansas | New school: DePaul

Blocker is a former top-60 prospect who appeared in 27 games (five starts) for the Razorbacks as a freshman to the tune of 3.7 points per game. He only had 13.3 minutes per game in those appearances, and topped out with a 14-point performance against Florida on Jan. 13. He is part of a major roster overhaul at DePaul with new coach Chris Holtmann.

Jevon Porter: Old school: Pepperdine | New school: Loyola Marymount

Porter, a former top-100 prospect, became one of the better players in the WCC in 2023-24, averaging 16.2 points and 5.9 per game across 21 games (18 starts). He is the brother of Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. Porter was arrested for suspicion of DWI earlier this month.

Keyshawn Hall: Old school: George Mason | New school: UCF

Hall had a breakout season for George Mason as a sophomore under new coach Tony Skinn, averaging 16.6 points and 8.1 rebounds per game on his way to all-Atlantic 10 honors. He made 35.7% of his threes and shot 47.4% from the field overall. He also had five 20-10 games. He began his career at UNLV. He should have a sizable role as he moves up from the Atlantic 10 to the Big 12.

Eric Dailey Jr.: Old school: Oklahoma State | New school: UCLA

A top prospect one year ago, Dailey had a solid freshman season, averaging 9.3 points and 4.8 rebounds per game in 22.3 minutes per game across 32 appearances (16 starts) for Oklahoma State in 2023-24. He is a versatile 6-foot-8 listed forward but has the ability to play just about any position on the floor, which will allow him to see good minutes for UCLA.

Jason Edwards: Old school: North Texas | New school: Vanderbilt

Edwards was a star in his lone season at North Texas after being a JUCO all-American, averaging 19.1 points per game for the Mean Green while shooting 35% from three on his way to first team all-AAC honors. He was the leading scorer at North Texas. He should have a large role at Vanderbilt with first-year head coach Mark Byington.

Duke Miles: Old school: High Point | New school: Oklahoma

Miles was a huge part of a High Point team that won the Big South regular season championship and went 27-9 overall, averaging 17.5 points and 3.6 assists per game and shot 36.1% from three. For this, he was named first team all-Big South. A 6-foot-2 combo guard, he should be able to have a solid role for the Sooners in 2024-25.

By Aidan Joly

What *should* end up being the second to last hire of the college basketball coaching carousel (UMES is still open for some reason) is easily the most puzzling, and also the most polarizing.

On Tuesday, Green Bay, in the Horizon League, turned heads across the sports world by hiring Fox Sports Radio personality Doug Gottlieb as the program’s next head coach.

Even more bizarre, it was quickly clarified that Gottlieb will continue his daily two-hour radio show, where he mostly discusses the NBA, along with some college basketball. He’s been a polarizing figure in the sports media world and has had some outrageous takes that have gotten him both good and bad attention on social media.

Simply put, this is something we have truly never seen before. Gottlieb played college basketball at Notre Dame (where he was dismissed for stealing a teammate’s credit card) and Oklahoma State from 1995-2000. However, he has been in the media for two decades and his only coaching experience is in the Maccabiah Games twice in 2009 and 2017. He has never been on a Division I bench as a coach.

Gottlieb has interviewed for coaching jobs here and there over the years. That includes at Green Bay one year ago when the school hired Sundance Wicks, who went 18-14 in his lone season with the Phoenix before leaving last week to take the job at Wyoming, after now-former Wyoming coach Jeff Linder left to take an assistant coach job at Texas Tech with Grant McCasland.

Sports media is not what it used to be. Coaching is not what it used to be. The lines between the two used to be very strict, but the lines have been blurred a little bit between media and coaching, we have seen several times in recent years coaches being more involved with media, including sitting coaches routinely being analysts during the NCAA tournament.

But, the bigger issue here is this: running a Division I basketball program is a major, major undertaking. It’s a 24-hour a day, 7-day a week job. Burnout has become more and more of a discussion among coaches in the past few years, especially so when it comes to an expanded recruiting calendar, the transfer portal, and managing NIL. It’s a much more time-consuming job that it was even three or four years ago.

It is tough to see him managing the two things simultaneously. The radio show is also a full-time job that requires him to pay attention to other sports that are going on, at the same time he is in-season. It’s surprising that even one of Fox or Green Bay gave this the green light, much less both of them. If he dropped the show for the coaching job, it would be a little easier to understand. But doing both is another story.

Still though, this is the most attention that Green Bay has gotten in as long as one can remember. The program has only been to the tournament one time in this century, and will certainly have many more eyes on it once the season gets going.

There’s absolutely no doubt that this is a fascinating move. It’ll be a storyline to watch, whether he is able to balance both and succeed, or if it ends up not going so well. For right now though, it’s very easy to be skeptical.

By Aidan Joly

The list of players to talk about coming onto new teams for the 2024-25 season seems endless.

Here’s another 20 players, highlighted by St. John’s making another major addition and Miami grabbing one of the best mid-major players on the market.

Kadary Richmond: Old school: Seton Hall | New school: St. John’s

The second big guard pickup for Rick Pitino and St. John’s, Richmond was probably the best player available up until a few days ago. He will stay in the same league and the same metro area, heading to New York City from Seton Hall. He fueled Seton Hall’s run to the NIT title, and he was the team’s leading scorer at 15.7 points per game this year. He teams up with Deivon Smith in what could end up being the best backcourt in the Big East.

BJ Freeman: Old school: Milwaukee | New school: Arizona State

Freeman led Milwaukee in scoring each of the past two years, averaging 18.2 points per contest in 2022-23 and then upping it to 21.2 PPG in 2023-24. In this past season, he also led Milwaukee in rebounds with 6.6 per game, assists at 4.1 per game, and steals at 1.1 per game. Those numbers will likely dip, but he will be an important player as ASU makes the move to the Big 12.

Jalen Blackmon: Old school: Stetson | New school: Miami

Blackmon put the college basketball world on notice with a 43-point performance in the ASUN title game, lifting Stetson to the NCAA tournament for the first time in program history. He averaged 21.3 points per game for the Hatters this season and made 38.3% of his threes. He is also a career 90.6% free throw shooter. He should be a big difference maker for Miami, which has to replace both Wooga Poplar and Norchad Omier.

Otega Oweh: Old school: Oklahoma | New school: Kentucky

It was a tale of two parts of the season for Oweh. After scoring in the double digits of 16 of Oklahoma’s first 20 games of the season, he only scored in the double digits twice the rest of the way. Still, he was able to finish with an average of 11.4 per game and a 49.3% shooting percentage. His offensive game is a work in progress, but he is sure to be a good defensive stalwart. He will have two years of eligibility for Mark Pope.

TJ Bamba: Old school: Villanova | New school: Oregon

Bamba started all 33 of Villanova’s games to the tune of 10.1 points per game and shooting 36.9% from three. However, that was after he led Washington State in scoring in 2022-23 at 15.8 points per game. With four seasons and 119 collegiate games to his name, he will be a veteran presence for the Ducks.

Malik Dia: Old school: Belmont | New school: Ole Miss

Dia, who was a little-used freshman on Vanderbilt in 2022-23, came into his own at Belmont, averaging 16.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per game for the Bruins in 2023-24. Standing at 6-foot-9, he will likely be something of a project for Chris Beard with two seasons of eligibility. The upside is still very much there for Dia.

Amari Williams: Old school: Drexel | New school: Kentucky

Williams is a three-time CAA Defensive Player of the Year, defending the title again in 2023-24. The 6-foot-10 forward is one of the best rim protectors in college basketball, averaging 2.0, 2.2, and 1.8 blocks per game over the past three seasons. He grabbed 7.8 rebounds per game in 2023-24 for the Dragons, who won 20 games. He also averaged 12.2 points per game along the way. He should be a big presence in the middle for the Wildcats.

Felix Okpara: Old school: Ohio State | New school: Tennessee

Another very good defensive player. Okpara, who stands at 6-foot-11, averaged 2.4 blocks per game for the Buckeyes in 2023-24, doing it in just 23.5 minutes per game, too. He started 34 of 35 games for Ohio State as a sophomore. He did only average 6.6 points per game, but did it while making over 60% of his attempts from two-point range. He should see big minutes as the Vols replace Jonas Aidoo and Tobe Awaka.

Lamont Butler: Old school: San Diego State | New school: Kentucky

Butler, who etched his name into college basketball lore with a buzzer beater that sent San Diego State to the national championship game in 2023, is all about defense. He won the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year in 2024. His offense is what it is, having averaged 9.3 points per game and only made 30.2% from three in 2023-24. He should be good on both sides of the ball for Kentucky.

Frankie Fidler: Old school: Omaha | New school: Michigan State

Fidler finished second in the Summit League in scoring in 2023-24 at 20.1 points per game as a junior. He made 35.6% of his three-point attempts, and also grabbed 6.3 rebounds per contest. He did well in a game against TCU last November, scoring 20 points in 33 minutes, which could be something of an indicator of what may be to come. The Summit League has produced many good high-major players, and maybe Fidler will add himself to that list.

J’Vonne Hadley: Old school: Colorado | New school: Louisville

Hadley was a do-it-all guard for Colorado in 2023-24, averaging 11.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists for a Buffaloes team that won 26 games and reached the second round of the NCAA tournament. In a small sample size (1.3 attempts per game), he went 41.7% from three, but made 56.5% of his shots from two-point range. He should have a significant role in Pat Kelsey’s first Louisville team.

Mason Gillis: Old school: Purdue | New school: Duke

Gillis appeared in 132 games across four seasons for Purdue as a reliable forward who both started (63 starts) and came off the bench. He averaged 6.3 points per game across those four years, and shot 40.7% from three. He won’t be a key contributor each night, but he will be a necessary veteran voice on a Duke team that will rely heavily on freshmen in 2024-25.

Tre Donaldson: Old school: Auburn | New school: Michigan

Donaldson showed flashes as a sophomore at Auburn in 2023-24, averaging 6.7 points and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 41.2% from three in just 19.3 minutes per game. The 6-foot-2 guard has two years of eligibility next, and has the stuff to potentially be an impact player in Dusty May’s first year in Ann Arbor.

Sean Stewart: Old school: Ohio State | New school: Duke

A borderline top-20 prospect one year ago, Stewart didn’t see a ton of action as a freshman, but appeared in 33 of Duke’s 36 games and averaged 8.3 minutes per game in those appearances. A lot of that was due to being behind a logjam in the frontcourt of Kyle Filipowski, Mark Mitchell and Ryan Young. In that time, he did average 2.4 points and 3.2 rebounds per contest. With three seasons of eligibility, he could still turn into a good NBA prospect.

Adou Thiero: Old school: Kentucky | New school: Arkansas

Another player who is following John Calipari from Kentucky to Arkansas, Thiero is still figuring out his offensive game. He averaged 7.2 points per game for the Wildcats in 2023-24, but shot just 31.8% from three. He made 80% of his free throws, so that is promising. It feels like he needs a more consistent role to do well, and may have that opportunity as he sticks with Calipari.

Andrew Carr: Old school: Wake Forest | New school: Kentucky

A veteran who has played in 117 collegiate games across four seasons – two at Delaware and two at Wake. He was good for the Demon Deacons in 2023-24, averaging 13.5 points per game and made 37.1% of his threes. He also is skilled on defense and averaged 1.5 blocks per game. He should have a decently sized role for Kentucky.

Pop Isaacs: Old school: Texas Tech | New school: Creighton

Isaacs is not an efficient shooter at all – he made just 29.3% of his threes and shot just 34.9% overall as a sophomore. However, despite being one of the more maddening players to watch, he did manage to average 15.8 points per game for the Red Raiders. Creighton needs someone to make threes after the departures of Baylor Scheierman and Trey Alexander, and Isaacs may be able to fill that role.

Pharrel Payne: Old school: Minnesota | New school: Texas A&M

Payne started 19 of 32 appearances for Minnesota in 2023-24 to the tune of 10.0 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. He was able to put up those stats in just 23.3 minutes per game and was efficient, making 60.5% of his shots from two-point range. He does have upside on defense too. He should have a good-sized role for the Aggies.

Sean Pedulla: Old school: Virginia Tech | New school: Ole Miss

Pedulla has been one of the better guards in the ACC the past few years. He spent three seasons at Virginia Tech and had significant roles in each of the past two, and averaged 16.4 points per game this past season and garnered all-ACC honors. His efficiency is not the best, having made just 49% of his shots overall and 32.5% from three. Still though, he should be a solid veteran presence on Ole Miss.

JP Pegues: Old school: Furman | New school: Auburn

Pegues was first team all-SoCon last season after averaging 18.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game in 2023-24, one year after helping Furman to an upset over Virginia in the first round of the 2023 NCAA tournament. He scored 29 points in a game against Tulane last season, and 21 in a game against Arkansas. The ability to do well against high-level competition is very much there. That being said, the 6-foot-1 guard should play a key role for the Tigers.

By Aidan Joly

The May 1 deadline for regular transfers to enter the portal has come and gone, meaning that we are going to quickly start running out of the big-time players that will be putting on new uniforms next season.

Still, there are plenty of new players who will be doing that who have committed to new schools recently. Here are 20 more.

Johnell Davis: Old school: Florida Atlantic | New school: Arkansas

Davis was one of the best remaining players in the portal. He was vital in Florida Atlantic’s run to the Final Four in 2023 and got even better in the season following, averaging 18.2 points per game, grabbing 6.3 rebounds per contest and hitting 41.4% of his threes. He is also a very physical defensive player. He becomes a great add for John Calipari’s first season in Fayetteville.

Rylan Griffen: Old school: Alabama | New school: Kansas

Griffen, a former top-50 prospect, had a heck of a season as a sophomore at Alabama, averaging 11.2 points per game on 39.2% from three-point range. He also has decent size for a guard, standing at 6-foot-5. He is certainly an appealing player, having demonstrated a proven ability to start games (started 33 games) and be a very good offensive player at a high-level program.

Norchad Omier: Old school: Miami | New school: Baylor

Omier is a little undersized big, standing at 6-foot-7, but he has a very good shooting touch at the rim. That helped him a lot with Miami this past season, a season in which he averaged 17 points and 10 rebounds per game, on his way to all-ACC honors as a junior, while showing some flashes from three, hitting 35.3% of his attempts. Overall, he shot 59.8% from the field.

Roddy Gayle: Old school: Ohio State | New school: Michigan

Gayle averaged 13.5 points per game for the Buckeyes as a sophomore. He’s a physical shooting guard who can trick defenders and take them off of the ball. He improved in just about every category from his freshman to sophomore year, except three-point percentage, which dropped from 42.9% as a freshman to 28.4% as a sophomore, while doubling his attempts per game. He’ll have to improve on that. If he does, he should be a key part of Dusty May’s rotation in year one in Ann Arbor.

Jonas Aidoo: Old school: Tennessee | New school: Arkansas

Another very quality pickup for Calipari and the Razorbacks for this season. He took big strides as a junior this past season, averaging 11.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game, while starting all 36 games for Tennessee. He will be one of the SEC’s top defenders as a big man as well, although he did struggle against some of the top big men in the country last year (Zach Edey included).

Cade Tyson: Old school: Belmont | New school: North Carolina

A former Missouri Valley Freshman of the Year winner, Tyson is a career 44.6% three point shooter on nearly 300 attempts in two seasons at Belmont. He averaged 16.2 points per game as a sophomore this past season for the Bruins. UNC’s only big transfer add so far, he should have a significant role in Chapel Hill this season.

Max Shulga: Old school: VCU | New school: Villanova

Shulga is a veteran player who has over 125 games of collegiate experience to his name over four seasons. After following Ryan Odom from Utah State to VCU one year ago, he averaged 14 points per game for the Rams and made 41.5% of his threes. He is good both on and off the ball, and should be a key veteran presence for a Villanova team that lacked it a bit this season.

Deivon Smith: Old school: Utah | New school: St. John’s

Smith kind of struggled to find his footing at both Mississippi State and Georgia Tech over three seasons as nothing more than a role player, but he really found his footing at Utah last season, averaging 13.3 points per game and made 40.8% of his threes. He becomes the first big pickup for Rick Pitino and St. John’s after some swings and misses on a few other names.

Cliff Omoruyi: Old school: Rutgers | New school: Alabama

Omoruyi is one of the best shot-swatters in the nation, finishing fourth nationally in the regular season with 91 total blocks. Standing at 6-foot-11, he is an elite rim protector who has won back-t0-back all-Big Ten defense team honors. He also averaged 10.4 points and 8.3 rebounds per game along the way last season. Alabama had lacked a great rim player so far this off-season, until Omoruyi joined up.

Chibuzo Agbo: Old school: Boise State | New school: USC

Agbo is a very physical player, and is built like one, standing at 6-foot-7 and weighing in at 226 pounds. He earned 66 starts in two seasons at Boise State, and this past season he averaged 13.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, while also becoming a good shooter (40.9% from three, 50.3% overall). He started his career at Texas Tech.

Javian McCollum: Old school: Oklahoma | New school: Georgia Tech

McCollum was one of the better scoring guards in the Big 12 this past season, averaging 13.3 points per game on 50.3% from the field in his lone season in Oklahoma after transferring in from Siena one year ago. His three-point percentage was just 31.4%, though. Still, Georgia Tech has something good going under Damon Stoudamire and McCollum will have a chance to be a key guy for the Yellow Jackets this season.

Brandon Garrison: Old school: Oklahoma State | New school: Kentucky

A former top-50 prospect one year ago, he showed some flashes why at Oklahoma State. He averaged 7.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game in just 22.7 minutes per contest. It’s a question as to why now-former Cowboys coach Mike Boynton did not play him more. With three years of eligibility to go, he will have the chance to become a great player under new Kentucky coach Mark Pope.

Isaiah Swope: Old school: Indiana State | New school: Saint Louis

Another player who following coach Josh Schertz from Indiana State to Saint Louis, his stats pop off the page. He averaged 15.9 points per game for the Sycamores and made 36.2% from three, for a total shooting percentage of 43.3%. He shot 42.3% from three during his one season at Southern Indiana in 2022-23. Teamed back up with Robbie Avila, the duo should be very good again, albeit in a different jersey.

Koby Brea: Old school: Dayton | New school: Kentucky

Brea could very well be the best three-point shooter in college basketball. He made 49.8% from behind the three-point arc for Dayton last season, which led the nation. He has elite, in-the-gym range. He can bury just about any shot he takes. Still though, he only averaged 11.1 points per game at Dayton. He should have a very large role at Kentucky this season.

Desmond Claude: Old school: Xavier | New school: USC

Claude was maybe the most improved player in the country last season, going from averaging 4.7 points per game as a freshman in 2022-23 to putting up 16.6 points per game as a sophomore last season, while also grabbing 4.2 rebounds per game and dishing out 3.2 assists. He should be a big part of the plans for Eric Musselman’s first team at USC, which has several good portal adds.

Chucky Hepburn: Old school: Wisconsin | New school: Louisville

Hepburn started all 103 games he appeared in for Wisconsin over three seasons, establishing himself as one of the more sure-handed guards you’ll see, while also being a very solid defensive player, earning all-Big Ten defense honors in 2023-24. He topped out at 12.2 points per game as a sophomore in 2022-23, but saw those numbers dip to 9.2 per game in 2023-24. He will be plug-and-play in Pat Kelsey’s first Cardinals team.

Tarris Reed: Old school: Michigan | New school: UConn

Another former top-50 prospect, he was a role player in 2022-23 before having a starter role on a bad Michigan team this past season. Still, he was able to average 9.0 points and 7.2 rebounds per game for the Wolverines. He does need to improve on defense, though. UConn seems like a good situation for him, though, even if they need to replace Donovan Clingan.

Brandon Huntley-Hatfield: Old school: Louisville | New school: NC State

Huntley-Hatfield was once a five-star prospect in 2021, and finally started to show why after not getting a ton of playing time at Tennessee in 2021-22, and then struggling in 2022-23 in his first season at Louisville. In 2023-24 he finally showed flashes on a bad Cardinals team, averaging 12.9 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, one of the bright spots on the team. There should be lots of chances for him to do well at NC State.

Julian Larry: Old school: Indiana State | New school: Texas

It is rare that speed in guards is much of a thing these days, but Larry is blazing fast. He is a guard who can fly past defenders and get to the rim, or he can get out and punish you from behind the three-point line. He did both, averaging 11 points per game and shot 46.2% from three, a percentage that led Indiana State in 2023-24. He should have a good sized role at Texas in the winter.

Joshua Jefferson: Old school: Saint Mary’s | New school: Iowa State

This feels like a very good fit. Iowa State needed a defensive-minded big man, and got one here. He can defend the perimeter well to the tune of 1.2 steals per game for the Gaels, but can also defend inside, even if the block numbers are not there. He’s only 6-foot-8 for an interior defender, for what it’s worth. He’s a capable shooter too, having averaged 10.2 points per game on 46.9% from the field. He started 26 games as a sophomore.

By Aidan Joly

May 1 marks the deadline for college basketball players to enter the transfer portal, meaning that a lot of answers are coming soon as to how many of the country’s best teams will look next year.

Some more have already committed. Here are a look at 20 more players. If you want to see the first part of this, you can find that here.

Trey Townsend; Old school: Oakland | New school: Arizona

The 6-foot-6 forward scored 1,813 points in four years at Oakland and averaged 17.3 points per game this year en route to winning the Horizon League Player of the Year award. He then led Oakland to an upset of Kentucky in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Arizona has to replace a lot of production from last season, and Townsend will be a big part of that.

Vladislav Goldin; Old school: Florida Atlantic | New school: Michigan

Goldin follows coach Dusty May from FAU to Ann Arbor. A 7-foot-1 center, he has played in a ton of big games and has become a rugged and seasoned veteran as a result. He averaged 15.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game this past season while shooting 67% from the floor. He should continue to be one of the most efficient inside players in the country.

Terrence Edwards; Old school: James Madison | New school: Louisville

Edwards led James Madison this season with 17.2 points per game, a squad that went 32-4 and reached the second round of the NCAA tournament. He also had 3.4 assists per game. He improved in each of his four seasons at James Madison and is sure to be a big part of the equation for new coach Pat Kelsey.

PJ Haggerty; Old school: Tulsa | New school: Memphis

Haggerty began his career at TCU and only appeared in six games in 2022-23, but became a huge part of Tulsa’s squad this season. He averaged 21.2 points per game in his first full season of college basketball, including 54% from two-point range (he shot 49.3% overall). He has three years of eligibility, so he could end up being a big part of Memphis’ plans for the next few years to come.

Kylan Boswell; Old school: Arizona | New school: Illinois

Boswell was a key rotational piece for Arizona this past season, starting 35 of the Wildcats’ 36 games and averaged 9.6 points per game and dished out 3.6 assists per contest. He also showed promise as a shooter, hitting them at a 37.9% clip. There is still some development to be done, especially on the defensive end, but he has a solid track record to start his career.

Kanaan Carlyle; Old school: Stanford | New school: Indiana

Carlyle showed a lot of promise as a freshman at Stanford, appearing in 23 games (16 starts). In that time, he averaged 11.5 points per game and shot 32% from three. His best games came against NCAA tournament teams, scoring 31 points against Washington State and 28 against Arizona. With three years of eligibility, he can be a big part of Indiana’s plans.

Danny Wolf; Old school: Yale | New school: Michigan

Another pretty good get for Dusty May in his first year in Ann Arbor, Wolf averaged 14.1 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks for Yale, a team that reached the second round of the NCAA tournament. As a seven-footer, he also made 34.5% of his threes for the season, certainly a good number for a center. Him and Goldin should make for a fantastic duo in the Wolverines’ frontcourt.

Ryan Conwell; Old school: Indiana State | New school: Xavier

Conwell averaged 16.6 points per game last season, good for second on an Indiana State team that should have made the NCAA tournament and made it to the NIT title game. That number was second on the team. He also made 40.7% of his threes on just over seven tries per game. He also rates as a pretty good defensive player. It’s a solid add as Sean Miller tries to get Xavier back to the NCAA tournament.

Chris Youngblood; Old school: South Florida | New school: Alabama

Youngblood was the co-AAC Player of the Year as he averaged 15.3 points on 41.6% shooting from three on a Bulls team that won the AAC regular season title. A one-year rental for Alabama, he should fit into the rotation well for the Crimson Tide, which shoots a ton of threes. He also has good size for a guard, at 6-foot-4.

Ja’Kobi Gillespie; Old school: Belmont | New school: Maryland

Gillespie only stands a 6-foot, but he is one of the most efficient shooters you’ll see. He shot 66% from inside the three-point arc for Belmont last year, and 38.7% from outside of it. In turn, he averaged 17.2 points, 4.2 assists and 2.2 steals per game for a Belmont squad that won 20 games. Maryland is in need of backcourt help, and Gillespie should be able to help that in a big way.

Saint Thomas; Old school: Northern Colorado | New school: USC

Thomas, who started his career at Loyola Chicago, averaged 19.7 points, 4.2 assists and 1.7 steals while shooting 33% from three for Northern Colorado this past season. He stands at 6-foot-7 and is listed as a forward. Northern Colorado produced one of the best transfers in the country last season in Dalton Knecht at Tennessee. Can they come though again? Thomas has one season of eligibility.

Dante Maddox Jr.; Old school: Toledo | New school: Xavier

Maddox seems like a similar player to Quincy Olivari and Dayvion McKnight, both of whom were very productive for Xavier this past season. Maddox is a good shooter, having made 42.4% of his threes in two seasons with Toledo. He averaged 15.6 points per game for the Rockets this past season. He started his career at CSU Fullerton.

Jordan Pope; Old school: Oregon State | New school: Texas

A high-quality scorer, Pope led Oregon State with 17.6 points per game, while dishing out 3.4 assists per game and shot 37.1% from three for the Beavers, who did struggle in 2023-24. There isn’t a ton more to his game besides the high scoring, but with two years of eligibility should be able to improve upon that. With Texas losing Max Abmas and Tyrese Hunter, Pope is sure to play a role in replacing them.

Jacob Crews; Old school: UT Martin | New school: Missouri

A solid all-around player, he averaged 19.1 points per game and shot 41.4% from three as a junior on a team that won a share of the Ohio Valley conference title. He also grabbed 8.2 rebounds per game. As a good shooter, he is a big pickup for Missouri, which needs help anywhere it can get it after going 0-18 in SEC play last season.

Aden Holloway; Old school: Auburn | New school: Alabama

Holloway goes from one side of the rivalry to the other. He is a former five-star prospect who struggled as a freshman at Auburn, averaging just 7.3 points per game on just 31.8% from the field. However, the upside is clear as a former top prospect with three years of eligibility. He may be a project, but the potential is still there.

Aaron Bradshaw; Old school: Kentucky | New school: Ohio State

A top prospect who was the No. 6 player in the ESPN top 100 one year ago, he struggled to find minutes in a crowded frontcourt in Lexington. The seven-footer did show some promise throughout the season, especially so as a perimeter defender and it earned him 10 starts during the season. He will look for more consistent minutes under new Buckeyes coach Jake Diebler.

Aidan Mahaney: Old school: Saint Mary’s | New school: UConn

Mahaney was the WCC Freshman of the Year in 2022-23 and then made the all-league first team this past season. He averaged 13.9 points per game over two seasons with the Gaels and has made 37.5% of his threes in that time. Mahaney is a natural shot-maker who should fit well in the UConn system as it tries to win a third consecutive national title.

Dre Davis; Old school: Seton Hall | New school: Ole Miss

Davis, who started his career at Louisville, had a breakout 2023-24 campaign, averaging 15.0 points and 5.9 rebounds per game for a Seton Hall team that went on to win the NIT. He also shot 35% from three for the Pirates. He’ll have one year of eligibility for Chris Beard at Ole Miss.

Michael Ajayi; Old school: Pepperdine | New school: Gonzaga

After spending two seasons at the JUCO level Ajayi had a huge season for Pepperdine, averaging 17.2 points per game and shooting 47% from behind the arc on 2.5 attempts per game. He was also a strong rebounder, averaging 9.9 boards per game. Gonzaga struggled with depth in the 2023-24 season, and Ajayi is sure to be a part of fixing that issue.

Frankie Collins; Old school: Arizona State | New school: TCU

A veteran point guard who began his career at Michigan, Collins averaged 13.8 points per game for Arizona State in 2023-24. He is a high-volume shooter who did that on making 42.6% of his shots and 31% from three. He will step into a fairly large role for TCU from the jump as the Horned Frogs replace Jameer Nelson Jr. and Avery Anderson, among others.

By Aidan Joly

The college basketball season has been over for two weeks and the transfer portal is in full swing.

Plenty of good players remain in the portal as of Tuesday, but many great players have already committed to their new schools, some of whom are set to be major additions for their new teams this season. Let’s get into some of them and how they will impact their new teams.

Tucker DeVries; Old school: Drake | New school: West Virginia

DeVries is the best player in the portal who has committed to far, and he quickly followed his father Darian as he took the head coaching job in Morgantown. A dynamic offensive threat who won the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year twice, he averaged 21.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game this past season. He is also a 35.9% three point shooter for his career. He should quickly be the Mountaineers’ best player this year.

Zeke Mayo; Old school: South Dakota State | New school: Kansas

Mayo joins the growing list of Summit League Players of the Year transferring up to the big boys after Max Abmas became the leading scorer at Texas after transferring from Oral Roberts and Baylor Scheierman starring at Creighton after winning the award, also at South Dakota State. Mayo averaged 18.8 points and 5.7 rebounds per game this year at SDSU, while shooting 38.3% from three for his career. He scored 19 points on 11 shots against Iowa State in the NCAA tournament, a hint of how he can do against Big 12 competition.

Jeremy Roach; Old school: Duke | New school: Baylor

The last link to the Mike Krzyzewski era at Duke, Roach is a smart and experienced guard who has 108 starts to his name in his time with the Blue Devils. He was third team All-ACC this year after averaging 14.0 points and 3.3 assists per game this season. It’s a one-year rental, and Roach will replace RayJ Dennis at the point guard position in Waco.

AJ Storr; Old school: Wisconsin | New school: Kansas

Another great add for Bill Self and the Jayhawks, who picked up a second of the top five or six players in the portal. He was a huge part of the offense at Wisconsin this past season, averaging 16.8 points per game, but only did shoot 43.4% from the field. With better playmakers around him this season, the 6-foot-6 wingman should be able to improve his efficiency.

Mark Mitchell; Old school: Duke | New school: Missouri

Mitchell is a former five-star prospect who still has NBA-level upside. He started 67 games in two seasons at Duke, playing both forward positions, but mostly played the power forward position in 2023-24. In that role, he averaged 11.6 points and 6.0 rebounds per game while shooting 54% from the field. Missouri is in a deep rebuild after going 0-18 in SEC play in 2023-24, but Mitchell could become a star for them. He has two seasons of eligibility remaining.

Tramon Mark; Old school: Arkansas | New school: Texas

Mark spent three seasons at Houston before going to Fayetteville for one season, where he averaged 16.2 points per game on 48.2% from the field. He has never been that efficient of a shooter, a career 42.4% from the field (improving on the career mark in 2023-24) and just 32% from three. However, Texas is losing all of its top four scorers, so Mark will have to be a real scoring option this season.

Oumar Ballo; Old school: Arizona | New school: Indiana

Ballo doesn’t have a ton of versatility to his game as a seven-foot center, but averaged 12.9 points and 10.1 rebounds per game at Arizona this past season. Despite that, he is a difficult player to defend due to his size and does play well on the defensive end of the floor. He has been productive at an elite program, and will help Indiana replace Kel’el Ware, who is heading to the NBA.

Robbie Avila; Old school: Indiana State | New school: Saint Louis

Avila, who became a college hoops folk hero this season, is also a good player. The 6-foot-10 center averaged 17.4 points per game at Indiana State on 53.6% shooting and also grabbed 6.6 rebounds per contest. He also shot 39.4% from three and plays a very good inside-out game. That makes him a different type of player. He is following coach Josh Schertz, who also went from Indiana State to Saint Louis in the coaching carousel.

Tony Perkins; Old school: Iowa | New school: Missouri

Another solid get for Dennis Gates as Missouri continues its rebuild. Perkins started all of Iowa’s 34 games this season and averaged 14.0 points, 4.6 assists and 1.6 steals per game. He is also a great defender, as can be seen in his steal numbers. Perkins is a physical guard who should have a big role on this year’s team, while creating a nice duo with the aforementioned Mitchell.

Darlinstone Dubar; Old school: Hofstra | New school: Tennessee

The second year in a row that Hofstra has had a star guard come to the SEC, Dubar follows former Alabama guard Aaron Estrada. Dubar, a 6-foot-6 wing, averaged 17.8 points and 6.8 rebounds for the Pride this season. Dubar started his career at Iowa State in 2020-21 and got a starting nod in seven games. With a good shot and good size, he will try to help replace All-American Dalton Knecht in Knoxville.

Zvonimir Ivisic; Old school: Kentucky | New school: Arkansas

Ivisic showed some amazing flashes of potential at Kentucky this season. In his debut in January against Georgia, the 7-foot-2 Croatian scored 13 points on 5-7 shooting in 18 minutes, and then scored 18 points on 7-11 in 20 minutes against Alabama later in the season. A rare combination of size, skill and shooting ability, a full off-season to develop and condition could very well make him an elite player as he joins John Calipari at Arkansas.

Meechie Johnson; Old school: South Carolina | New school: Ohio State

Johnson was the leading scorer for South Carolina last season, averaging 14.1 points per game, but was somewhat inefficient shooting the ball, at just 39.9%. He returns to Columbus with this move, where he played 43 games between 2020 and 2022, starting five of them. He will have one season of eligibility under new coach Jake Diebler.

Kobe Johnson; Old school: USC | New school: UCLA

Johnson is more of a defensive presence than anything else. He’s elite at that, and it showed up in collecting 2.2 steals per game for the Trojans this past season. He also averaged 10.9 points per game, albeit on a team that struggled a lot of the way. He will be a plug-and-play veteran player as he heads to the other side of town to play for Mick Cronin.

Malik Mack; Old school: Harvard | New school: Georgetown

A great pickup for Georgetown and Ed Cooley as he continues the rebuild of the program. Mack averaged 17.2 points and 4.8 assists per game as a freshman at Harvard on the way to the Ivy League Rookie of the Year award. He had 18 points and six assists in a game against Boston College and had 27 against Indiana, a great indicator of what kind of player he can be against high-major competition.

Milos Uzan; Old school: Oklahoma | New school: Houston

Uzan, a 6-foot-4 guard, started 56 games in two seasons in Norman. He is very smart with the basketball, averaging 4.7 assists per game to just 2.1 turnovers per game. Scoring the basketball he is solid, averaging 9.0 points per game on 39.2% from the field, which was a large falloff from 47% from the field as a freshman. In any event, Uzan will be tasked with being part of the replacement of star point guard Jamal Shead. He won’t, and shouldn’t, handle that task alone.

Aljiah Martin; Old school: Florida Atlantic | New school: Florida

It’s easy to be a fan of what Todd Golden has done at Florida the past few years, and it seems like Martin can be a player who fits into that system smoothly. Martin earned all-conference honors three times at FAU to the tune of a career 11.9 points per game and shooting 36.9% from three. He is also a good player at the defensive end of the floor. Martin is a proven player who has been a key contributor on winning teams. He should be able to do the same as he moves up to the SEC.

Dug McDaniel; Old school: Michigan | New school: Kansas State

Even though Michigan was bad this season, McDaniel averaged 16.3 points and 4.7 assists per game while shooting 36.8% from three. McDaniel, who is just 5-foot-11, also is a pretty good defensive player who was probably the Wolverines’ best defensive player this past season. He will immediately be thrown into a Kansas State team that needs to improve its guard play. He should be able to be a key cog there.

Tyrese Hunter; Old school: Texas | New school: Memphis

A former Big 12 Rookie of the Year at Iowa State in 2021-22, Hunter spent two seasons at Texas and started 71 games, averaging 10.7 points per game in those two seasons. After he was a star freshman at Iowa State it seemed like he would be a star, but it has not worked out that way. A slight step down might allow him to be one of the top players on a good team, provided Memphis can figure it out this season.

Skyy Clark; Old school: Louisville | New school: UCLA

This is a strange fit on the surface. Clark and Mick Cronin seem to not go together at all, but they’ll give it a shot. A former top-40 prospect who spent one season at Illinois, which was really only 13 games, he led a bad Louisville team with 13.2 points per game. Anyone who has followed him the past few years knows that he has a wildly erratic career so far. He’ll look to turn it around at UCLA.

Myles Rice; Old school: Washington State | New school: Indiana

Rice was a big part of the Washington State team that got the program to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2008, averaging 14.8 points, 3.8 assists and 1.6 steals per game in his first season of college basketball. He will need to improve on his three-point shooting after he shot just 27.5%, very low for a 6-foot-2 guard. However, there is a lot to like if he develops right with three seasons of eligibility left. He should also be a big part of upgrading Indiana’s guard play.