AJ Hoops

By Aidan Joly

On Wednesday, ESPN announced the 14 ACC-SEC Challenge games for the upcoming season, set to be held on November 28 and 29.

This combines and replaces the ACC-Big Ten Challenge and the Big 12/SEC Challenge, which were both discontinued following the 2022-23 season by ESPN.

So, this ACC-SEC Challenge will be the inaugural one. Let’s take a look at each game and ranking them.

14. Boston College at Vanderbilt (Nov. 29, 9:15 p.m.)

This game doesn’t do anything for me. A game Vanderbilt probably wins and it helps its NET rankings a little bit, but that’s really all I have here.

13. Georgia at Florida State (Nov. 29, 9:15 p.m.)

Another game between two teams at the bottom of their respective leagues, but the two schools are closer to each other in proximity. Georgia coach Mike White has played FSU a couple times while he was the coach at Florida, so there’s some familiarity.

12. LSU at Syracuse (Nov. 28, 7 p.m.)

LSU couldn’t get much worse than it was this past season, so the Tigers should be a little better. For Syracuse, the Orange play a non-conference schedule that also features the Maui Invitational and a neutral site game against Oregon, so add another Power 6 game to Red Autry’s first non-conference schedule.

11. Virginia Tech at Auburn (Nov. 29, 9:15 p.m.)

Auburn does play a tough non-conference schedule, but this should be a relatively easy win for the Tigers. Virginia Tech probably won’t be good enough to really be in the tournament conversation, but a win here would go a long way if they string enough wins in conference play together to be on the bubble.

10. Notre Dame at South Carolina (Nov. 28, 7 p.m.)

The Lou Holtz Bowl, but in basketball. This game doesn’t really move me, but it should be a decent early-season litmus test for new coach Micah Shrewsberry going on the road against a Power 6 opponent.

9. Mississippi State at Georgia Tech (Nov. 28, 7 p.m.)

Another game that will be more of a litmus test to see where they stack up and is a solid home game in year one for new Georgia Tech coach Damon Stoudamire as it faces a Bulldogs team that went to the NCAA tournament this past March.

8. Clemson at Alabama (Nov. 28, 9:30 p.m.)

*Insert a football joke here* Could have given Alabama a much better matchup here, but alas. Clemson is a projected tournament team, but this is a game that the Crimson Tide should win. But a win for Clemson would be huge for tournament hopes.

7. Florida at Wake Forest (Nov. 29, 7:15 p.m.)

Starting to get into the more interesting matchups. Florida has had a great off-season in the portal with Todd Golden and could finish towards the top of the SEC if things go right. Wake Forest could be sneaky good this season, so this would be a huge opportunity for the Demon Deacons to pick up what could end up being a Quad 1 win. An excellent test for both teams.

6. Missouri at Pittsburgh (Nov. 28, 7 p.m.)

Cool game here. Two teams that made the tournament and are on the upswing will meet up here. The Oakland Zoo is a tough place to play and will probably be even tougher now that the Panthers are good. A great early test for both teams to pick up what might end up being a Quad 1 win either way.

5. NC State at Ole Miss (Nov. 28, 9 p.m.)

The Jarkel Joiner Bowl! Both teams have some solid tools and should be decent, and the energy is up in Oxford with Chris Beard taking over the program. It’s a pretty decent and intriguing matchup and a win for either team would go a long way.

4. Texas A&M at Virginia (Nov. 29, 7:15 p.m.)

Buzz Williams and Tony Bennett will re-ignite their rivalry for a night in this one. Bennett has won seven of the 10 matchups between the two. Texas A&M tends to play a weaker non-conference schedule, but plays a strong one this year and this matchup adds to it.

3. Miami at Kentucky (Nov. 28, 7:30 p.m.)

Miami did go the Final Four, but lost just about every major contributor, so the Canes are sure to take a step back this season. Kentucky just took a big step in fortifying its roster with the addition of West Virginia transfer Tre Mitchell, so the Wildcats look much better than they did a week ago. Still wanted Duke-Kentucky, though.

2. Tennessee at North Carolina (Nov. 29, 7:15 p.m.)

This is a big game for sure. Both of these teams are playing a very tough non-conference schedule and this just adds fuel to the fire. Lots of individual matchups will be fun to watch. Armando Bacot vs Jonas Aidoo, as will the point guard matchup between Zakai Zeigler and Elliot Cadeau. One of the better games in the first month of the year.

1. Duke at Arkansas (Nov. 29, 9:15 p.m.)

Bud Walton Arena might need a new roof after this game. This will be one of the most highly anticipated games across the country in the first month of the season. On top of that, this is probably the toughest true road non-conference game that Duke has played since going to play at Michigan State in 2019. The stars will be out for this high-level game and it’s a real must-watch.

By Aidan Joly

The 2023 NBA Draft is in the books. Between the wheeling and dealing in the days leading up to the draft, the talk of lottery picks on the move on draft night, this year’s draft seemingly had it all.

All in all, this was one of the chalkiest drafts I can remember. Sure, there were a couple reaches and slides, but most guys went within a few picks of where they were projected to go.

That being said, let’s get into some takeaways from the night.

Houston has a good night

The Rockets added one of each in the backcourt and the frontcourt in Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore (which brings me to my next point in a minute). They will be added to a roster that already features Jalen Green, Jabari Smith, Kevin Porter Jr., Alperen Sengun and Tari Eason, making it one of the most exciting and athletic young rosters in the league.

Pair that up with new head coach Ime Udoka to develop this group over the next few years. He can use these raw materials to create an athletic team through a system and structure, something his successor, Stephen Silas, wasn’t able to do. That’s a must if hope is to be created in Houston.

Anatomy of a slide

The aforementioned Whitmore was once in the top five conversation, even in the last days leading up to the draft. Instead, he fell to the 20th pick and Houston swooped in and grabbed him. Whitmore is still just 18 years old and there’s still development to be done, but he will surely come into the league with a big chip on his shoulder and something to prove.

Sacramento opens up cap room

A trade that kind of flew under the radar was the Kings sending Richaun Holmes and his $25 million contract to the Dallas Mavericks, along with the 24th pick in the draft, which Dallas used on Olivier-Maxence Prosper.

This move will allow the Kings to be a major player in free agency, with around $34 million in cap space, if certain moves are made with the players they have now.

Now, you can connect the dots here. Sacramento is in glaring need of a power forward, need to improve their defense, have a Warriors-obsessed owner and a head coach who was the Warriors’ lead assistant up until a year ago.

See where I’m going here?

Portland’s post-Lillard future

After Charlotte hemmed and hawed over who it would pick at No. 2, the brass ultimately went with Alabama’s Brandon Miller, opening the door for Portland to take Scoot Henderson at three.

Now, between Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe, the Trail Blazers seemingly have the backcourt of the future in place and will absolutely increase the already-exhausting will-he-or-won’t-he discussion about Damian Lillard’s future. Lillard’s value has never been higher. Portland doesn’t need to live in fear of him demanding a trade anymore. Now is the time to be proactive and move him before it’s too late.

Dallas has best night?

The aforementioned Mavs also had a great night, somehow figuring out a way to dump the contract of Davis Bertans while only moving down two picks to do it.

With that 12th overall pick, Dallas picked up Dereck Lively II, a guy who is a perfect fit in Dallas. A guy seems to be a near-clone of Tyson Chandler and be the guy to catch those alley-oops and share the frontcourt with Luka Doncic, as well as play with Kyrie Irving (if he’s around). On top of that, Prosper is a solid add as a depth piece off the bench.

Doing all of that, while helping your team out financially? Brilliant. That final week tank might have worked, as tough as it is to admit it.

Cason Wallace is a great add for OKC

With the 10th pick, Oklahoma City was able to pick up Cason Wallace, another great example of an athletic, hard-charging, long, and uber-competitive player. He’s another add for a Thunder group that has a lot of young studs like him.

He’ll play alongside budding superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, along with Jalen Williams, Josh Giddey and Lu Dort, in what is set to be one of the most ferocious and versatile groups in the league.

Denver gets some steals

The defending NBA champs didn’t need to do too much in the draft, but picked up two guys who have potential to be the biggest steals in the draft, taking Gonzaga guard Julian Strawther with the 29th pick and Penn State’s Jalen Pickett with the 32nd pick. Denver also grabbed Clemson forward Hunter Tyson at 37.

It remains to be seen what type of role each of these three will have off the bat, but Denver picks up three NBA-ready players who don’t need much development as they arrive at the next level.

Heat culture shines again

The Heat have one of the best cultures and environments in the NBA and found a perfect player to add to that, taking UCLA’s Jaime Jaquez with the 18th pick.

Jaquez is a straight-up winner who played for Mick Cronin at UCLA. He’s one of those guys who knows how to play and contribute on both sides of the ball, a high basketball IQ, something that will really fit in Erik Spoelstra’s system.

Don’t be surprised if he comes in right away and contributes.

College production doesn’t matter

This was one of the bigger realizations throughout the night. Five of the first seven picks didn’t play college basketball. Older college ball stars like Keyontae Johnson (50th overall), Jalen Wilson (51st overall), Isaiah Wong (55th overall) and Trayce Jackson-Davis (57th overall), were picked very late, while guys like Drew Timme, Adama Sanogo, Adam Flagler and Oscar Tschiebwe weren’t picked at all.

Yes, teams don’t want to pick 22-and 23 year old players where there’s a lot of similar types of players in the league, but it was somewhat surprising. In years past, they would have been picked.

By Aidan Joly

The NBA Draft is Thursday night, and today we’re looking into some of the underrated names that might not hear their name called early on, but have a great chance to have impact NBA careers.

Gradey Dick, Kansas

Dick is an intriguing NBA prospect. He’s a high-level small forward who can shoot the ball at a high level, while also is a good athlete with elite NBA skill. He certainly has high upside in the league. He’s not an elite runner or jumper, but he can get up and play above the rim. Standing at 6-8, he has solid height for the wing position, not the longest player at the position but nonetheless.

At Kansas, he averaged 14 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, but more importantly always seemed to be in the right place at the right time.

Pick projection: 10-15th overall range

Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana

Jackson-Davis certainly showed this season that he is NBA ready, putting up 18 double-doubles in Indiana’s 35 games on his way to averaging 21.1 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. More importantly, he was a menace all over the floor as well as a defensive standout. He does most of his work in the paint, so he might have to expand his range a little bit to really succeed, but has some Draymond Green-like abilities.

His game doesn’t fit perfectly into the NBA, but he should be able to carve out a role as a solid role player.

Pick projection: late first round/early second round

Julian Strawther, Gonzaga

Strawther is a well-built and athletic forward who can make plays off the bounce and light it up scoring the ball. He showed the ability to be a go-to scorer, but it feels like we didn’t see all of his ability with Gonzaga, since he was the second option there behind Drew Timme.

On top of that, he’s active on defense and has good vision as a passer. He still has some development to be made, but he can be solid at the next level.

Pick projection: second round

Adam Flagler, Baylor

Flagler might be undersized for a 2 guard, standing at 6-foot-3, but is a solid three-point shooter and is also good from the free throw line. Overall, he’s very efficient.

His knock is on defense. Going back to him being undersized, he might struggle to guard bigger 2 guards at the next level. Still, there is room for development after he had an up-and-down junior season with the Bears.

Pick projection: second round

Colin Castleton, Florida

Castleton suffered a season-ending injury towards the end of Florida’s season, so we didn’t see a ton of him. The fact that Florida missed the NCAA tournament didn’t help either. But, he’s a great rim-protector, averaging three blocks per game and 7.7 rebounds per game. The best part of his game might be the ability to defend the hell out of you without drawing fouls, so he’s smart.

A knock is that his jump shot isn’t close to NBA ready. He only hit two three-pointers his entire college career. It will be interesting to see if his injury hurts his draft stock, or even if he is drafted at all.

Pick projection: second round/undrafted

Bobi Klintman, Wake Forest

Klintman isn’t getting nearly enough attention as he deserves, but people might be finally starting to see the light here. He’s a legit 6-foot-10, but moves like a guard and is a capable three-point shooter. He made 36.8% as a freshman for the Demon Deacons this past season and it’s easy to see those numbers going up if he is put into the right system.

He is one of the higher-upside prospects in this draft. That as well as his physical gifts could make for a great addition for a team that is willing to develop him.

Pick projection: late first round/early second round

Brandin Podziemski, Santa Clara

For most of the winter and spring, Podziemski was not much more than a second round pick for a team to take a flyer on, but he has flown up draft boards after an impressive showing in workouts and the combine. He’s an underrated passer and facilitator and plays at both ends, while projecting as a three-point marksman at the next level. He’s also an excellent rebounder.

He could fit in well with a team of young shooters. He earned himself a green room invite, so the NBA probably thinks he’ll go in the first round.

Pick projection:mid-late first round

Jordan Hawkins, UConn

Hawkins is probably the best shooter off movement in this entire draft and one of the better three-point shooters. Being assigned to him on defense will make anyone exhausted with how much he is in motion. He’s also good at drawing fouls and makes his free throws at above a 90% clip.

His size is good but not great and that might lead to him struggling on defense. Still, he’ll be able to hold his own.

Pick projection: mid first round

By Aidan Joly

When the mighty fall, it’s rarely soft.

We saw a great example of that on Saturday with the demise of Bob Huggins. A Hall of Fame coach who saw his career come to an unceremonious close after a drunk driving arrest on Friday night, not long after he was put on thin ice by West Virginia for uttering a homophobic slur on live radio.

Now, WVU is tasked with replacing a program icon who has been at the helm in Morgantown since 2007 and has been a college basketball head coach all but one year since 1984. His career ends with more than 900 wins to his name and an even larger legacy for college basketball, being a guy who always won and was always willing to give coaches and players second chances.

But, he’ll largely be remembered for how it ended, not how it went. Such is sports and such is life.

For West Virginia, there’s no real playbook here. We’ve seen jobs open up in the midst of the summer before, but the layers here certainly makes things more complicated. Still, the program needs a leader for the 2023-24 season and beyond, if it doesn’t go the interim coach route.

The West Virginia job is one of the more desirable jobs in the sport. The competitive ceiling being in the Big 12 is debatable, but finishing at .500 in that league is an accomplishment. There are lots of good things too. Being the only show in the entire state means a passionate fanbase. An organized NIL collective, one that features a guy named Jerry West as part of it – so it’s an athletic department that understands NIL and being ahead of the curve. Program success is there – there aren’t a lot of times where the Mountaineers were objectively bad in the past two decades.

It’s a good area for recruiting too – you can recruit the area in and of itself, but it’s also easy access to places like Washington D.C., New York City and Chicago.

There are and should be expectations. It’ll be interesting to see how much leeway is given to someone who isn’t named Bob Huggins.

That being said, here are eight (and one) candidates to do that.

Ron Everhart, West Virginia assistant

If WVU goes the interim route for 2023-24, it’ll nearly certainly be Everhart. He has plenty of head coaching experience – over 600 games – and has been an assistant in Morgantown since 2012. We saw the success that Rodney Terry had at Texas as an interim coach, so the powers that be might be inclined to do the same and see how it goes. At the very least, it’ll steady the ship for 2023-24.

Jerrod Calhoun, Youngstown State head coach

It might be tough to see a sitting head coach take this job, but WVU isn’t a total rebuild, considering you still have some talented players on the roster. He’s a former West Virginia assistant (2007-2012) who has orchestrated a nice rebuild at Youngstown State over the past six years and went 24-10 and 15-5 in the Horizon League this past season.

Jeff Boals, Ohio head coach

Boals has a similar pedigree to Calhoun, but has never been at West Virginia. He’s done a good job in four seasons at Ohio and took the Bobcats to the round of 32 in 2021. He’s won nearly 60% of his games as a head coach. He spent time as an assistant at Ohio State before he got head coaching gigs.

Andy Kennedy, UAB head coach

Kennedy has experience at the high major level at Ole Miss from 2006-2018 and has done a good job at UAB. However, UAB is moving up to the American Athletic for this season, so it might be tough to see him taking this job, especially with the Blazers in a position to win this season.

Alvin Brooks III, Baylor assistant

Athletic director Wren Baker doesn’t have ties to Scott Drew, but he does have ties to Grant McCasland, who was Baker’s head coach at North Texas before both left for larger schools. McCasland is a Drew apprentice, so it’s not nothing here. It could be a Jerome Tang-esque hire, going with a longtime assistant who is familiar with the Big 12. An assistant being poached wouldn’t upend a program the way a head coach leaving would, either.

Erik Martin, South Carolina State head coach

Martin only has one season as a head coach to his name and it resulted in an ugly 5-26 season at South Carolina State, 2-12 in the MEAC, last place. But, he’s a Huggins disciple who was an assistant under him from 2006-2022. It might not be what the school is looking for, but he’s worth a mention. And as tough as it is to leave in June, who isn’t leaving South Carolina State for the Big 12?

Da’Sean Butler, College Park Skyhawks assistant

Butler, who has only been in coaching since 2021, might be better-suited as an assistant. The former WVU star is currently an assistant in the NBA G League after a few months as an assistant at Wheeling University, a Division II school. Usually, that isn’t enough on a resume, but this is a different kind of search and seemingly anything could happen. He’s 35, so he can understand NIL and build relationships with players, while his star status in Morgantown would endear him to fans.

John Beilein, former West Virginia and Michigan head coach

Beilein is in a cushy advisory role for the Detroit Pistons right now, so it’ll be a question of if he wants to give that up to run a college program again. He knows West Virginia and knows it’s not a total rebuild. He’s 70 years old and hasn’t coached a college game since 2019 before a bad sting with the Cleveland Cavaliers, so he might not want to, but it could go great. If not, it doesn’t have to be a long-term commitment.

Joe Mazzulla, Boston Celtics head coach

We get to the and one guy. It won’t happen, but it’s a call you have to make. Former WVU star, rising star in the coaching ranks who got the opportunity of a lifetime to coach the Celtics at 34 years old. It went well in the regular season but he struggled in the playoffs, clearly in over his head. Still, you have to make him say no.

Prediction: I really don’t have one. On paper, Everhart as the interim coach for this season and then going from there makes the most sense. However, reports say that they are looking the full-time route now. It’s a tough situation, but it will be fascinating to see how WVU handles this.

By Aidan Joly

Now that the NBA Draft deadline has came and went, there’s still some moving around within the transfer portal. Let’s get into the news and notes within the portal from the last week or so.

Paul Mulcahy becomes available

Mulcahy entering the portal as a grad transfer on Friday is a big blow for Rutgers. He was a major part of the program’s resurrection in recent years and was set to be a big part of the Scarlet Knights’ plans for 2023-24. No doubt that this will hurt Steve Pikiell’s squad this season.

Reportedly, several schools have already reached out to Mulcahy, but Michigan and Kentucky both make a lot of sense as landing spots. According to reports, both of them have reached out. Michigan could use another guard to pair up Jaelin Llewellyn and Dug McDaniel with. As for Kentucky, the Wildcats still just need bodies, and ones that have a plethora of experience. A lot of Kentucky’s interest might hinge on whether Antonio Reeves stays or goes, but Mulcahy being a Wildcat would be a good addition. Illinois would make sense too. All three should be able to provide significant NIL packages too.

Jordan Brown is a huge addition up front

Brown, a former McDonald’s All-American who began his career at Nevada all the way back in 2018, also entered the portal on Friday. He’s had some bad luck with coaching changes through his career after Eric Musselman left Nevada after his freshman season, only to play one season at Arizona after sitting out the 2019-20 season before Sean Miller was fired.

Brown has resurrected his career at Louisiana the past two seasons, averaging 19.3 points per game this past season for the Ragin Cajuns, leading the program to the NCAA tournament for the first time in a decade.

The 6-foot-11 forward will have a season of eligibility and is set to be a huge addition up front for somebody. He’s experienced too, with 119 collegiate games under his belt.

Where will Arthur Kaluma land?

Kaluma, the transfer from Creighton, is one of the top names still on the board. He has two years of eligibility remaining after withdrawing from the NBA Draft and has reportedly been on visits at both Kentucky and Kansas State in recent days, and has another at Alabama coming up.

Like mentioned before, Kentucky needs bodies so Kaluma would make sense for the Wildcats, but he would be a good add up front for both Kansas State and Alabama as well. Kentucky has always been creative with their power forwards, it would be interesting to see what a role would be for him in Lexington.

Cam Spencer picks UConn

Another loss for Rutgers is a gain for the defending national champions. Dan Hurley picks up one of the best shooters in the country here after Spencer averaged 13.2 points per game and shot 43% from three this past season for the Scarlet Knights.

Losing Jordan Hawkins to the NBA is undoubtedly a tough loss, but gaining Spencer makes up for it quite a bit. He’ll immediately slot into the starting lineup.

Olivier Nkamhoua to Michigan

Michigan seemed to be out on picking up this impact forward and it seemed to be down to Baylor, West Virginia and Kansas State, but the Tennessee transfer will head to Ann Arbor. Whatever Juwan Howard did, it worked and this is a heck of a get for the Wolverines.

Nkamhoua is a former top-200 player who has four years of SEC experience under his belt. He will help fill a significant hole that Michigan had at the power forward position. He is sure to be a focal point for a team that lost a pair of players to the NBA Draft, saw its best player in Hunter Dickinson leave for Kansas, and whiffed on acquiring Caleb Love due to an issue with academic credits.

Grant Nelson down to two

Nelson, the North Dakota State transfer, is one of the best players in the portal remaining and arguably the best mid-major player. He averaged 17.9 points and 9.3 rebounds this past season.

Reportedly, he is down to Alabama and Arkansas, with a decision expected on Sunday or Monday. It can’t be understated how massive of an addition this would be for either program. He’s an impact forward on both sides of the ball and will be an immediate star in the SEC.

By Aidan Joly

As the calendar turned from May to June, so did the midnight deadline for early entrants in the 2023 NBA Draft to either stay in the draft or withdraw and return to college.

The news centered around the big men (get it?). The past two National Players of the Year, Oscar Tschiebwe and Zach Edey, took their decisions right down to the wire. They ended up going down different paths, decisions that will have opposite effects on Kentucky and Purdue. We’ll get into that in a little bit.

NIL played a role in the day too. The big example of that is Illinois reportedly increasing an offer to big man Coleman Hawkins in an effort to get him to stay, leading to Hawkins making a last-minute decision.

It’s important to remember that only first-round picks are guaranteed contracts in the NBA, so the option of being paid to stay in college has become a much more enticing option – especially so when a veteran player could probably make more NIL money than they would with a professional salary.

So, what are the big takeaways from the day. Let’s get into it.

Zach Edey’s return

This was perhaps the biggest domino of the day, as the reigning National Player of the Year will stay with the Boilermakers. Everything the team does right now runs through the 7-foot-4 monster. This return makes Purdue a top-10 team going into the season and likely to earn a top seed in the NCAA tournament. Edey will be the face of the sport this season, too.

Of course, the Boilermakers will have to deal with the ghosts of Fairleigh Dickinson, but what happened last time a 1 seed lost to a 16?

UConn loses major pieces

The defending national champions didn’t have as good of a day, losing Final Four Most Outstanding Player Adama Sanogo as well as Andre Jackson, the Huskies’ do-everything guard who was perhaps its most important player down the stretch.

Donovan Clingan is solid and is ready to step into that role, but it’s objectively fair to say that he is a downgrade from Sanogo. Elsewhere, Jackson was in a real swing position as it could go either way for him in the first or second round. He’s taking a chance on himself here.

All wasn’t lost though as Tristen Newton announced that he would return for a fifth season in Storrs. Despite that, the Huskies got worse on Wednesday.

Concerns with Kentucky

This has been a theme for a few years now, having general concerns with Kentucky and John Calipari. The Wildcats do bring in the top recruiting class, but that is the only thing keeping this offseason from being a total disaster.

Kentucky has lost four players to the transfer portal, and then lost Tschiebwe and Chris Livingston to the draft on Wednesday. On top of that, Jacob Toppin left the program in March, and rumors continue to swirl that Antonio Reeves may enter the portal.

Now, Kentucky only has seven scholarships players on the roster and none of them were in the regular rotation in 2022-23. Calipari will have to rely on freshmen this year, which hasn’t gone as well the past couple years. With this year’s class being relatively weak by comparison, that’s going to be a problem.

Tschiebwe didn’t have much to gain by staying in college, he’s maxed out what he can do in four years. However, losing Livingston and potentially Reeves really hurts.

Villanova’s big splashes

Kyle Neptune has proven to be a menace in the transfer portal this spring and grabbed another big name on Wednesday after Richmond transfer Tyler Burton elected to come back to school and head to Philadelphia.

Year one under Neptune was injury-plagued and didn’t go well. Now, between getting Burton, Maryland transfer Hakim Hart, who also elected to come back to school, Washington State’s TJ Bamba and Kentucky’s Lance Ware, Neptune has crushed it this offseason. The Wildcats are well-positioned for a bounce-back 2023-24 with a top-25 roster.

Good day for Illinois

The Illini and Brad Underwood were one of the biggest winners of the day, too. As brought up before, Hawkins as well as Terrence Shannon kept us waiting until late into the night. But, they both announced their returns, Hawkins after reportedly receiving an increased NIL offer to stay in Champaign.

It’s a big deal for Illinois, which now returns three of its top four scorers from last year. It gives the Illini the guys to hang with the best teams in the Big Ten.

FAU a big winner

Sure, Johnell Davis and Alijah Martin weren’t expected to be drafted, so their respective returns don’t come as much of a surprise. However, in the past after historic runs like FAU’s run to the Final Four, guys who were on the fringe would leave at a higher rate, figuring their stock might not be as high in a year.

That being said, the return of this duo guarantees that FAU will return essentially the same team that went to the Final Four, outside of the graduation of Michael Forrest.

The Owls have the tools to hang around in the top 10 all season and will look to prove that last year wasn’t a fluke.

By Aidan Joly

The college hoops season might still be almost six months away, but it’s never too early to take a look at the hot seat entering the season.

This spring, 58 programs across the country changed head coaches, so eight potential ones for the 2023-24 season won’t even be the tip of the iceberg, but we’ll get into some high-profile guys who need to have a good season, or potentially walk the plank.

Jerod Haase, Stanford

It was something of a surprise that Haase kept his job this spring following a 14-19 campaign and 7-13 in the Pac-12, the Cardinal’s fifth straight campaign in the league at .500 or worse. In seven years at the helm, Haase is 112-109 overall and 59-72 in the Pac-12 and only has one NIT appearance to his credit.

The past two seasons, the program has had to come out and announce that Haase would return, so he may not get a third announcement.

Fred Hoiberg, Nebraska

It’s easy to infer that the lone reason Hoiberg is still running the show in Lincoln is his substantial buyout, which is still at $10 million if he is fired on or before March 31, 2024, according to BetMGM. On April 1, 2024, it drops to $7 million, still a rather hefty sum.

It might be a bit before he is out, thanks to what is fair to say is the worst coach contract in the sport right now. In four years, Hoiberg is 40-83 overall and 18-61 in the Big Ten.

Wayne Tinkle, Oregon State

Tinkle earned himself a four-year contract extension after leading Oregon State to the Elite Eight in 2021, but followed up with a 3-28 campaign in 2021-22, 1-19 in the Pac-12. Not much improvement happened this past season, 5-15 in league play and 11-21 overall.

Now, a coach who has won all of six league games in two years and has only been over .500 once in league play in nine tries is under contract through 2027, with a buyout that is surely eight figures.

Mike Hopkins, Washington

Hopkins probably should have been gone after going 5-21 in the 2020-21 season, but the buyout reared its head again. Since then, Washington has hovered .500, but went 8-12 in the Pac-12 last season and 16-16 overall, but had losses to Cal Baptist and the aforementioned Oregon State.

He’s under contract through 2025, so it behoove the administration to pull the trigger a year early. NCAA tournament or bust? Hopkins hasn’t gotten the Huskies there since 2019, the only time he’s gotten them there since he took over in 2017.

Bobby Hurley, Arizona State

Hurley in Arizona was a weird geographical pairing from the start, and despite some success (NCAA tournament in 2018, 2019 and 2023), it’s been largely mediocrity for that program since he came to Tempe in 2015. The Sun Devils have gone 141-113 and 71-76 in the Pac-12 in that time.

It’s been a slow rebuild of the program, but those in charge might be getting impatient.

Kenny Payne, Louisville

It’s rare for a guy to be on a list like this after just one year running the show, but here we are. Payne’s first year at Louisville was a total disaster, 2-18 in ACC play and 4-28 overall.

Payne won a national championship at Louisville as a player, spent a decade as an assistant under John Calipari and was regarded as a great recruiter, but his first time as a head coach was a total flop. If there isn’t some major improvement in year two, a program with the resources of Louisville probably won’t hesitate to make a move.

Greg Gard, Wisconsin

Second-year athletic director Chris McIntosh made a surprising move last fall with a mid-season firing of popular and fairly successful football coach Paul Chryst. It’s a type of move that signals a new era of aggressiveness and expectations at the athletics giant. Hockey coach Tony Granato was fired in March, albeit after a 13-23 overall, 6-18 Big Ten season.

Gard hasn’t done a bad job – five NCAA tournaments, two trips to the second weekend, but the program has only won two tournament games since 2017. On top of that, Wisconsin missed the tournament for just the second time since 1999 last March. There will surely be lots of pressure on Gard this year from an aggressive AD who did not hire him.

Bob Huggins, West Virginia

It was an ugly situation for Huggins, who used an anti-gay slur during an appearance on a Cincinnati radio station earlier this month.

Part of his punishment included a salary reduction, his contract going year-to-year and he will be suspended the Mountaineers’ first three games this season. A case can certainly be made that Huggins should have lost his job for the remark.

Huggins will be 70 years old by the time the season starts. West Virginia hasn’t performed up to usual expectations the past few years. Now that his contract isn’t multi-year, it might be getting to be that time for that marriage to end.

By Aidan Joly

Last weekend, I put together a part one for college basketball players coming to new teams through the transfer portal. To read that, click here.

Now, here’s a part two to that with some more players headed to new teams next season.

Matthew Cleveland; Old school: Florida State | New school: Miami

Cleveland is a former five-star prospect who led the Seminoles with 13.8 points per game, but Florida State struggled with a 7-13 season in the ACC and 9-23 overall. He’s a 6-foot-7 wing who can play several positions and certainly has the tools to become an NBA prospect with two years of eligibility with the Canes. He should have a large role immediately as Miami is looking to replace some key pieces from its Final Four run.

Joe Girard; Old school: Syracuse | New school: Clemson

One of the better volume three-point shooters in the country, Girard averaged 16.4 points per game for the Orange this past season and hit 40% of his threes, averaging more than seven attempts per game last year. He’s undersized and limited defensively though, so he struggled on the defensive end. Clemson has NCAA tournament aspirations next year and Girard is sure to be a part of those plans.

Caleb Mills; Old school: Florida State | New school: Memphis

Memphis will be Mills’ third school. It feels an eon ago that Mills earned All-AAC honors as a freshman at Houston 2019-20 and now he heads back to that league after two years with Florida State. He averaged in the double digits in both seasons in Tallahassee and will be important in replacing Kendric Davis in Memphis.

Damian Dunn; Old school: Temple | New school: Houston

Dunn was the second-leading scorer for the Owls this season at 15.3 points per game to go along with 3.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists per contest. The Cougars are certainly familiar with him after he scored 16 points off the bench in Temple’s upset win against Houston on January 22, when Houston was No. 1 in the country. He now heads to the team he helped beat as the program heads to the Big 12.

Rienk Mast; Old school: Bradley | New school: Nebraska

A four who stands at 6-foot-9, Mast averaged 13.8 points and 8.1 rebounds for a Bradley team that won the Missouri Valley regular season title and was within one win of making the NCAA tournament. He also has the ability to hit threes. He has two years of eligibility and can certainly challenge for a starting role with the Huskers.

Steven Ashworth; Old school: Utah State | New school: Creighton

One of the better three-point shooters in the country, Ashworth made 43.1% of his attempts for the Aggies last season on his way to averaging just over 16 points per contest. He did this on a team that got an at-large tournament bid too. At the least, he will be a valuable role player. At best, he will be even better than Ryan Nembhard in running Creighton’s offense.

Noah Fernandes; Old school: Massachusetts | New school: Rutgers

Fernandes only played 11 games for the Minutemen this year due to injuries, but in that limited time he averaged 13.4 points per game. In the games he did play in, UMass went 7-4, while going 8-12 without him. A true facilitator at just 5-foot-11, he can carve out a real role for the Scarlet Knights this year.

Hakim Hart; Old school: Maryland | New school: Villanova

Hart is one of the most veteran players in the country, with 116 games with the Terps under his belt. He averaged 11.3 points per game for Kevin Willard’s squad this past season. His shooting percentages are nothing spectacular, but he’s a versatile player and a nice addition as Villanova looks to get something going in Kyle Neptune’s second season.

Jayden Epps; Old school: Illinois | New school: Georgetown

Epps showed some serious flashes of talent as a freshman with the Illini, averaging 9.5 points per game and showed the ability to play both guard positions despite standing at just 6-foot-2. He is sure to be a major part of Ed Cooley’s rebuild at Georgetown and will be a breakout candidate nationally in 2023-24.

Andrew Rohde; Old school: St. Thomas | New school: Virginia

Rodhe won the Summit League Freshman of the Year at St. Thomas after averaging 17.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.7 steals while starting every game for the Tommies. He was also named to the all-league first team for those efforts. A 6-foot-6 guard, he will have a chance to play a big role for the Cavaliers. However, similar to a lot of guys who jump from mid-major to high major, you have to see how he makes that adjustment to the competition.

Kadin Shedrick; Old school: Virginia | New school: Texas

Shedrick was one of the best interior defenders in the country, but fell out of the rotation during conference play and saw his role severely diminish as the season went on. Still, in 17 minutes per game he averaged 4.1 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. He is getting a nice change of scenery at Texas, which is short on big men.

Micah Handlogten; Old school: Marshall | New school: Florida

Handlogten is a monster, standing 7-foot-1. One of the best young rebounders in the country, he averaged 9.8 of them this past season at Marshall on his way to Sun Belt Rookie of the Year honors. He doesn’t have the best offensive game, but is fantastic in other ways.

Yohan Traore; Old school: Auburn | New school: UC Santa Barbara

Traore was once committed to LSU, but changed his plans after Will Wade was fired towards the end of the 2021-22 season and ended up with Auburn. He appeared in 26 games for Auburn this year, but barely played down the stretch. He has a chance to rebuild his career in the Big West.

Keyon Menifield; Old school: Washington | New school: Arkansas

It’s like a broken record: Eric Musselman gets a good young player through the portal. Here, it’s Menifield. He was one of the best freshman guards in the Pac-12 last season, averaging 10 points and 3.1 assists per game for the Huskies. Arkansas usually has good guard play and Menifield is sure to be a part of that as the Razorbacks have to replace some guys in the backcourt.

Daniel Batcho; Old school: Texas Tech | New school: Louisiana Tech

The 6-foot-11 center battled some injuries in the second half of the season that limited his playing time, but he was very solid in non-conference play, including 21 points against Ohio State, 17 against Creighton and 15 points and 13 rebounds against Georgetown. He missed nine games due to injuries and was limited in some more. Look for him to have a big role at Louisiana Tech.

Will Baker; Old school: Nevada | New school: LSU

A former top 100 prospect who started his career at Texas in 2019-20, he never really got it going there and left after one year. He averaged in the double digits in both seasons he spent in Nevada and had 13.6 points per game this past season for the Wolf Pack. Now, after a few years of fixing some things up, he heads to a similar challenge to where he began his college career.

AJ Storr; Old school: St. John’s | New school: Wisconsin

Another former top 100 prospect that was an exciting get for St. John’s a year ago, he didn’t have a big role at first but saw his role increase as the year went on. He finished at 8.8 points per game and got a starting nod 17 times, averaging 11.8 points per game in those 17. He is also a solid three point shooter, hitting them at a 40.4% clip. He will likely compete for a starting role with the Badgers.

Nicolas Timberlake; Old school: Towson | New school: Kansas

A two-time all-league pick in the Colonial Athletic, Timberlake was one of the best distance shooters in the portal this spring. He was Towson’s leading scorer in 2022-23 at 17.7 points per game while also chipping in a tick less than four rebounds per contest. He shot 41.6% from behind the arc this past season, too.

Darrion Williams; Old school; Nevada | New school: Texas Tech

Williams was recruited a fair amount coming out of high school, but chose Nevada a year ago after some interest from plenty high level programs. The numbers aren’t super noteworthy at 7.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game as a freshman, but it was enough to get the nod for Mountain West Freshman of the Year. Standing at 6-foot-6, he will have a chance to play a decently sizable role for the Red Raiders.

Jackson Paveletzke; Old school: Wofford | New school: Iowa State

Paveletzke was a real freshman standout for the Terriers, starting all 33 games en route to 15.1 points and 3.7 assists per game, making third team all-conference in the SoCon and was named the league’s Freshman of the Year. He also shot just under 40% from three. He will be a very nice piece in Iowa State’s backcourt.

Arterio Morris; Old school: Texas | New school: Kansas

Morris was a highly recruited player out of high school and a McDonald’s All-American one year ago as a dynamic and explosive offensive player at point guard. However, he was charged with a misdemeanor domestic violence offense before the season started and then sat behind several guards with the Longhorns this season. He only played 11 minutes per game this season. We will have to see what happens here.

MJ Rice; Old school: Kansas | New school: NC State

Another former McDonald’s All-American one year ago and a highly touted prospect, Rice never really got it going with the Jayhawks. He only played 7.5 minutes per game and did not appear in 13 games. The talent is still there and now he will get a chance to develop at NC State, where there is seemingly less pressure and less talent to have to play behind.

Cormac Ryan; Old school: Notre Dame | New school: North Carolina

North Carolina will be Ryan’s third school. He spent a season at Stanford all the way back in 2018-19 before spending playing three seasons with Mike Brey and the Fighting Irish, topping out at 12.3 points per game this past season. He is a high-level shooter, who hit 40% of his attempts in the 2021-22 season. A 6-foot-5 guard, he will be a talented wing to add to Hubert Davis’ rotation in Chapel Hill.

Simas Lukosius; Old school: Butler | New school: Cincinnati

Lukosius had a solid season for a Bulldogs team that never really got any momentum going all season, averaging 11.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.9 assists while shooting 37.8% from three. As mentioned though, Butler never got it going, finishing 14-18 overall and 6-14 in Big East play. He did show a flash in the Bulldogs’ final game of the season, going for 23 in the Big East tournament against St. John’s.

Ben Krikke; Old school: Valparaiso | New school: Iowa

Krikke has been gotten an all-league nod in the Missouri Valley three times and is coming off a 2022-23 where he averaged 19.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. Iowa usually is known for having good outside shooters and Krikke will be the opposite of that, providing a good presence and option down low.

Chris Ledlum; Old school: Harvard | New school: Tennessee

Ledlum has been one of the most productive players in mid-major basketball the past two seasons. In 2022-23, he averaged 18.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, following up a 2021-22 where he averaged 16.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. As a senior, he was named first team All-Ivy for his efforts. He will bring a grit and high volume scoring that the Vols missed this past season with the ability to play multiple positions.

Adam Miller; Old school: LSU | New school: Arizona State

A highly touted guard coming out of high school in 2020, he had a solid freshman season at Illinois, averaging 8.3 points per game and showing flashes of brilliance. Since then, he missed the entire 2021-22 season to injury and went to LSU for this past season, where he averaged 11.3 points per game but showed some serious shooting inconsistencies and some head-scratching plays. Now at a third school, he will look to turn things around again.

Jordan Minor; Old school: Merrimack | New school: Virginia

Minor was a consistent double-double threat every night for Merrimack, averaging 17.4 points and 9.4 rebounds per game for a team that won both the regular season title and conference tournament, but remained ineligible to compete in the NCAA tournament due to Division I transition rules (which let Fairleigh Dickinson get in). Anyway, Minor was also the NEC Player of the Year and is a three-time all-league selection. Standing 6-foot-8, he does almost all of his work on the inside.

Steele Venters; Old school: Eastern Washington | New school: Gonzaga

Venters has had a great past two seasons at Eastern Washington, averaging 15.3 points per game and shooting 37.1% from three in 2022-23. That was a step down from 2021-22, where he averaged 16.7 points per game and shot 43.4% from distance. He was also named the Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year. He will be a great depth piece for the Zags this coming season.

Javon Small; Old school: East Carolina | New school: Oklahoma State

Small went very under the radar this season, in particularly because he plays at a school that’s towards the bottom of the American Athletic. However, he averaged 15.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game for the Pirates, but was limited to 18 games and did not play after January 11. There’s talent here, and he’ll have a chance to blossom with the Cowboys.

By Aidan Joly

On Saturday, Bronny James, the 18-year-old son of LeBron James made it official what the college basketball world had been expecting the past few weeks: that he’s not going far from his current home and will play for the USC Trojans this season.

USC is a program that struggles to catch eyeballs in Los Angeles and even on its own campus, having the reputation of a football school.

That is all about to change, at least for a season.

Sure, you can put it at about a 99% chance that James will be a one-and-done to join his father in the NBA in 2024, probably playing with him, as LeBron has expressed a desire to do in recent years.

Now, the Trojans might be the toughest ticket to get in the entire city of Los Angeles this coming winter. Between two teams in each the NBA, NHL, NFL and MLB, two popular MLS teams, an NWSL team, golf’s U.S. Open, the Olympics and the World Cup in the city currently and in the coming years, not to mention UCLA, it’s tough to think of another time this has been the case. And I haven’t even mentioned the beaches, nightlife and Hollywood.

Andy Enfield has been patrolling the sidelines at the Galen Center for a decade now and has made the NCAA tournament five times, so there has been no shortage of talent to come through his program. He got USC to the Elite Eight for just the fourth time in program history in 2021, its first time at that point in two decades and just the second time since the 1950s.

James is not even the best player in this recruiting class for the Trojans. That goes to five-star prospect Isaiah Collier, a 6-foot-3 guard who is a consensus number one for the class of 2023. They have another coming in, a four-star forward in Arrinten Page, from Georgia.

In 2020, Enfield got Evan Mobley, the No. 3 player in the country at the time who is now at the beginning of an NBA career.

So, James is not the best player Enfield has ever recruited, he is just the most noteworthy.

Which brings in a conundrum: What if USC is good and James is not playing the role many thought he would? What if he struggles, whether the team is winning or not? Of course, a successful James figures to be a big reason why USC wins. How involved will LeBron be? So far, he’s been very involved in his son’s development and a fixture on the sidelines at his games at youth levels and at Sierra Canyon. Will he be a distraction? How will the media and public handle all of this? If this goes off the rails, will Enfield’s future recruiting endeavors be hampered?

There’s an inherent risk to this. By all accounts, Bronny is a great kid, a great teammate and a considerate and mature young man. However, his high school team had a fairly pedestrian season this year, finishing 23-10, was third place in the league they play in at 5-2 and had its season end with a 19-point loss in the state semifinals, a game in which James had 10 points. He scored 15 points in the McDonald’s All-American game, not exactly setting the world on fire.

This all being said, it’s a good fit. This is a talented, local kid for a program that needs players. Boogie Ellis is coming back, but three players in the backcourt are gone via transfer. After that, the top remaining three scorers are all in the frontcourt, leaving an opportunity for James to compete for a starting role on day one.

Hype can only bring a player so far. Either he’ll succeed, or he won’t. Once he steps on the court for the Trojans, there will be nowhere to hide. The expectations are there. No matter what happens, USC games will be must-see all season. Are they ready?

By Aidan Joly

One of the biggest transfer portal dominoes fell on Thursday, when former Michigan big man Hunter Dickinson announced that he would head to Lawrence and play for Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks next season.

Well over 1,000 players across the country have entered the portal and more will before the May 11 deadline to do so. That being said, I am compiling a bunch of names and talking about the fits at some of these players’ new schools.

Hunter Dickinson; Old school: Michigan | New school: Kansas

Dickinson is one of the best big men in the sport. Standing at 7-foot-1, he can seemingly do it all on both sides of the ball and has demonstrated ability to be a threat from three-point range. However, Michigan, with Dickinson and two potential first round picks in Kobe Bufkin and Jett Howard, failed to make the NCAA tournament. Kansas gets the traditional big man it didn’t have last season, but will Dickinson live up to the hype?

Kel’el Ware; Old school: Oregon | New school: Indiana

Ware was one of the top prospects of the class of 2022 and played decent minutes for the Ducks this past season, just under 16 per contest while shooting 45.5% from the field, showing signs of potential from three. He would have played more minutes if not for a logjam in the Ducks’ frontcourt and he should have an immediate impact at Indiana. If this goes well, NBA could be the next stop.

Max Abmas; Old school: Oral Roberts | New school: Texas

The 6-foot-1 guard is a two-time Summit League player of the year and has experience in the second weekend of the NCAA tournament and showed that he was the premier mid-major college basketball player. He is a career 38% shooter from three. It’ll be an uptick in competition from the Summit League to the Big 12, but with the Longhorns losing Marcus Carr, it’s easy to see Abmas being the top or second scoring option.

LJ Cryer; Old school: Baylor | New school: Houston

Cryer isn’t going far for his new school. He started all 31 games he played for the Bears this season, but remained the third option in the backcourt, sharing the ball with Keyonte George and Adam Flagler. There is some to be desired on defense, but he can be an electric scorer for the Cougars. Experience in the league as the program transitions to the Big 12 won’t hurt, either.

Ryan Nembhard; Old school: Creighton | New school: Gonzaga

The Nembhard name continues at Gonzaga, Ryan being the younger brother of former Zags guard Andrew. However, little brother made an immediate impact at Creighton, winning Big East freshman of the year in 2021-22 before averaging just over 12 points per game for the Bluejays this season. A true point guard, he will help solidify having the backcourt stars that Mark Few’s teams have been missing the past few seasons.

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

Mark is going through the NBA pre-draft process, so there is a chance he won’t be a Razorback next season. But, he was a key piece on a Cougars that spent multiple weeks at No. 1 this season, averaging 10.1 points per game and being a stalwart on defense. If he does return, he will be a key player for an Arkansas program that tends to thrive off of transfers.

Jesse Edwards; Old school: Syracuse | New school: West Virginia

Edwards only has one season of eligibility remaining after four seasons with the Orange. He is coming off of a season where he averaged 14.5 points per game, good for third on Syracuse, led the ACC in blocks at 2.7 per game and was second in the league with 10.4 rebounds per game, behind North Carolina’s Armando Bacot. He’s not a real perimeter threat, but he is a true big man who should thrive under Bob Huggins.

Kerr Kriisa; Old school: Arizona | New school: West Virginia

The Mountaineers picked up a second impact transfer and a true point guard in Kriisa. He was the starting point guard for the past two seasons in Arizona, which had one of the best offenses in the country under Tommy Lloyd. He is limited as a scorer but can really hit from three, making 36.6% of his attempts this past season and also averaged 5.1 assists per game for the Wildcats. It’s a great pickup for a team that is losing guards Erik Stevenson and Kedrian Johnson.

Ace Baldwin; Old school: VCU | New school: Penn State

Baldwin follows his coach in Mike Rhoades, who left VCU to take the job at Penn State. He has been the leader of VCU’s defense the past three seasons, while also leading the Rams in scoring. His defensive prowess earned him both Atlantic 10 Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors this season. However, it will be interesting to see how that tough mentality that made him successful at VCU will translate to the Big Ten.

Harrison Ingram; Old school: Stanford | New school: North Carolina

A five-star prospect from the class of 2021, Ingram is hoping to re-claim that buzz that he once had coming out of high school at one of the sport’s bluebloods. A versatile forward who can play multiple positions, he averaged 10.5 points and 6.2 rebounds over two seasons with the Cardinal. A 69.2% free throw shooting is a stat to turn your nose at, but he has the skills to be an impact starter for the Tar Heels.

Tylor Perry; Old school: North Texas | New school: Kansas State

Perry led the Mean Green to an NIT championship behind 17.3 points per game, shooting 41% from three and making 87% of his free throws. He stands at just 5-foot-11, but it is an elite scoring guard. Kansas State will need it too after the departure of Markquis Nowell, a similar undersized guard who led the Wildcats to the Elite Eight in March.

Caleb Love; Old school: North Carolina | New school: Michigan

A former can’t-miss, five-star prospect and McDonald’s All-American, Love’s career has underwhelmed to this point. He has shot just 36% from the field and under 30% from three for his career and his assist-to-turnover ratio could be better. However, he helped North Carolina to the Final Four in 2022. There’s no doubt that the talent is there, but it’s no secret that he is glaringly inefficient and inconsistent. Maybe Michigan, a somewhat offensively challenged team, will be a nice change of scenery for him.

JJ Starling; Old school: Notre Dame | New school: Syracuse

A five-star prospect a year ago, Starling averaged 11.2 points per game at Notre Dame this past season. An obvious area for improvement for the 6-foot-4 guard is being the three-point line, where he shot just under 30% this past season. He figures to have a big role for the Orange this season under first-year coach Adrian Autry.

Javian McCollum; Old school: Siena | New school: Oklahoma

McCollum put up big numbers for Siena this past season, averaging 15.9 points per game. He showed flashes from behind the three-point line, shooting 35.6% from deep. He did show some inconsistencies, so it will be interesting to see how he makes the adjustment to the Big 12 under Porter Moser.

Sahvir Wheeler; Old school: Kentucky | New school: Washington

A traditional, old-school point guard, Wheeler has finished in the top two in the SEC in assists in each of the past three seasons, with one year at Georgia and two with Kentucky. He is somewhat limited as a scorer, but if he is surrounded by scorers, he can be a real facilitator on offense for a program that has had its struggles in recent seasons.

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

Clark played just 13 games for the Illini this past season before stepping away from the team in January. Clark is a former top 40 prospect and now he’ll head to Louisville. El Ellis had no help in the backcourt this year in a disastrous season for the Cardinals in Kenny Payne’s first campaign. He’ll hope to bring some competence to the backcourt.

Jalen Cook; Old school: Tulane | New school: LSU

Cook was the high scorer at 19.9 points per game for a Tulane team that had its best season in recent memory, finishing with 20 wins for the first time in a decade. He also led the team with 4.9 assists per game. This will be the second time he’s at LSU after transferring out after his freshman year. Two years later, he is back in a much better place.

Brandon Murray; Old school: Georgetown | New school: Ole Miss

A 6-foot-5 guard, Murray averaged 13.7 points per game on a Hoyas team that won just seven games, but showed an ability to stuff the stat sheet. He should play a decently sized role for the Rebels this season under Chris Beard. He has some familiarity with the SEC, having played at LSU in the past.

Denver Jones; Old school: Florida International | New school: Auburn

Jones finished second in Conference USA in scoring this past season as a sophomore, averaging 20.1 points per game on 37.1% from three and 84.5% from the free throw line. He also scored 20 or more points in 17 of his 28 games played. He’ll hope to bring some consistency to an Auburn backcourt that hasn’t had that.

TJ Bamba; Old school: Washington State | New school: Villanova

Another player who is going through the NBA pre-draft process, so there is a chance he won’t suit up for Villanova in the fall. That being said, Bamba led Washington State in scoring at 15.8 points per game on 37.2% from three, but didn’t do as well against teams like UCLA and Arizona. Assuming he ends up back in school, he slides into an immediate role for Nova, which lost Caleb Daniels, Brandon Slater and Cam Whitmore.

Khalif Battle; Old school: Temple | New school: Arkansas

Another guy who Eric Musselman picked up in the portal. Battle struggled with injuries throughout his four seasons at Temple, but when healthy he was one of the better scorers in the American Athletic Conference. However, his defense leaves something to be desired, something to work on with the Razorbacks if he wants to be a high-level starter in the SEC.

Jamison Battle; Old school: Minnesota | New school: Ohio State

Battle was one of the best players in the Big Ten in 2021-22, averaging 17.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, but his numbers and overall production took a dip this season as the Golden Gophers limped to a nine-win season, 2-17 in the Big Ten. Still, he has a track record of being a productive player who can be a role guy if Ohio State can compete for an NCAA tournament bid.

Aaron Estrada; Old school: Hofstra | New school: Alabama

The well-traveled Estrada has one of the most topsy-turvy careers of anyone in college basketball right now. He won the MAAC Rookie of the Year at Saint Peter’s in 2019-20, then spent a year playing sparingly for Oregon, then went to Hofstra for two years, where he won the Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year in each of his seasons in Hempstead. He averaged 20.2 points on a Hofstra team that won 25 games this year. He’ll see a lot of time at Alabama.

Jared Bynum; Old school: Providence | New school: Stanford

Bynum is a Big East tough guy type, undersized but played in some battles with the Friars. He is a career 33% shooter from three and has a great assist-to-turnover ratio. He also makes his free throws, at an 83.1% clip this past season. Stanford is always in need of guards, and Bynum will fit that role nicely.

Fardaws Aimaq; Old school: Texas Tech | New school: California

Aimaq is a former WAC Player of the Year from his time at Utah Valley and transferred to Texas Tech one year ago. He was limited to 11 games with the Red Raiders this past season but made the most of that time, averaging 11.1 points and 7.9 rebounds per game as a tough guy in the middle. At Cal, he reunites with his former head coach in Mark Madsen.

Jameer Nelson Jr.; Old school: Delaware | New school: TCU

Another CAA star, Nelson Jr. led the league with 20.6 points per game and also led the conference in steals with 2.4 per contest. The three-point shooting numbers for the 6-foot-1 guard does leave something to be desired, at just 31.3% for his career, but hits his free throws and makes his shots from two-point range. He will be the replacement for Mike Miles, who left TCU for the NBA.

Graham Ike; Old school: Wyoming | New school: Gonzaga

The proof is in the pudding here. In 2021-22, Ike averaged 19.5 points and 9.6 rebounds per game at Wyoming went 25-9 and made the NCAA tournament. Ike was out for the entire season due to injury and the Cowboys went 9-22 and finished dead last in the Mountain West. There were some other roster changes, but it’s easy to see the impact he has. He’ll be instrumental in replacing Drew Timme at Gonzaga.

Walter Clayton Jr.; Old school: Iona | New school: Florida

Clayton won the 2022-23 MAAC Player of the Year with Iona and helped lead the Gaels to the NCAA tournament. He averaged 16.8 points on a phenomenal 43.4% from three while also averaging 4.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. He also led the country with a 95.5% clip from the free throw line. He should be starter as Florida continues its rebuild under Todd Golden.

Dalton Knecht; Old school: Northern Colorado | New school: Tennessee

It will be interesting to see how Knecht translates to the SEC. He averaged 20.2 points per game on 38.1% from three this past season, but Northern Colorado finished 12-20. Questions linger about how all of that will translate to a better team and league. But Tennessee is in need of three-point help, having shot just 32.9% from three as a team in 2022-23.

Jaden Bradley; Old school: Alabama | New school: Arizona

A former top prospect and McDonald’s All-American, Bradley struggled out of the gate at Alabama and saw his role get smaller and smaller as the season went on. That being said, Bradley reached double figures 11 times this past season, the majority of which came in the first half of the season. Still with a lot of upside, he will be tasked with helping Kerr Kriisa while he gets a fresh start out west.