College Basketball Transfer Portal: Top Commitments and Players Available
The deadline to enter the transfer portal has passed, and we have seen a number of big-time commitments in the last week. The balance of power continues to shift, as more top-level names sign with other elite programs. We'll highlight the most impactful heading into next season and also take a look at a number of NBA Draft Combine participants who entered the portal at the 11th hour to keep their options open.
Most Impactful Commitments
Norchad Omier, F, Baylor
Year: Graduate Student
2023-24 Stats: 17.0 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 1.5 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 0.8 3PM
Omier is an absolute game-changer for Baylor and head coach Scott Drew. He has averaged a double-double in four straight seasons, two with Arkansas State and then two with Miami, including a run to the Final Four in 2023. With both Yves Missi (10.7 PPG) and Jalen Bridges (12.2 PPG) expected to stay in the NBA Draft, Baylor was in desperate need of a quality big man next season. It got not only a quality big man, but one of the best in the country to join what is a stacked lineup on the perimeter with Jeremy Roach (14.0 PPG), Jayden Nunn (10.5 PPG), Langston Love (11.0 PPG) and top-five recruit V.J. Edgecombe. This will be one of the toughest lineups in the country to defend next season because of its spacing and versatility. Omier also quietly became a solid three-point shooter at 35.3 percent last season, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him average north of a three-pointer per game in this offense.
Johnell Davis, G, Arkansas
Year: Graduate Student
2023-24 Stats: 18.2 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.7 3PM, 1.4 SPG
Davis is the biggest prize that new coach John Calipari has landed since moving to Arkansas. Davis put up spectacular numbers in his senior season at FAU and was also extremely efficient at 48 percent from the field, 41 percent from downtown and 86 percent from the free-throw line. He is an ideal pick-and-roll ball-handler, and based on the current roster, will be asked to run a lot of the offense. Four-star recruit Boogie Fland is really the only other potential ball-handler, but he primarily was on off-ball shooter in high school. Davis will be joined by talented big men Jonas Aidoo (11.4 PPG, 7.3 RPG) and Zvonimir Ivisic (5.5 PPG), along with a trio of skilled wings in Adou Thiero (7.2 PPG), Karter Knox and Billy Richmond. Cal will probably look to add another guard in the portal, but adding a player with the experience and skill-level of Davis will make all these other pieces come together.
Kadary Richmond, G, St. John's
Year: Graduate Student
2023-24 Stats: 15.7 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 5.1 APG, 2.1 SPG
Richmond just seemed like a perfect fit for coach Rick Pitino. He's a big-bodied guard that can get to the rim whenever he wants, has great court vision and is an elite defender. Richmond was able to help Seton Hall to an NIT Championship and will now use his final year of eligibility to try to make some noise for a team that just missed the NCAA Tournament last season. The next evolution in Richmond's game is the three-pointer. That being said, he did shoot 44 percent from deep in 2022-23, but saw that fall to a career-low 27 percent last season. I'd expect him to put a lot of work in there in the offseason to try to get on some NBA Draft boards, because he has every other part of the game at a high level. St. John's also signed Deivon Smith last week, who is virtually just a smaller version of Richmond averaging 13.3 points, 7.1 assists and 6.3 rebounds at Utah. These two triple-double threats may have to learn to play off-ball a little more, but they will be a ton of fun to watch work together.
Clifford Omoruyi, C, Alabama
Year: Graduate Student
2023-24 Stats: 10.4 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 2.9 BPG
Coach Nate Oats is doing it again. He has been one of the best in the transfer portal since coming to Alabama and has put together another really strong class led now by one of the most sought-after big men in the country in Omoruyi. The 6-11 center has held down the middle of the paint on both sides of the floor the last three seasons for Rutgers. Omoruyi led the Big Ten in blocks last season and was fourth in rebounding. It will be very interesting to see how he fits into the high-tempo, offensive-minded scheme at Alabama coming from a slower-paced, defensive-minded Rutgers team. Omoruyi should essentially replace Nick Pringle (6.8 PPG) but is a better player at this stage in their careers. His arrival should slide Grant Nelson (11.9 PPG) out to the power forward slot where he is more comfortable anyways. There will be no shortage of perimeter weapons to keep the floor open for Omoruyi down low. Aden Holloway (7.3 PPG) comes over from Auburn, Chris Youngblood (15.3 PPG) over from South Florida, Houston Mallette (14.6 PPG) from Pepperdine and four top-50 recruits. That doesn't even include the returns of Latrell Wrightsell (8.9 PPG), Jarin Stevenson (5.3 PPG) and potentially even Mark Sears (21.5 PPG).
Desmond Claude, G, USC
Year: Junior
2023-24 Stats: 16.6 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.8 3PM
New coach Eric Musselman has now added, count them...NINE players in the transfer portal since taking the job at USC. While there are certainly a lot of nice pieces there, he was really lacking a true headliner, but he ended that discussion when he landed Claude. The 6-6 guard is coming off a very strong sophomore season with Xavier that saw him finish inside the top-10 in the Big East in scoring, even despite being teammates with Quincy Olivari, who ranked second in scoring at 19.1 PPG. Claude showed out down the stretch last season, averaging 22.8 PPG and shooting 39 percent from deep over the final six games. Both coach Muss and Sean Miller run very similar, up-tempo offenses, so it should be an easy transition for Claude. He is capable of handling the ball on a regular basis if needed and will fit in nicely alongside some other productive transfers in Saint Thomas (19.7 PPG, 9.8 RPG), Josh Cohen (15.9 PPG), Terrance Williams (12.4 PPG), Clark Slajchert (18.0 PPG) and Chibuzo Agbo (13.7 PPG).
Koby Brea, G, Kentucky
Year: Senior
2023-24 Stats: 11.1 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 3.0 3PM
Kentucky has been expectedly active in the transfer portal market since hiring new coach Mark Pope. Gone appear to be the days of Kentucky loading up on McDonald's All-American's and trying to make that work for a season at a time. You win in college basketball now by adding experience in the transfer portal. We've touched on the impact I think Amari Williams (12.2 PPG, 7.8 RPG) will make, but they have since added other bigs in Andrew Carr (13.5 PPG, 6.8 RPG) and Brandon Garrison (7.5 PPG, 5.3 RPG). The Wildcats have also added solid ball-handlers in Kerr Kriisa (11.0 PPG, 4.7 APG) and Lamont Butler (9.3 PPG, 3.0 APG), but I think Brea might end up having the biggest impact next season. The 6-6 wing was one of the most productive shooters in the country last season, drilling three treys per game and hitting at a 49.8-percent clip. Coach Pope wants to shoot a lot of three's on the offensive end, and Brea is far and away the best shooter on the roster. Brea fills a huge need and will get a chance to showcase his talents for a top tier program.
Javon Small, G, West Virginia
Year: Senior
2023-24 Stats: 15.1 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 4.1 APG, 2.0 3PM
New coach Darian DeVries is slowly starting to put this Mountaineers roster together. The biggest piece was obviously getting his son Tucker DeVries (21.6 PPG) to join him. Since then, DeVries has added a couple bigs in Eduardo Andre (7.3 PPG) and Amani Hansberry (2.4 PPG), another wing in Toby Okani (11.1 PPG) and a former four-star guard Sencire Harris who is coming off a redshirt season. West Virginia really needed to add another reliable scorer and playmaker to go with DeVries, and it got both with adding Small from Oklahoma State. The 6-3 guard averaged north of 15 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 4.0 APG, 2.0 3PM and 1.0 SPG the last two seasons at two different programs. Small should have no issues coming in and putting up similar numbers right out of the gate, especially that he has a year under his belt in the Big 12.
Honorable Mentions: Deivon Smith to St. John's, Brandon Garrison to Kentucky, Max Shulga to Villanova, Elijah Hawkins to Texas Tech
Best Players Still Available
Jamir Watkins, F, Florida State
Year: Senior
2023-24 Stats: 15.6 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.9 SPG, 1.0 3PM
Watkins was a late add into the transfer portal, but there are certainly a lot of teams out there that may have struck out on other tops names and would be desperate to give a guy like Watkins a bag to come play with them for a season. The 6-7 forward took his game to another level last season at Florida State after coming over from VCU. Watkins is the total package that can contribute in every category. He played mostly at small forward on a bigger Seminoles team, but his best position is probably being a mobile four man who can stretch the floor and also defend at a high level (2.7 BPG+SPG). Watkins tore it up down the stretch, averaging 19.2 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 2.8 APG, 2.4 SPG, 1.5 3PM and 1.1 BPG over the final 10 games on 52.2/41.7/79.7 shooting splits. There's still a chance Watkins stays in the NBA Draft, but most expect him to come back for one more year. His defensive intangibles have a team like Houston or Iowa State written all over it.
Chaz Lanier, G, North Florida
Year: Senior
2023-24 Stats: 19.7 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 3.3 3PM, 1.8 APG
Lanier is the top scorer left in the transfer portal. After three seasons as a role player with North Florida, he absolutely lit it up in Year 4, developing into one of the best shooters in the country at nearly 20 PPG while making 3.3 triples per contest. Considering his high usage last season, his shooting splits of 51/44/88 are even more impressive. Lanier is testing the NBA Draft process, but will likely return to school. According to those close to the situation, it's a battle between Kentucky and Tennessee to land Lanier. It would give Kentucky another shooter on the perimeter to go along with Brea, but I think Tennessee would give him a better chance to make a bigger impact. That would be an exciting backcourt, with a defensive menace like Zakai Zeigler (11.8 PPG, 6.1 APG, 1.7 SPG) allowing Lanier to focus on scoring the ball at a high level.
Coleman Hawkins, F, Illinois
Year: Graduate Student
2023-24 Stats: 12.1 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.7 3PM, 1.5 SPG, 1.1 BPG
Hawkins is probably the most likely player here to stay in the NBA Draft, but he also did enter the transfer portal to keep his options 100 percent open should he decided to use his final season of eligibility. Hawkins has been a 1 SPG+1 BPG+1 3PM player for the last two seasons at Illinois, which is very rare to see at the collegiate level. That speaks to his versatility and how good of an athlete he is. Hawkins was also at times a maddening player to watch with the Illini, jacking up ridiculous three's or committing boneheaded fouls to take him off the floor. I really believe one more year of college to refine what is an extremely talented skillset would do him wonders and take him from a fringe second-rounder to a potential mid-to-late first round pick. It's very possible if he does come back to school, he rejoins coach Brad Underwood, who runs a system that fits Hawkins' skillsets on offense, but there will be no shortage of teams that would love to add the big man to their roster going into next season. The team to watch is North Carolina. The Tar Heels struck out on all the other centers in the transfer portal and I'm sure would be willing to offer Hawkins significant money to come play with RJ Davis (21.1 PPG) for a season.
Jaylen Wells, F, Washington State
Year: Senior
2023-24 Stats: 12.6 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.1 3PM
Washington State transfers have been a hot commodity in the portal. Myles Rice (14.8 PPG) going to Indiana, Andrej Jakimovski (9.7 PPG, 5.6 RPG) going to Colorado, Rueben Chinyelu (4.7 PPG, 5.0 RPG) going to Florida, Oscar Cluff (7.0 PPG) going to South Dakota State and Kymany Houinsou (4.3 PPG) going to Loyola-Chicago. Wells is the last rotation player in the transfer portal and was the best shooter on the team last season, hitting from deep at a 41.7-percent clip. That's certainly a nice tool to have to go along with a 6-8 frame. Wells played mostly on the perimeter on a bigger Washington State team, but could certainly play some stretch four if needed. I'd expect both Kentucky and Arkansas to be in on Wells.
JT Toppin, F, New Mexico
Year: Sophomore
2023-24 Stats: 12.4 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 1.9 BPG, 1.1 SPG
Toppin put together a spectacular freshman season to help lead New Mexico to a Mountain West Tournament title and NCAA Tournament berth. He could certainly return to the Lobos next season, but wanted to keep his options open along with testing the NBA Draft process. Toppin is a freak athlete that led the Mountain West in both rebounding (9.1 RPG) and blocks (1.9 BPG). He is a bit of a tweener at 6-9, 210 pounds, capable of playing the five at times, but is probably best served at the four. Toppin didn't shooting many three-pointers last season, but he did hit at a solid 34.4-percent clip. That would certainly be the next evolution of his game to become a more confident shooter and would put have him skyrocketing up draft boards considering he is a nightly double-double threat and elite shot blocker. Toppin is a Texas native and the Longhorns have an obvious void in the frontcourt. Texas Tech and Kansas State are the two other teams I would watch here.
Honorable Mentions: Achor Achor (Samford), Cedric Coward (Eastern Washington), Trazarien White (UNC-Wilmington), Arthur Kaluma (Kansas State)
