One can argue that nothing has changed the state of college basketball more the past few years than the proliferation of transfers and the explosion of graduate transfers. The number of transfers has continued to grow, with over 1,000 entering the transfer portal in 2018-19. (As an aside, the NCAA's transfer portal made a change from last year to this year -- differentiating between graduate transfers and everyone else.)
But how impactful are transfers as a whole? Coaches spend the entire spring recruiting transfers, fan bases and media get excited about their potential, but the market is relatively hit or miss.
We're less than one month into the season, but some early trends are developing with the most anticipated transfers for this season.
Graduate transfers
Nothing changes the offseason and preseason expectations of a team more than a graduate transfer, especially one that put up gaudy numbers at their previous school. Coaches love it: it's usually a short recruitment, the risk is minimal because the player is only on campus for one season and they can play immediately. How have the top transfers done so far?
Kerry Blackshear, Florida: The Gators were a massive disappointment through the season's first two weeks but then went out and won the Charleston Classic -- and the way Blackshear bounced back after getting ejected in the opening-round game against Saint Joseph's was key. He had 20 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists against Miami, and then 14 points, 10 rebounds and 2 assists against Xavier in the title game.