|
After the busiest transfer season in college basketball history thanks to the one-time transfer waiver and an extra year of eligibility being granted by the NCAA as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, much of the preseason discussion surrounding newcomers centered on transfers. Sure, the Chet Holmgren vs. Paolo Banchero debate was interesting and there was plenty of talk about Memphis and its star freshmen, but there was also focus on Chris Beard and Texas building a preseason top-five team via the portal, and several traditional winners going the transfer route at point guard. One month into the season, there are a still lot of eyes on transfers and a great deal of debate that goes with that attention. Is building a roster primarily via the portal more effective than going with mostly high school prospects? Through the first few weeks, there have been mixed results and no clear way to answer that question. But as the data continues to trickle in, let's take a look at some of the notable early-season impact transfers, as well as some who haven't quite panned out just yet. (Shoutout to Bart Torvik's Transfer Portal Finder, which makes it easy to track transfers and their production.)
 Best of the best Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky: It didn't take long for Tshiebwe to return to his freshman-year form after transferring from West Virginia to the Wildcats. He has been one of the most dominant big men in the country so far this season, tallying seven double-doubles in his first nine games. Tshiebwe is averaging 16.3 points and 14.4 rebounds, while also blocking at least two shots in six games and shooting 67.8% from the floor. He is the nation's leader in offensive rebounding percentage and seventh in defensive rebounding percentage.  Jamison Battle, Minnesota: Ben Johnson and the Golden Gophers have been one of the better stories of the first month of the season, and his transfer-laden lineup has been the main reason for the hot start. Battle is the gem of the group. After putting up big scoring numbers at George Washington, Battle left midseason -- and his numbers have translated pretty well. He's averaging 18.8 points and 6.4 rebounds to lead the way. He has some highly productive teammates as well, including Charleston transfer (who played at Minnesota in 2019-20) Payton Willis. Willis is averaging 16.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists while shooting 45.0% from 3.  Alondes Williams, Wake Forest: Williams was a quality role player at Oklahoma last season, albeit in a complementary role on the offensive end. But Steve Forbes has given Williams the keys to the offense and he's producing in a major way. He's averaging 19.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.7 assists this season, and his two best games have been his most recent two games: a triple-double against USC Upstate over the weekend and a 36-point effort in a comeback win over VMI. Williams' teammate, Indiana State transfer Jake LaRavia, has also been outstanding, averaging 14.0 points and 5.7 rebounds, while shooting 50.0% from 3.  Alfonso Plummer, Illinois: Had Andre Curbelo not gotten hurt, we might not have seen the true value of Plummer to this Illinois team. He started off the season slow, averaging just 6.3 points in his first four games, playing fewer than 20 minutes in two of them. But over the last six games, Plummer has been as productive as anyone in the country. During that stretch, the Utah transfer is averaging 23.7 points and shooting 47.5% from 3-point range -- on more than 10 attempts per game. He's electric when he gets going offensively.  Tari Eason, LSU: Eason showed flashes of his potential last season at Cincinnati, but saw inconsistent minutes and rarely had a chance to show his true ceiling. That hasn't been an issue this season -- despite coming off the bench in every game. Eason has been one of the best defensive players in the country, while also averaging 15.8 points and 7.4 rebounds. He was outstanding against Georgia Tech last weekend, finishing with 23 points and six boards on 9-for-13 shooting.  Izaiah Brockington, Iowa State: Perhaps we should have seen this type of season coming from Brockington. He was a consistent double-figure scorer at Penn State and was the most proven offensive player on Iowa State's roster entering the campaign. He's backed it up so far, averaging 16.6 points and 7.7 rebounds -- including huge performance in the season's biggest games. Brockington had 30 points against Xavier at the Barclays Center and then went for 29 points in a 20-point win over in-state Iowa.  Tanner Groves, Oklahoma: Groves became a national name during last season's NCAA tournament, when he put up 35 points in Eastern Washington's first-round loss to Kansas. Porter Moser took notice and landed him out of the portal a few weeks later. And while Groves hasn't put up 35 yet this season, he's been a big-time addition for the Sooners. Groves is averaging 15.0 points and 5.9 rebounds, shooting 68.3% inside the arc and 44.7% from 3. He had 16 points in Oklahoma's weekend win over Arkansas.  K.D. Johnson, Auburn: As someone who loved Johnson's game coming out of high school, it was hard to see Johnson not fitting Bruce Pearl's system effectively. His numbers are actually not that much better than they were at Georgia last season, but he's the second-leading scorer on a top-15 team in the country and has scored in double-figures in all but two games this season. Had 27 points in a loss to UConn earlier this season and is capable of taking over a game offensively.  Terrell Brown Jr., Washington: The Huskies aren't very good this season, but Brown is doing his best to keep them in the mix. He was a big-time point producer at Seattle during his freshman and sophomore seasons, but struggled offensively last season at Arizona, only starting nine games. As the focal point of Mike Hopkins' attack this season, Brown is averaging 21.9 points -- including 32 points in a win over South Dakota State and 30 points in an overtime loss to Wyoming.
Mixed bag for top-25 teams that needed PG help Marcus Carr, Texas: Arguably the most sought-after transfer in the portal last offseason, it hasn't quite clicked for Carr yet. He averaged 19.4 points and 4.9 assists last season at Minnesota, but those numbers were down to 9.0 points and 3.9 assists -- before Chris Beard started Devin Askew ahead of Carr in Tuesday's win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Carr is also only shooting 38.6% from the field. He still brings a dynamism off the bounce that few other Texas guards have, but it's been too inconsistent so far.  Remy Martin, Kansas: The big question about Martin was whether he would change his style to fit Kansas' system, playing more unselfishly and looking to distribute more than score. So far, he's done that -- while also bringing confidence and aggressiveness on the offensive end. Martin is averaging 10.4 points and 3.1 assists, down from the 19.1 points and 3.7 assists he averaged last season, but he's been more efficient, he's shooting the ball better and his turnovers are down.  James Akinjo, Baylor: A two-time transfer who started his career at Georgetown before spending last season at Arizona, Akinjo had his best game of the season in Baylor's dominant win over Villanova on Sunday. He had 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists against Collin Gillespie and the Wildcats -- and most importantly, he had only one turnover. Akinjo has had some turnover issues this season, but he's creating for his teammates and is averaging a career-high in assists.  Sahvir Wheeler, Kentucky: Wheeler led the SEC in assists last season at Georgia, but most expected his usage to drop at Kentucky, especially with five-star guard TyTy Washington Jr. joining him in the backcourt. Wheeler has actually increased his assists from 7.4 to 7.7, but his shooting struggles have been an issue. He's making just 22.2% of his 3-pointers and after a hot start to the season, Wheeler's numbers have dropped recently. In his last three games, Wheeler is averaging 6.0 points, 4.7 assists and 3.3 turnovers.  DeVante' Jones, Michigan: After the success he had with Mike Smith as a graduate transfer point guard last season, Juwan Howard went back to the portal in the offseason and landed Jones, the Sun Belt Player of the Year from Coastal Carolina. After establishing himself as one of the better two-way players in the country last season, Jones has struggled in Ann Arbor. He's averaging 6.8 points, 3.9 assists and shooting just 25.0% from 3-point range. He might be the key to whether Michigan can turn it around.  Tyson Walker, Michigan State: Walker took some time to get his feet under him in East Lansing, averaging just 5.1 points, 4.8 assists and 2.9 turnovers in his first eight games. He shot 39.5% from the field over that stretch, making just five 3s in the process. But the talented Northeastern transfer has turned things around quickly over the last three games, averaging 12.0 points, 6.0 assists and just 1.7 turnovers in three wins. He also shot 52% from the field in those three games.
Change of scenery has been beneficial Jack Nunge, Xavier: Nunge has been a revelation down low for Travis Steele's program. He's averaging 13.0 points and 7.5 boards through 10 games this season, and is coming off a 31-point, 15-rebound performance in a blowout win over crosstown rival Cincinnati. Xavier's star big man Zach Freemantle missed the first several games of the season due to injury, but is finding it hard to get back into the lineup given the way Nunge is playing.  Jalen Cook, Tulane: Cook has seen his production increase as much as anyone in the country this season, going from 3.1 points in 7.5 minutes last season at LSU to 19.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists this season at Tulane. He's shooting 43.2% from 3-point range and has three games of at least 21 points so far.  Cole Swider, Syracuse: Despite seemingly having a skill set to suit Villanova's system, Swider never quite carved out a consistent role with the Wildcats. He's putting it all together with the Orange, though. Despite not shooting the ball well so far this season, Swider has upped his averages from 5.7 points and 2.8 rebounds to 12.2 points and 7.4 rebounds this season. When his outside shots start falling at a 35-40% clip like the last two seasons, he'll take his game to a new level.  Darryl Morsell, Marquette: Morsell won Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors last season at Maryland, but looked for a bigger role offensively after entering the transfer portal. He's found that with Shaka Smart at Marquette, averaging 13.8 points and shooting 38.3% from 3 after never averaging more than 9.0 points in four seasons in College Park. His scoring has tailed off in recent weeks, however, after scoring at least 21 points in each of his first four games of the season.  Jordan Brown, Louisiana: Brown is finally settled and finding his footing, and the production is following. He barely played as a freshman at Nevada, but looked good last season at Arizona and is now taking it to a new level at Louisiana. The former McDonald's All-American is averaging 14.1 points, 8.9 rebounds and has even hit four 3-pointers after not previously making one in his college career.  Jeriah Horne, Tulsa: Horne was remarkably consistent over the last three years of his college career -- two of which he spent at Tulsa before leaving for Colorado for one season. But he was a complementary piece at each of his stops, before returning to Tulsa this season and becoming a go-to guy. He's averaging 17.4 points and 7.2 rebounds this season, shooting a career-best 49.6% from the field and 47.1% from 3-point range.  Jamal Mashburn Jr., New Mexico: A prolific scorer coming out of high school, Mashburn Jr. averaged 8.2 points as a freshman at Minnesota before following Richard Pitino to Albuquerque. Unsurprisingly, he's excelled with a bigger role on the offensive end. He's playing more than 33 minutes per game after coming off the bench in 21 of 29 games last season, and has increased his scoring from 8.2 points to 18.3 points this season. Teammate Jaelen House belongs in this category as well. The 6-foot guard has gone from averaging 5.3 points at Arizona State to 16.7 this season with the Lobos.  Silvio De Sousa, Chattanooga: De Sousa might have needed a change of scenery more than anyone in the portal. After running into a multitude of issues, both on and off the court, at Kansas, de Sousa resurfaced at Chattanooga over the summer. A former five-star prospect coming out of high school, de Sousa is starting to show some of his old form. He's averaging 13.4 points and 6.6 rebounds, shooting better than 60% from the floor.
Mid-major breakouts Jamal Cain, Oakland: Cain had a very strong senior season at Marquette in 2020-21, moving into the starting lineup after three years of coming off the bench -- but he's been dominant since dropping down to the mid-major ranks at Oakland. He's averaging 21.2 points and 10.5 rebounds, also racking up more than two steals per game. Cain has tallied five double-doubles this season, including 31 points and 10 rebounds in a November loss to Alabama.  Tavian Dunn-Martin, Florida Gulf Coast: The FGCU transfer addition expected to make the biggest impact this season was former TCU big man Kevin Samuel, and while Samuel has been very good (10.6 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 3.0 BPG), it's Dunn-Martin who has been one of the best players in the league. The former Duquesne guard is averaging 19.5 points and 5.0 assists this season, shooting 41.1% from 3-point range.  Savion Flagg, Sam Houston: It shouldn't be a surprise that Flagg is dominating the Southland at Sam Houston. He was capable of huge performances at Texas A&M, especially during his sophomore season when he averaged 13.9 points and 7.7 rebounds, but his production tailed off as his career went on. He's been rejuvenated with the Bearkats, putting up 19.0 points and 8.3 rebounds so far this season, with double-doubles in three of his last four games.  Jairus Hamilton, Western Kentucky: Another performance we could have predicted, given that he nearly averaged double-figures in the ACC back in 2019-20, but Hamilton has been a force through one month for the Hilltoppers. He's averaging 16.8 points and 6.4 rebounds, and just had a double-double in a blowout win over Ole Miss.  Ques Glover, Samford: Glover didn't start a single game during his two seasons at Florida, but was commended for his defense and provided solid point guard depth. He's been a star at Samford this season, going from 2.5 points and 0.7 assists with the Gators last season to 18.8 points and 4.6 assists. Glover has gone over 20 points on four occasions, including 22 points and six assists against Belmont last weekend.  Walker Miller, Monmouth: After being a walk-on at North Carolina for four years, Miller was looking for a place to make an impact on the court in his final season. He's found that under King Rice at Monmouth. Miller is averaging 13.9 points and 6.7 rebounds through 11 games, after totaling 36 points in four years in Chapel Hill. He went for 16 points and nine boards against Yale on Tuesday night. Teammate Shavar Reynolds started 27 games for Seton Hall last season, but has taken his production from 7.7 points for the Pirates to 16.4 points this season for the Hawks.  Jalen Cone, Northern Arizona: Cone's scoring and shooting ability has always been impressive, and his per-minute production during two seasons at Virginia Tech showed a real ceiling. Given a significantly bigger role at Northern Arizona, Cone has responded. He's averaging 17.4 points and 3.2 assists, shooting 35.6% on more than seven 3-pointers per game. He's had four games of 24 points or more, highlighted by 33 points and seven 3s against South Dakota on Saturday.  Yauhen Massalski, San Francisco: Off to a 10-0 start, San Francisco is one of the more intriguing early-season surprises. Head coach Todd Golden brought back some experienced pieces, but the emergence of the San Diego transfer Massalski as a legitimate option inside has really helped the Dons. The Belarus native is averaging 13.7 points and 7.0 rebounds, shooting better than 60% from the field. In three straight wins over UAB, UNLV and Fresno State, Massalski averaged 20.3 points, 10.7 rebounds and 2.0 blocks.  Justin Johnson, UTRGV: Johnson was mostly a bench piece last season at Southern Miss, averaging 5.7 points and starting six games. But the Florida native has been new head coach Matt Figger's best player at UTRGV this season. He's averaging 18.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists, while shooting 45.9% from 3-point range.  Charles Manning Jr., South Alabama: Richie Riley has had plenty of success with transfers, and Manning is the latest one. He showed promise two years ago at LSU, averaging 7.9 points in 19 games - but he played just six games with the Tigers last season before leaving. Through 11 games at South Alabama, Manning Jr. is putting up 17.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists, giving Riley a versatile playmaker with size on the perimeter.
Grass isn't always greener  De'Vion Harmon and Quincy Guerrier, Oregon: The Ducks have been one of the nation's most disappointing teams to this point, starting the season 5-5 overall and 0-2 in the Pac-12. And while Harmon and Guerrier are not solely to blame, this can't be what they envisioned when they left NCAA tournament teams at Oklahoma and Syracuse, respectively. Harmon has gone from averaging 12.9 points on 47.7% shooting to 8.6 points on 36.8% shooting. Guerrier was an all-conference selection after putting up 13.7 points and 8.4 rebounds a year ago, but those numbers are down to 7.4 points and 5.2 boards.  Marreon Jackson, Arizona State: Jackson won Mid-American Conference Player of the Year honors last season, looking like perhaps the best mid-major transfer in the country after averaging 18.1 points and 5.9 assists. His numbers are down across the board this season, shooting 28.3% from the field, 23.2% from 3 and putting up 8.4 points and 4.2 assists.  Storm Murphy, Virginia Tech: After a solid first handful of games this season, Murphy has really struggled as the Hokies have lost four of their last six games. Over those six games, Murphy is averaging 4.5 points, 3.0 assists on 31.4% shooting from the field and 21.1% shooting from 3. He was a first-team all-conference performer last season at Wofford and was viewed as one of the best shooters in the portal.   Mason Faulkner and Jarrod West, Louisville: The Cardinals' offense has not been able to get up to speed yet this season, and Faulkner and West have struggled along with the rest of the perimeter group. Faulkner did score 12 points in Tuesday night's win over Southeastern Louisiana, but he's averaging 4.0 points after putting up around 17 per game each of the last two seasons at Western Carolina. West has gone from a tenacious two-way player averaging 12.5 points and 6.0 assists last season at Marshall to 6.6 points and 3.7 assists this season on 36.1% shooting. He's still been Louisville's best defender, though.  Cedric Russell, Ohio State: This one could change moving forward, as Russell has shown some life in a pair of big games in the past couple weeks. The Louisiana transfer was a late addition to the Buckeyes, but was expected to bring plenty of perimeter shooting. But over the first four games of the season, he played a total of 23 minutes. He then came off the bench to score 12 points and make three 3s against Duke, and then also played 19 minutes off the bench in a win over Wisconsin. Still averaging just 3.1 points.  Joseph Yesufu, Kansas: Yesufu was terrific down the stretch of last season at Drake, averaging 23.2 points and shooting 46.9% from 3 in the final nine games of the season. He opted to transfer to Kansas, where he was expected to provide some backcourt depth. But the Jayhawks also landed Remy Martin, Jalen Coleman-Lands and freshman Bobby Pettiford, and the role simply hasn't been there for Yesufu. He's averaging 2.7 points.  Kellan Grady, Kentucky: It's probably not a "grass isn't greener" situation with Grady, as he knew he wouldn't have the same scoring role in Lexington as he did when he was an all-conference performer for four seasons at Davidson. And he's still shooting 40% from 3-point range. But he's gone from averaging 17-18 a game with the Wildcats to 9.1 with Kentucky, scoring in single-digits in seven of nine games.  Noah Gurley, Alabama: A slashing, inside-outside forward who could make shots from the perimeter seemed like a perfect fit for Nate Oats' system, but it hasn't panned out thus far for Gurley in Tuscaloosa. With Oats opting to play smaller 1-4 and the emergence of freshman Charles Bediako at the center spot, there simply hasn't been much room for Gurley to be more than a bench piece. He's averaging 6.4 points after putting up 15.4 last season.  Naz Bohannon, Clemson: Bohannon was a physical force in the Horizon last season, averaging 16.5 points and 8.2 rebounds at Youngstown State. But he hasn't been able to impose himself to a similar extent at Clemson so far. With that said, he had 10 points, four boards and three assists in Tuesday's win over Miami (Ohio) and has seen his role increase in the last five or six games. Bohannon is currently averaging 5.1 points, 3.8 boards and 2.5 assists.  Daniel Oladapo, Pittsburgh: Another undersized interior player who put up big numbers at the mid-major level, Oladapo also hasn't been able to translate his production at Pitt. After averaging 12.9 points and 8.8 rebounds at Oakland last season, Oladapo is down at 4.6 points and 2.4 boards for the Panthers. He's played fewer than eight minutes per game over his last five.
|
