November 23, 2024

College basketball transfer portal’s updated 10 best available prospects….

Which top college basketball transfer portal prospects are still available?

Big-name college basketball transfers continue to come off the board with the portal window now closed after a wild 45-day period in which more than 2,000 players entered. Action in the transfer portal is still buzzing even though the deadline for entries has passed. But with more recent commitments from some of the best available transfers of the 2024 cycle, the list of high-profile portal prospects is dwindling.

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Two coveted transfers ended their recruitments this past weekend with former Miami power forward Norchad Omier picking Baylor and former Rutgers center Clifford Omoruyi opting for Alabama over North Carolina. Only 15 of the top-50 transfers from the latest window are uncommitted heading into the second week of May with more decisions expected soon. Those teams looking for big men to fill a void inside are limited with options at a premium.

Recruiting visits for transfers continue which makes this list fluid as final decisions come from some of the best portal prospects remaining.

Below is a closer look at the updated best available prospects in the college basketball transfer portal as of Monday (May 6) at 10:20 a.m. ET:

Kadary Richmond holds the top spot as the new No. 1 overall player in the transfer portal this cycle following the updated rankings release last week. The veteran from Seton Hall earned First Team All-Big East honors and has nearly 1,300 career points to go along with almost 600 assists and more than 500 rebounds. The 6-foot-6, 210-pound point guard averaged a career-best 15.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game while shooting 44.1% from the field this past season. Richmond began his college career at Syracuse, but spent the past three years with the Pirates. A favorite has already emerged to land the top ranked transfer for the 2024-25 season.

Former Utah State standout and Mountain West Player of the Year Great Osobor remains the top available big man in the transfer portal. The 6-foot-8, 250-pound center was initially expected to follow head coach Danny Sprinkle to Washington, but continues to take visits before making a final decision. Osobor averaged 17.7 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game while shooting 57.7% from the field this season. He started his career at Montana State before transferring to Utah State where Sprinkle took over as head coach ahead of this past season.

Chaz Lanier experienced a breakout season at North Florida and looks to take advantage of a rise in his stock with an additional year of eligibility. The 6-foot-4, 200-pound shooting guard averaged 19.7 points while shooting 51.1% from the field and 44.0% from 3-point range this past season. Lanier averaged less than five points per game during his first three seasons with the Ospreys. He is testing the NBA Draft process, but there is an SEC school keeping a close eye on the potential transfer.

Jaylen Wells played a key role in helping Washington State return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 16 years, but the 6-foot-8, 205-pound wing is one the move against after just one season in Pulman. Wells earned Division II All-America honors at Sonoma State before joining the Cougars. He averaged 12.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game while shooting 43.6% from the field at Washington State. Wells entered the transfer portal last week and could be a pivotal piece for a high-major program in 2024-25, but the NBA Draft might be the most likely option.

Minnesota freshman guard Cameron Christie entered the transfer portal just before the deadline this week. The 6-foot-6, 190-pound shooter averaged 11.3 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists while hitting 40.3% of his field goal attempts, including 39.1% from 3-point range this past season. Christie previously declared for the NBA Draft, but kept his option of returning to college for another year open. He ranked as a top-100 prospect coming out of high school in the 2023 class.

Another major transfer portal departure from Miami, Wooga Poplar averaged 13.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game this past season as one of the top scorers for the Hurricanes. He has one year of eligibility remaining after developing into an explosive wing during his time at Miami. Poplar connected on 44.2% of his field goals and 36.5% from deep in three seasons. He is also an excellent free-throw shooter with an 82.3% success rate. Poplar ranked as a top-150 prospect coming out of high school in the 2021 class. He was expected to visit Kentucky, but also heard from Arizona State, Florida State, Kansas, Ole Miss, St. John’s, Temple and Villanova, according to 247Sports Dushawn London.

Texas lost a number of key pieces to the transfer portal during the recent window, including sophomore power forward Dillon Mitchell, who started in 71 of 72 games played throughout his two seasons in Austin. The 6-foot-8, 205-pound forward averaged 9.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game while shooting 58.5% from the field. Mitchell is one of more than a dozen former McDonald’s All-Americans to hit the transfer portal this cycle. He rated as a five-star prospect coming out of the 2022 class. His transfer recruitment remains quiet and several schools showed interest early.

While the NBA Draft remains top priority for Illinois transfer Coleman Hawkins, his name is in the transfer portal with the option to return to college for another season. The 6-foot-10, 225-pound stretch big man shot 36.9% from 3-point range this season while averaging 12.1 points and 6.1 rebounds. Those programs in need of a versatile big man expect to make a strong push for Hawkins. He has one additional year of eligibility remaining after a four-year stint at Illinois where he started in 82 of 126 games played.

New Mexico big man and Mountain West Conference Co-Freshman of the Year JT Toppin entered the transfer portal late just before the spring window closed last week. The 6-foot-9, 210-pound standout for the Lobos averaged 12.4 points, 9.1 rebounds and shot 62.3% from the field this past season. He has three years of eligibility remaining after just one season at New Mexico where he impressed as a freshman.

Could Arkansas add to its growing transfer portal class under new head coach John Calipari? The Razorbacks hosted former Kentucky wing Adou Thiero last week and has Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina and Pittsburgh among his finalists. The 6-foot-8, 222-pound sophomore guard made 19 starts in 25 total games played for the Wildcats this season. He averaged 7.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. Thiero shot 49.2% from the field. He also entered the NBA Draft process, but seems most likely to return to college.

 

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