College basketball’s roster management busy season increasingly resembles NBA free agency, and with thousands of players hitting the transfer portal each spring, fans must keep track of a lot of new faces on their favorite teams and rivals. This is where The Athletic’s transfer portal rankings come in.
The rankings are a living document we will continue to update as more players make commitments, now that the portal is closed to new entries. Some notes to keep in mind: First, positional scarcity is taken into account. The easiest type of player to find in the portal is a scoring guard; the hardest types are versatile wings and bigs. Second, remaining eligibility matters. Players with potential to play more than one season carry more value. Finally, these rankings are essentially scheme-agnostic. Not every team runs the same offense and defense, so no two teams’ boards look the same. Take these as more of a list of transfers to watch than an official window into how much every team values every player.
With that said, here are The Athletic’s 2025 transfer portal rankings.
Position Center Forward Guard Wing
Availability Committed In Portal
Pre-committment Team Akron Alabama Arizona Arizona State Arkansas Auburn BYU Baylor Cal California Cincinnati Colorado State Creighton Davidson Drake ETSU Evansville FAU Florida Florida State Georgia Georgia Tech Grand Canyon Houston Howard Illinois Indiana Iowa Iowa State Jacksonville State Kennesaw St LSU Lincoln Mem. Lipscomb Loyola Chicago Maryland Memphis Miami (Fla.) Michigan Michigan State Mississippi State Nevada New Mexico North Alabama North Carolina North Dakota Notre Dame Oregon State Pittsburgh Princeton Providence Purdue Robert Morris S Dakota St Saint Joseph’s Sam Houston San Diego St San Francisco Santa Clara St. Bona St. John’s Texas A&M Texas Tech Troy Tulane UAB UCF UCLA UNLV USC Utah Valley Valparaiso Vanderbilt Virginia Washington St West Virginia Wyoming Xavier
Post-committment Team Alabama Crimson Tide Arkansas Razorbacks Auburn Tigers BYU Cougars Baylor Bears Cincinnati Bearcats Clemson Tigers Connecticut Huskies Creighton Bluejays Florida Gators Georgetown Hoyas Georgia Bulldogs Houston Cougars Illinois Fighting Illini Indiana Hoosiers Iowa Hawkeyes Kansas Jayhawks Kentucky Wildcats LSU Tigers Louisville Cardinals Maryland Terrapins Miami Hurricanes Michigan Wolverines Missouri Tigers North Carolina State Wolfpack North Carolina Tar Heels Ohio State Buckeyes Oklahoma Sooners Oklahoma State Cowboys Pittsburgh Panthers Providence Friars Purdue Boilermakers SMU Mustangs St. John’s Red Storm Syracuse Orange Tennessee Volunteers Texas A&M Aggies Texas Longhorns Texas Tech Red Raiders UCLA Bruins USC Trojans Virginia Cavaliers Virginia Tech Hokies Wake Forest Demon Deacons Washington Huskies West Virginia Mountaineers Wisconsin Badgers Xavier Musketeers
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Ht: 6-4 Wt: 180
The maestro of Drake’s 31-win team is following Ben McCollum to Iowa, announcing that he would be joining his coach in Iowa City even before his name officially hit the portal. Stirtz is a tremendous processor who understands exactly how to play within McCollum’s scheme. He runs the show and seemingly never leaves the court (over 39 minutes per game this season). He can score from all three levels, can play on and off the ball and serves as an extension of his coach on the floor. He scored 21 points in both of Drake’s NCAA Tournament games against high-major competition. There are some athletic concerns as he moves up a level, but those are more NBA-focused than college-centric. Stirtz is a good bet to be an All-American next season and a monster building block for Iowa in the post-Fran McCaffery world. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-4 Wt: 180
The maestro of Drake’s 31-win team is following Ben McCollum to Iowa, announcing that he would be joining his coach in Iowa City even before his name officially hit the portal. Stirtz is a tremendous processor who understands exactly how to play within McCollum’s scheme. He runs the show and seemingly never leaves the court (over 39 minutes per game this season). He can score from all three levels, can play on and off the ball and serves as an extension of his coach on the floor. He scored 21 points in both of Drake’s NCAA Tournament games against high-major competition. There are some athletic concerns as he moves up a level, but those are more NBA-focused than college-centric. Stirtz is a good bet to be an All-American next season and a monster building block for Iowa in the post-Fran McCaffery world. — Sam Vecenie
Guard
Committed
Drake
Iowa Hawkeyes
Ht: 6-9 Wt: 240
Lendeborg is the best non-point guard in the portal and has a case as the most impactful overall player — unless he stays in the NBA Draft. He’s a playmaker on both ends of the floor who doesn’t have much of a weakness as a frontcourt player. He’s tough and physical on the interior, scoring and posting at a high level. He rebounds at an elite level. He passes well and sees the court. Defensively, he has fantastic hand-eye coordination that allows him to thrive. This is the kind of two-way player who can be the centerpiece of a high-major roster. He has an extra year of college eligibility due to the junior college ruling, and it’ll be interesting to see whether he uses it. Regardless, he can expect a massive payday next season. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-9 Wt: 240
Lendeborg is the best non-point guard in the portal and has a case as the most impactful overall player — unless he stays in the NBA Draft. He’s a playmaker on both ends of the floor who doesn’t have much of a weakness as a frontcourt player. He’s tough and physical on the interior, scoring and posting at a high level. He rebounds at an elite level. He passes well and sees the court. Defensively, he has fantastic hand-eye coordination that allows him to thrive. This is the kind of two-way player who can be the centerpiece of a high-major roster. He has an extra year of college eligibility due to the junior college ruling, and it’ll be interesting to see whether he uses it. Regardless, he can expect a massive payday next season. — Sam Vecenie
Forward
Committed
UAB
Michigan Wolverines
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 175
Dent was one of the best point guards in college basketball this season, becoming the first player since 1997 to average at least 20 points and six assists while shooting 49 percent from the field and 40 percent from 3. He was a borderline All-American while carrying a fast-paced offense to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. He’s wildly competitive and reads the court incredibly well. Any mistake that a team makes in ball-screen defense, Dent is going to hammer it. Tag too late, he’ll hit the lob to a big. Tag too aggressively on the weak side, he’ll hit the cross-corner kick-out. If you give him too much space coming off of a screen, he’ll attack the rim or find a beautiful little floater. He’s lethal at getting to the foul line, too. Dent has a chance to be an All-American next season. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 175
Dent was one of the best point guards in college basketball this season, becoming the first player since 1997 to average at least 20 points and six assists while shooting 49 percent from the field and 40 percent from 3. He was a borderline All-American while carrying a fast-paced offense to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. He’s wildly competitive and reads the court incredibly well. Any mistake that a team makes in ball-screen defense, Dent is going to hammer it. Tag too late, he’ll hit the lob to a big. Tag too aggressively on the weak side, he’ll hit the cross-corner kick-out. If you give him too much space coming off of a screen, he’ll attack the rim or find a beautiful little floater. He’s lethal at getting to the foul line, too. Dent has a chance to be an All-American next season. — Sam Vecenie
Guard
Committed
New Mexico
UCLA Bruins
Ht: 6-6 Wt: 225
Williams is one of the best mismatch scorers in the portal. He’s the ultimate playmaking four, a guy who can both score and facilitate, particularly when he attracts extra attention. Texas Tech used him wisely in allowing to play in isolation and back down smaller defenders, or pull bigger guys out to the perimeter and either shoot the 3 or drive by them. His 3-point percentage dipped this year (34 percent), but he’s a 37.9 percent shooter from deep for his career. It’s hard to see him thriving any more than he did in the system he was just in. He battled injuries this year but had some moments of brilliance, including averaging 23.7 points over his final three games in the NCAA Tournament. Any team that prioritizes spacing and playing to mismatches will find Williams to be a great chess piece. — C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-6 Wt: 225
Williams is one of the best mismatch scorers in the portal. He’s the ultimate playmaking four, a guy who can both score and facilitate, particularly when he attracts extra attention. Texas Tech used him wisely in allowing to play in isolation and back down smaller defenders, or pull bigger guys out to the perimeter and either shoot the 3 or drive by them. His 3-point percentage dipped this year (34 percent), but he’s a 37.9 percent shooter from deep for his career. It’s hard to see him thriving any more than he did in the system he was just in. He battled injuries this year but had some moments of brilliance, including averaging 23.7 points over his final three games in the NCAA Tournament. Any team that prioritizes spacing and playing to mismatches will find Williams to be a great chess piece. — C.J. Moore
Forward
In Portal
Texas Tech
Ht: 7-0 Wt: 235
Veesaar was a monster this season despite coming off of the bench for a majority of the year. When Veesaar was on the court, the Wildcats were 17.6 points per 100 possessions better than when he was off of it. Among rotation players, that was 10 points better than anyone else on the team. He finishes well on the interior and moves around the court at a terrific level for someone his size. I’s hard to find experienced true 7-footers in the portal who are this versatile on defense. You can play drop coverage and you can play more at the level with him in ball screens. He rebounds really well, he’s physical with his frame and he protects the paint. Veesaar will play in the NBA at some point. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 7-0 Wt: 235
Veesaar was a monster this season despite coming off of the bench for a majority of the year. When Veesaar was on the court, the Wildcats were 17.6 points per 100 possessions better than when he was off of it. Among rotation players, that was 10 points better than anyone else on the team. He finishes well on the interior and moves around the court at a terrific level for someone his size. I’s hard to find experienced true 7-footers in the portal who are this versatile on defense. You can play drop coverage and you can play more at the level with him in ball screens. He rebounds really well, he’s physical with his frame and he protects the paint. Veesaar will play in the NBA at some point. — Sam Vecenie
Center
Committed
Arizona
North Carolina Tar Heels
Ht: 6-3 Wt: 191
The second-team All-American is one of the best high-volume scorers in the country. He’s not an ideal fit in an analytically friendly offense because he often lives in the midrange and he’s not as good of a 3-point shooter, but he’s going to get to the foul line often (drawing 6.1 fouls per 40 minutes), and that helps him score consistently. He’s relentless at throwing his body into defenders and is smart about using fakes and attacking vulnerable defenders. He needs to be in a system that is more of a dribble-drive approach. But give him freedom to attack and get to his spots, and he’s going to put up points. — C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-3 Wt: 191
The second-team All-American is one of the best high-volume scorers in the country. He’s not an ideal fit in an analytically friendly offense because he often lives in the midrange and he’s not as good of a 3-point shooter, but he’s going to get to the foul line often (drawing 6.1 fouls per 40 minutes), and that helps him score consistently. He’s relentless at throwing his body into defenders and is smart about using fakes and attacking vulnerable defenders. He needs to be in a system that is more of a dribble-drive approach. But give him freedom to attack and get to his spots, and he’s going to put up points. — C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-9 Wt: 250
A former top-30 recruit, Johnson was terrific in limited minutes and had just started to turn the corner before he broke his wrist in mid-February. In the 12 games before the injury, he was averaging 10 points and seven rebounds in only 22 minutes while shooting 69 percent from the field. A big-bodied big man, Johnson likely will be an all-conference player at some point in the next two years. His touch on the interior is terrific. He can score both out of ball screens and out of post-ups. On top of it, he’s a terrific rebounder who knows how to use his frame to carve out space. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-9 Wt: 250
A former top-30 recruit, Johnson was terrific in limited minutes and had just started to turn the corner before he broke his wrist in mid-February. In the 12 games before the injury, he was averaging 10 points and seven rebounds in only 22 minutes while shooting 69 percent from the field. A big-bodied big man, Johnson likely will be an all-conference player at some point in the next two years. His touch on the interior is terrific. He can score both out of ball screens and out of post-ups. On top of it, he’s a terrific rebounder who knows how to use his frame to carve out space. — Sam Vecenie
Forward
Committed
Illinois
Michigan Wolverines
Ht: 6-4 Wt: 215
Conwell proved he could be a high-major go-to guy this year at Xavier after breaking out in his one season at Indiana State. He’s one of the best scorers in the portal, able to fill it up from all three levels. The lefty shot 41.2 percent from 3, and he’s elite in catch-and-shoot, off movement and off the bounce. He’s one of those lefties who just seems hard to stop from getting to his left hand. He’s smooth and strong, so he finds a way to get to his spots. He also battles defensively and is a valuable two-way wing. He can be streaky, but when he’s on, he can really go off — proven by two 30-plus-point games this season. Conwell is arguably the best wing in the portal and should be highly coveted.
— C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-4 Wt: 215
Conwell proved he could be a high-major go-to guy this year at Xavier after breaking out in his one season at Indiana State. He’s one of the best scorers in the portal, able to fill it up from all three levels. The lefty shot 41.2 percent from 3, and he’s elite in catch-and-shoot, off movement and off the bounce. He’s one of those lefties who just seems hard to stop from getting to his left hand. He’s smooth and strong, so he finds a way to get to his spots. He also battles defensively and is a valuable two-way wing. He can be streaky, but when he’s on, he can really go off — proven by two 30-plus-point games this season. Conwell is arguably the best wing in the portal and should be highly coveted.
— C.J. Moore
Wing
Committed
Xavier
Louisville Cardinals
Ht: 6-7 Wt: 210
Watkins has the best combination of size, athleticism and defensive abilities of any wing in the portal. He will be 24 by the time the season starts, and he has a pro’s body. He played some point guard at Florida State and does a nice job playing out of ball screens, able to make the reads and see over the defense at 6-7. He excels attacking the rim and drawing fouls — he drew 7.1 per 40 minutes. His jumper has never really become reliable, and that’s why he’s still in school. He’s just a career 32.5 percent 3-point shooter, and he takes too many 3s (165 this past year) and mid-range shots for his abilities. He should focus on getting the basket and only shooting wide open 3s — he shot a solid 39.1 percent on open catch-and-shoot opportunities, per Synergy. That would help him become a more efficient player. He’s been the best guy on a mediocre team the last two years at Florida State and it’s worth questioning if he can be as effective playing more off the ball, but I’m a believer he could be one of the best guys for a winner.
— C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-7 Wt: 210
Watkins has the best combination of size, athleticism and defensive abilities of any wing in the portal. He will be 24 by the time the season starts, and he has a pro’s body. He played some point guard at Florida State and does a nice job playing out of ball screens, able to make the reads and see over the defense at 6-7. He excels attacking the rim and drawing fouls — he drew 7.1 per 40 minutes. His jumper has never really become reliable, and that’s why he’s still in school. He’s just a career 32.5 percent 3-point shooter, and he takes too many 3s (165 this past year) and mid-range shots for his abilities. He should focus on getting the basket and only shooting wide open 3s — he shot a solid 39.1 percent on open catch-and-shoot opportunities, per Synergy. That would help him become a more efficient player. He’s been the best guy on a mediocre team the last two years at Florida State and it’s worth questioning if he can be as effective playing more off the ball, but I’m a believer he could be one of the best guys for a winner.
— C.J. Moore
Wing
In Portal
Florida State
Ht: 6-7 Wt: 225
DeVries played for his dad, Darian, at Drake before following him to West Virginia and now to Indiana. A two-time Missouri Valley player of the year, he’s an elite shooter off movement who can create shots from all three levels. He takes about seven 3s per game, and while he only hits them at a 37 percent clip, that’s because he takes some truly difficult ones off all sorts of intricate action within this offense. He also passes extremely well. His feet can be a bit slow on defense, a trait that could be exploited in the Big Ten. Still, expect him to be one of the best players in the league next season even coming off the wrist injury that held him out for all but eight games this year. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-7 Wt: 225
DeVries played for his dad, Darian, at Drake before following him to West Virginia and now to Indiana. A two-time Missouri Valley player of the year, he’s an elite shooter off movement who can create shots from all three levels. He takes about seven 3s per game, and while he only hits them at a 37 percent clip, that’s because he takes some truly difficult ones off all sorts of intricate action within this offense. He also passes extremely well. His feet can be a bit slow on defense, a trait that could be exploited in the Big Ten. Still, expect him to be one of the best players in the league next season even coming off the wrist injury that held him out for all but eight games this year. — Sam Vecenie
Wing
Committed
West Virginia
Indiana Hoosiers
Ht: 6-5Wt: 210
One of the most fun breakout stars of the year in the Big Ten, Dix is a skilled, efficient gunner who makes great decisions. He shot 51 percent from the field and 77 percent from the free-throw line, but the big number here is the 42.2 percent mark on five 3-point attempts per game. He’s an all-situations shooter: off spot-ups, off movement, off relocations and off the dribble. He tops it off by being useful in ball screens as a handler and cutting sharply off the ball. He has an NBA-style off-ball game, and he’ll likely fit best in a scheme that prioritizes off-ball movement, 3-point shooting and five-out play. But he can play anywhere in the country. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-5Wt: 210
One of the most fun breakout stars of the year in the Big Ten, Dix is a skilled, efficient gunner who makes great decisions. He shot 51 percent from the field and 77 percent from the free-throw line, but the big number here is the 42.2 percent mark on five 3-point attempts per game. He’s an all-situations shooter: off spot-ups, off movement, off relocations and off the dribble. He tops it off by being useful in ball screens as a handler and cutting sharply off the ball. He has an NBA-style off-ball game, and he’ll likely fit best in a scheme that prioritizes off-ball movement, 3-point shooting and five-out play. But he can play anywhere in the country. — Sam Vecenie
Wing
Committed
Iowa
Creighton Bluejays
Ht: 6-5 Wt: 200
DeMary is unlike just about anyone else available. Why? He’s a big guard who can actually run an offense. Landing him gives a team a lot more flexibility in the other guys they can pursue: A big lead lets you play smaller scoring guards if you want, or go with the recent Connecticut model and switch all actions across positions one through four at a high level. DeMary had a monster close to this season, averaging 19.3 points and 3.5 per game over his final 10, and he shot it well enough from 3 all year to play both on and off the ball if needed. He’s a serious chess piece. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-5 Wt: 200
DeMary is unlike just about anyone else available. Why? He’s a big guard who can actually run an offense. Landing him gives a team a lot more flexibility in the other guys they can pursue: A big lead lets you play smaller scoring guards if you want, or go with the recent Connecticut model and switch all actions across positions one through four at a high level. DeMary had a monster close to this season, averaging 19.3 points and 3.5 per game over his final 10, and he shot it well enough from 3 all year to play both on and off the ball if needed. He’s a serious chess piece. — Sam Vecenie
Guard
Committed
Georgia
Connecticut Huskies
“
Ht: 6-1 Wt: 185
Wright is one of the hardest players to keep out of the paint with a live dribble. He does a nice job changing speeds and using his body to create space. He has the build, strength and vision for finding space of a running back. Where he struggles is finishing over length and getting his floaters to go down. Both from the perimeter and in close, he shoots a flat ball that doesn’t have a lot of touch. He shot just 49.7 percent at the rim and 32.5 percent on runners, per Synergy. But there’s a lot to like. He can guard. He can run a team and set up teammates. And he can touch paint almost anytime he wants. If he can improve his touch, he has a chance to develop into one of the best point guards in the country. . — C.J. Moore
“”
Ht: 6-1 Wt: 185
Wright is one of the hardest players to keep out of the paint with a live dribble. He does a nice job changing speeds and using his body to create space. He has the build, strength and vision for finding space of a running back. Where he struggles is finishing over length and getting his floaters to go down. Both from the perimeter and in close, he shoots a flat ball that doesn’t have a lot of touch. He shot just 49.7 percent at the rim and 32.5 percent on runners, per Synergy. But there’s a lot to like. He can guard. He can run a team and set up teammates. And he can touch paint almost anytime he wants. If he can improve his touch, he has a chance to develop into one of the best point guards in the country. . — C.J. Moore
“
Guard
In Portal
Baylor
BYU Cougars
Ht: 6-6Wt: 225
Hopkins has had a wild career, starting at Kentucky as a consensus top-40 recruit before transferring to Providence and exploding onto the scene with a first-team All-Big East campaign in 2022-23. Hopkins tried his luck with the NBA Draft in 2023 but returned to school and tore his ACL midway through his junior season. He tried to return this season but suffered a bone bruise after three games and missed the rest of the year. At his best, Hopkins is a mismatch nightmare at the four who can slash and finish at the rim with physicality, make plays for his teammates and defend with toughness. He could turn out to be one of the best players in college hoops next season, or he could struggle with his knee and disappoint. Given the resources that you’d have to allocate to get him, Hopkins won’t be for everyone. But if he’s right, he’s a genuine program-changer. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-6Wt: 225
Hopkins has had a wild career, starting at Kentucky as a consensus top-40 recruit before transferring to Providence and exploding onto the scene with a first-team All-Big East campaign in 2022-23. Hopkins tried his luck with the NBA Draft in 2023 but returned to school and tore his ACL midway through his junior season. He tried to return this season but suffered a bone bruise after three games and missed the rest of the year. At his best, Hopkins is a mismatch nightmare at the four who can slash and finish at the rim with physicality, make plays for his teammates and defend with toughness. He could turn out to be one of the best players in college hoops next season, or he could struggle with his knee and disappoint. Given the resources that you’d have to allocate to get him, Hopkins won’t be for everyone. But if he’s right, he’s a genuine program-changer. — Sam Vecenie
Forward
Committed
Providence
St. John’s Red Storm
Ht: 6-8 Wt: 200
Luis was the Big East player of the year award, but that choice was based on him being the leading scorer on the best team. I felt like both Kadary Richmond and Zuby Ejiofor were a bit more impactful, and the on-/off-court numbers back that up. Still, Luis is a serious shotmaker who is very comfortable getting to his spots. On top of that, he is an extremely active defensive player. It’s hard to find two-way contributors in the portal who can create their own shot, score and defend, so expect Luis to be very expensive. He also declared for the 2025 NBA Draft, so he might take this process into May. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-8 Wt: 200
Luis was the Big East player of the year award, but that choice was based on him being the leading scorer on the best team. I felt like both Kadary Richmond and Zuby Ejiofor were a bit more impactful, and the on-/off-court numbers back that up. Still, Luis is a serious shotmaker who is very comfortable getting to his spots. On top of that, he is an extremely active defensive player. It’s hard to find two-way contributors in the portal who can create their own shot, score and defend, so expect Luis to be very expensive. He also declared for the 2025 NBA Draft, so he might take this process into May. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-6Wt: 205
Coward started his career at Division III and then spent two years at Eastern Washington. He was an All-Big Sky selection his junior year and then followed David Riley to Washington State, where he was off to a fantastic start before a shoulder injury ended his ‘24-25 season. He’s a smooth three-level scorer who has put up impressive efficiency numbers throughout his career and shot 38.8 percent from 3 in three seasons at Division I. He’s a team player who will make the right pass and picks his spots wisely inside the offense to attack. He has long arms and has the ability to play multiple positions. He’d be a great fit in just about any system because of his shooting and skill. — C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-6Wt: 205
Coward started his career at Division III and then spent two years at Eastern Washington. He was an All-Big Sky selection his junior year and then followed David Riley to Washington State, where he was off to a fantastic start before a shoulder injury ended his ‘24-25 season. He’s a smooth three-level scorer who has put up impressive efficiency numbers throughout his career and shot 38.8 percent from 3 in three seasons at Division I. He’s a team player who will make the right pass and picks his spots wisely inside the offense to attack. He has long arms and has the ability to play multiple positions. He’d be a great fit in just about any system because of his shooting and skill. — C.J. Moore
Guard
In Portal
Washington St
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 170
Lowe had a tremendous freshman season that resulted in draft buzz entering the 2024-25 campaign, but this season just didn’t go all that well for him or Pitt. He did nearly double his scoring average, up to 16.8 points per game, while dishing out 5.5 assists and getting 1.8 steals, making him one of the most productive players in the portal at the high-major level. But he shot only 38 percent from the field and 27 percent from 3. In general, while he does play with real speed with the ball in his hands, I think his footwork could improve as he works into his pull-ups and gathers around the rim. Lowe’s godfather is John Lucas II, the father of new Miami (Fla.) coach Jai Lucas. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 170
Lowe had a tremendous freshman season that resulted in draft buzz entering the 2024-25 campaign, but this season just didn’t go all that well for him or Pitt. He did nearly double his scoring average, up to 16.8 points per game, while dishing out 5.5 assists and getting 1.8 steals, making him one of the most productive players in the portal at the high-major level. But he shot only 38 percent from the field and 27 percent from 3. In general, while he does play with real speed with the ball in his hands, I think his footwork could improve as he works into his pull-ups and gathers around the rim. Lowe’s godfather is John Lucas II, the father of new Miami (Fla.) coach Jai Lucas. — Sam Vecenie
Guard
Committed
Pittsburgh
Kentucky Wildcats
Ht: 6-0 Wt: 180
Gillespie was the starting point guard on a Sweet 16 team at Maryland this season, a transfer up from Belmont who did exactly what he was supposed to do upon his commitment to the high-major program. He started every game, did a great job as a distributor to get the team into their actions and provided a presence at the point of attack on defense. He was rightfully selected third-team All-Big Ten and will be one of the best guards in the country next season. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-0 Wt: 180
Gillespie was the starting point guard on a Sweet 16 team at Maryland this season, a transfer up from Belmont who did exactly what he was supposed to do upon his commitment to the high-major program. He started every game, did a great job as a distributor to get the team into their actions and provided a presence at the point of attack on defense. He was rightfully selected third-team All-Big Ten and will be one of the best guards in the country next season. — Sam Vecenie
Guard
Committed
Maryland
Tennessee Volunteers
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 175
Fland has also declared for the NBA Draft, but our Sam Vecenie currently projects him to go in the middle of the second round, so it would make sense for him to return to college. Fland has electric speed with the ball and puts up numbers, but he takes a lot of questionable shots and struggles to finish at the rim. He shot just 31 percent on jumpers off the dribble and finished only 38.2 percent of his shots at the rim, per Synergy. He’s a good shooter when he has space, but he’s too trigger-happy when he sees any kind of daylight. It was a troubling sign that Arkansas got significantly better when he went out with a hand injury; the Razorbacks were 0-5 in the SEC at that point and then went 8-5 the rest of the way in conference play. He could be a very effective college player once his decision-making improves, and maybe that progression happens as a sophomore, assuming he returns to school. — C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 175
Fland has also declared for the NBA Draft, but our Sam Vecenie currently projects him to go in the middle of the second round, so it would make sense for him to return to college. Fland has electric speed with the ball and puts up numbers, but he takes a lot of questionable shots and struggles to finish at the rim. He shot just 31 percent on jumpers off the dribble and finished only 38.2 percent of his shots at the rim, per Synergy. He’s a good shooter when he has space, but he’s too trigger-happy when he sees any kind of daylight. It was a troubling sign that Arkansas got significantly better when he went out with a hand injury; the Razorbacks were 0-5 in the SEC at that point and then went 8-5 the rest of the way in conference play. He could be a very effective college player once his decision-making improves, and maybe that progression happens as a sophomore, assuming he returns to school. — C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-9 Wt: 225
Quaintance got to college so early that he won’t be able to declare for the NBA Draft until 2026. Still only 17 years old until July, he’s a massive forward with something in the ballpark of a 7-foot-4 wingspan. He made the Big 12’s All-Defense team as a freshman, averaging 1.1 steals and 2.6 blocks per game. He has as much long-term defensive upside as any player in college basketball this season. There are offensive areas in which he has to grow, and scouts have some concerns about him being power forward-sized with an NBA center’s game. Quaintance is projected by most within NBA circles as a top-10 pick in what is shaping up to be a loaded 2026 NBA Draft class, led by Darryn Peterson, A.J. Dybantsa and Cam Boozer. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-9 Wt: 225
Quaintance got to college so early that he won’t be able to declare for the NBA Draft until 2026. Still only 17 years old until July, he’s a massive forward with something in the ballpark of a 7-foot-4 wingspan. He made the Big 12’s All-Defense team as a freshman, averaging 1.1 steals and 2.6 blocks per game. He has as much long-term defensive upside as any player in college basketball this season. There are offensive areas in which he has to grow, and scouts have some concerns about him being power forward-sized with an NBA center’s game. Quaintance is projected by most within NBA circles as a top-10 pick in what is shaping up to be a loaded 2026 NBA Draft class, led by Darryn Peterson, A.J. Dybantsa and Cam Boozer. — Sam Vecenie
Forward
Committed
Arizona State
Kentucky Wildcats
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 190
Jackson is a plus shooter — 39.5 percent from 3 — and is wired to score. He has some wiggle to his game and can shake defenders fairly easily off the bounce. Sometimes that’s to his detriment because he’ll attempt some difficult shots, but if he can learn to use his shot creation abilities to his advantage and also learn to set up teammates, that’d be a plus. Right now, it’s all tunnel vision looking to score. He can sometimes play too fast and is turnover prone when he drives, forcing his way into a lane that isn’t always clear. Jackson needs to get with a coach who can help him mature his game, but the former five-star has plenty of upside. — C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 190
Jackson is a plus shooter — 39.5 percent from 3 — and is wired to score. He has some wiggle to his game and can shake defenders fairly easily off the bounce. Sometimes that’s to his detriment because he’ll attempt some difficult shots, but if he can learn to use his shot creation abilities to his advantage and also learn to set up teammates, that’d be a plus. Right now, it’s all tunnel vision looking to score. He can sometimes play too fast and is turnover prone when he drives, forcing his way into a lane that isn’t always clear. Jackson needs to get with a coach who can help him mature his game, but the former five-star has plenty of upside. — C.J. Moore
Guard
Committed
North Carolina
St. John’s Red Storm
Ht: 6-10 Wt: 230
Freeman extended a long line of great Iowa post players under Fran McCaffery, consistently getting to his spots on the block and making shots. He shot 63 percent in post-ups, per Synergy, and has a great back-to-the-basket game. But he also has some handle, allowing him to attack in straight lines before using drop steps and counters to finish. His footwork is terrific, and he had a couple of moments when he stepped away and showed some potential from 3-point range. Teams that run several post-ups will likely be the best fit here, but he would also fit in ball-screen offenses that utilize seals. But to win games that matter, his new team must surround him with high-level defenders. That end of the floor wasn’t always a strength despite his gaudy 1.8 blocks per game. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-10 Wt: 230
Freeman extended a long line of great Iowa post players under Fran McCaffery, consistently getting to his spots on the block and making shots. He shot 63 percent in post-ups, per Synergy, and has a great back-to-the-basket game. But he also has some handle, allowing him to attack in straight lines before using drop steps and counters to finish. His footwork is terrific, and he had a couple of moments when he stepped away and showed some potential from 3-point range. Teams that run several post-ups will likely be the best fit here, but he would also fit in ball-screen offenses that utilize seals. But to win games that matter, his new team must surround him with high-level defenders. That end of the floor wasn’t always a strength despite his gaudy 1.8 blocks per game. — Sam Vecenie
Forward
Committed
Iowa
Creighton Bluejays
Ht: 6-7 Wt: 220
Swain certainly has one of the best potential futures of any player in the portal. He’s a genuine NBA prospect who should declare for the draft this season to at least test his stock. A tremendous defensive playmaker, Swain has incredibly long arms and is wildly reactive on the court. He averaged 1.6 steals and 0.6 blocks to go with 11 points. Offensively, teams generally played off him this year, and he made them pay at times (he had 27 points in Xavier’s Round of 64 game vs. Illinois). However, to take that next step and become one of the best college players in the country — and a legitimate NBA player — he will have to improve his shot. He made just 25 percent from 3 this season and doesn’t look all that comfortable taking them. The good news? He has some real touch around the rim and made 82 percent of his free throws, so he has a chance to take that next step. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-7 Wt: 220
Swain certainly has one of the best potential futures of any player in the portal. He’s a genuine NBA prospect who should declare for the draft this season to at least test his stock. A tremendous defensive playmaker, Swain has incredibly long arms and is wildly reactive on the court. He averaged 1.6 steals and 0.6 blocks to go with 11 points. Offensively, teams generally played off him this year, and he made them pay at times (he had 27 points in Xavier’s Round of 64 game vs. Illinois). However, to take that next step and become one of the best college players in the country — and a legitimate NBA player — he will have to improve his shot. He made just 25 percent from 3 this season and doesn’t look all that comfortable taking them. The good news? He has some real touch around the rim and made 82 percent of his free throws, so he has a chance to take that next step. — Sam Vecenie
Wing
Committed
Xavier
Texas Longhorns
Ht: 6-5 Wt: 195
A former five-star recruit, Sanon is a bucket-getter through and through. He’s not overly big, but he averaged 12 points per game while shooting 42 percent from the field and 37 percent from 3 as a freshman. The numbers aren’t what they seem, however. He had a dry spell in conference play after a strong start, averaging just six points from Dec. 14 through Feb. 23 while he played through an ankle injury. He was healthy at the end of the season and averaged 19 points in his final five games. He needs to improve drastically on defense and work on making consistent reads as a driver. If he can make tough, winning plays on both ends of the court on a regular basis, he has real NBA upside after next season. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-5 Wt: 195
A former five-star recruit, Sanon is a bucket-getter through and through. He’s not overly big, but he averaged 12 points per game while shooting 42 percent from the field and 37 percent from 3 as a freshman. The numbers aren’t what they seem, however. He had a dry spell in conference play after a strong start, averaging just six points from Dec. 14 through Feb. 23 while he played through an ankle injury. He was healthy at the end of the season and averaged 19 points in his final five games. He needs to improve drastically on defense and work on making consistent reads as a driver. If he can make tough, winning plays on both ends of the court on a regular basis, he has real NBA upside after next season. — Sam Vecenie
Wing
Committed
Arizona State
St. John’s Red Storm
Ht: 6-5 Wt: 180
One of the best pop-up freshmen in the country this season, Wooley was dominant in Conference USA for Kennesaw State. Not only are the averages per game impressive, but he shot 51 percent from the field, 42 percent from 3 and 77 percent from the line. His frame still needs a bit of work, so it makes sense that he spends at least one more season in college. However, he did almost carry Kennesaw to a win over league-champion Liberty in the conference tournament, scoring 28 points, grabbing seven rebounds and dishing out five assists. He also had 25 points and 19 points against top-100 teams UC Irvine and Santa Clara.
— Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-5 Wt: 180
One of the best pop-up freshmen in the country this season, Wooley was dominant in Conference USA for Kennesaw State. Not only are the averages per game impressive, but he shot 51 percent from the field, 42 percent from 3 and 77 percent from the line. His frame still needs a bit of work, so it makes sense that he spends at least one more season in college. However, he did almost carry Kennesaw to a win over league-champion Liberty in the conference tournament, scoring 28 points, grabbing seven rebounds and dishing out five assists. He also had 25 points and 19 points against top-100 teams UC Irvine and Santa Clara.
— Sam Vecenie
Guard
Committed
Kennesaw St
Louisville Cardinals
Ht: 6-2Wt: 175
Brown thrives working out of ball screens. He has a good understanding of how to set his man up and make sure he uses the screen. He needs it because he struggles to create separation in isolation, but when he gets an angle he does a good job of using his body to shield off defenders. He’s a good shooter off the bounce and off the catch. He’s going to find a way to get his points and was one of the most consistent scorers in the Atlantic-10. He scored in double figures in every game as a sophomore and went for 20-plus in his final four games. — C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-2Wt: 175
Brown thrives working out of ball screens. He has a good understanding of how to set his man up and make sure he uses the screen. He needs it because he struggles to create separation in isolation, but when he gets an angle he does a good job of using his body to shield off defenders. He’s a good shooter off the bounce and off the catch. He’s going to find a way to get his points and was one of the most consistent scorers in the Atlantic-10. He scored in double figures in every game as a sophomore and went for 20-plus in his final four games. — C.J. Moore
Guard
Committed
Saint Joseph’s
Oklahoma Sooners
Ht: 6-6 Wt: 200
Rice likely just missed out on All-Big Ten honors this year but would have been a worthy addition. After a couple of injury-riddled years at Virginia Tech, he showed what he is capable of at the high-major level. He drilled 37 percent of his nearly six 3-point attempts per game and used the threat of that shot to be able to get to his spots inside the arc, too. Defensively, I wouldn’t say that he was a shutdown player, but he at least plays hard and is in the right positions. His former coach, Kevin Willard, is headed to Villanova, so that would make a ton of sense as a landing spot. But big-time shooters who can do more than that tend to be very valuable. It wouldn’t be a stunner if he averaged 18 points per game at some point in his next spot. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-6 Wt: 200
Rice likely just missed out on All-Big Ten honors this year but would have been a worthy addition. After a couple of injury-riddled years at Virginia Tech, he showed what he is capable of at the high-major level. He drilled 37 percent of his nearly six 3-point attempts per game and used the threat of that shot to be able to get to his spots inside the arc, too. Defensively, I wouldn’t say that he was a shutdown player, but he at least plays hard and is in the right positions. His former coach, Kevin Willard, is headed to Villanova, so that would make a ton of sense as a landing spot. But big-time shooters who can do more than that tend to be very valuable. It wouldn’t be a stunner if he averaged 18 points per game at some point in his next spot. — Sam Vecenie
Wing
Committed
Maryland
USC Trojans
Ht: 6-4 Wt: 220
Yates has a funky windup and release on his jumper, but it goes in: he knocked down 43.9 percent of his 3s for USC. The redshirt freshman averaged 16.8 points once he joined the starting lineup on Dec. 7 and had a monster Big Ten season, bumping his 3-point percentage up to 47.6 percent in conference play. He’s a big, physical guard who can make pick-and-roll reads and fits well as a secondary handler/creator. He’s returning to Washington after redshirting his first year there. — C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-4 Wt: 220
Yates has a funky windup and release on his jumper, but it goes in: he knocked down 43.9 percent of his 3s for USC. The redshirt freshman averaged 16.8 points once he joined the starting lineup on Dec. 7 and had a monster Big Ten season, bumping his 3-point percentage up to 47.6 percent in conference play. He’s a big, physical guard who can make pick-and-roll reads and fits well as a secondary handler/creator. He’s returning to Washington after redshirting his first year there. — C.J. Moore
Guard
Committed
USC
Washington Huskies
Ht: 6-4 Wt: 205
Lewis has been a problem solver for Arizona over the last two years due to the versatile nature of his game. With extremely long arms and great physicality for the guard position, he’s a terrific defensive player who can take on a wide range of assignments, from bigger wings to just about any guard. He started the team’s first six games before making a bit of an unselfish move to come off of the bench this season behind Caleb Love and Jalen Bradley. Lewis is more of a connective player and glue guy than a true star because he doesn’t shoot well and isn’t really a point guard. But if he found the right spot, he could be the kind of guy who helps you win a lot of games. His ability to be a secondary ballhandler and chess piece on defense is very impactful. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-4 Wt: 205
Lewis has been a problem solver for Arizona over the last two years due to the versatile nature of his game. With extremely long arms and great physicality for the guard position, he’s a terrific defensive player who can take on a wide range of assignments, from bigger wings to just about any guard. He started the team’s first six games before making a bit of an unselfish move to come off of the bench this season behind Caleb Love and Jalen Bradley. Lewis is more of a connective player and glue guy than a true star because he doesn’t shoot well and isn’t really a point guard. But if he found the right spot, he could be the kind of guy who helps you win a lot of games. His ability to be a secondary ballhandler and chess piece on defense is very impactful. — Sam Vecenie
Guard
Committed
Arizona
Georgetown Hoyas
Ht: 6-6 Wt: 205
A proven scorer who played a lot of point guard this past year at USC Claude is one of the best slashing wings in the portal. He has a great handle, especially for a big guard, and is constantly hunting paint. His weakness is his jump shot. He’s a career 27.1 percent 3-point shooter and is better from the midrange, which limits his efficiency. But he does a good job of getting to the foul line — 5.6 fouls drawn per 40 minutes — and he has shot above 76 percent there each of the last two years. If he were a better 3-point shooter, he’d be one of the most valuable wings in the country. — C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-6 Wt: 205
A proven scorer who played a lot of point guard this past year at USC Claude is one of the best slashing wings in the portal. He has a great handle, especially for a big guard, and is constantly hunting paint. His weakness is his jump shot. He’s a career 27.1 percent 3-point shooter and is better from the midrange, which limits his efficiency. But he does a good job of getting to the foul line — 5.6 fouls drawn per 40 minutes — and he has shot above 76 percent there each of the last two years. If he were a better 3-point shooter, he’d be one of the most valuable wings in the country. — C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-5 Wt: 200
Pierre is as dynamic a player as you’ll find in the portal, coming off of a monster final season at Jacksonville State that has even brought him to the precipice of the NBA Draft conversation. He was the Conference USA player of the year and showcased the ability to score from all three levels. Despite being asked to create nearly everything for Jacksonville State, he drilled 38 percent of his nearly eight 3-point attempts per game. Having said that, he can be a touch inefficient when he ventures into the paint, and even though he’s always taken a large number of 3s, this is the first year he’s actually made them. And he still has to prove that he can be more than the best player on a solid team by continuing to round out his game when he doesn’t have the ball. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-5 Wt: 200
Pierre is as dynamic a player as you’ll find in the portal, coming off of a monster final season at Jacksonville State that has even brought him to the precipice of the NBA Draft conversation. He was the Conference USA player of the year and showcased the ability to score from all three levels. Despite being asked to create nearly everything for Jacksonville State, he drilled 38 percent of his nearly eight 3-point attempts per game. Having said that, he can be a touch inefficient when he ventures into the paint, and even though he’s always taken a large number of 3s, this is the first year he’s actually made them. And he still has to prove that he can be more than the best player on a solid team by continuing to round out his game when he doesn’t have the ball. — Sam Vecenie
Wing
Committed
Jacksonville State
SMU Mustangs
Ht: 6-10 Wt: 230
If you want to play a five-out brand of basketball, this is the big for you. Bailey drilled 41 percent of his 3-point attempts this year and consistently got to the line with sharp footwork. Davidson used him to initiate sets as a trailer or by entering the ball to him, and his passing ability stood out both from the top of the key and on the block. He finds cutters as well as kick-outs to shooters. Defensively, you’ll be giving a bit away at the high-major level, but bigs who are this skilled don’t hit the market all that often. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-10 Wt: 230
If you want to play a five-out brand of basketball, this is the big for you. Bailey drilled 41 percent of his 3-point attempts this year and consistently got to the line with sharp footwork. Davidson used him to initiate sets as a trailer or by entering the ball to him, and his passing ability stood out both from the top of the key and on the block. He finds cutters as well as kick-outs to shooters. Defensively, you’ll be giving a bit away at the high-major level, but bigs who are this skilled don’t hit the market all that often. — Sam Vecenie
Forward
Committed
Davidson
Indiana Hoosiers
Ht: 6-11Wt: 230
Ewin can do almost everything on the perimeter you want out of a modern center in five-out actions. His handle and passing combo is probably the best among centers in the portal. He has a good feel for where to roll and has great hands. The only thing he’s missing is a jumper, but he does have soft touch, and maybe that’ll come down the road. He also does a good job of using his body in the interior, especially on the boards. Defensively, he’s not super disruptive but knows where to be. In the right system with better guards than he had at Florida State, Ewin has potential to be an all-league guy. — C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-11Wt: 230
Ewin can do almost everything on the perimeter you want out of a modern center in five-out actions. His handle and passing combo is probably the best among centers in the portal. He has a good feel for where to roll and has great hands. The only thing he’s missing is a jumper, but he does have soft touch, and maybe that’ll come down the road. He also does a good job of using his body in the interior, especially on the boards. Defensively, he’s not super disruptive but knows where to be. In the right system with better guards than he had at Florida State, Ewin has potential to be an all-league guy. — C.J. Moore
Center
Committed
Florida State
Arkansas Razorbacks
Ht: 6-1 Wt: 180
After averaging 19 points per game at North Texas in his first Division I season, Edwards was about as useful a small scoring guard as you could find at the SEC level. He consistently seemed to get paint touches for Mark Byington’s offense within ball-screen situations. He also hit 35 percent from 3, with a number of those being of the pull-up variety. To get the most out of Edwards, you’re going to need a bigger, passing point guard who can initiate the offense and get everyone involved because Edwards tends not to be a particularly good playmaker for others. But if you need a bucket, he can absolutely give you one. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-1 Wt: 180
After averaging 19 points per game at North Texas in his first Division I season, Edwards was about as useful a small scoring guard as you could find at the SEC level. He consistently seemed to get paint touches for Mark Byington’s offense within ball-screen situations. He also hit 35 percent from 3, with a number of those being of the pull-up variety. To get the most out of Edwards, you’re going to need a bigger, passing point guard who can initiate the offense and get everyone involved because Edwards tends not to be a particularly good playmaker for others. But if you need a bucket, he can absolutely give you one. — Sam Vecenie
Guard
Committed
Vanderbilt
Providence Friars
Ht: 6-8 Wt: 230
Hall also declared for the NBA Draft — not a surprise after the massive season he had at UCF. He was the main cog on a team that struggled in Big 12 play but still found his way into being reasonably efficient given how much he had to do. He shot 35 percent from 3 and basically lived at the foul line, but he’s not overly explosive and can struggle on the interior on his drives. Hall is a proven shot creator, but between his time at UNLV, George Mason and UCF, he hasn’t proven that he can do it for a particularly high-level team. Still, it’s hard to find guys this big who can get their own shot. Hall will be sought after in the portal by teams that need a secondary creator. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-8 Wt: 230
Hall also declared for the NBA Draft — not a surprise after the massive season he had at UCF. He was the main cog on a team that struggled in Big 12 play but still found his way into being reasonably efficient given how much he had to do. He shot 35 percent from 3 and basically lived at the foul line, but he’s not overly explosive and can struggle on the interior on his drives. Hall is a proven shot creator, but between his time at UNLV, George Mason and UCF, he hasn’t proven that he can do it for a particularly high-level team. Still, it’s hard to find guys this big who can get their own shot. Hall will be sought after in the portal by teams that need a secondary creator. — Sam Vecenie
Wing
Committed
UCF
Auburn Tigers
Ht: 6-8Wt: 220
Reid was a five-star recruit who battled injuries during his freshman year and played limited minutes down the stretch on a stacked Alabama team. He graded out as one of Alabama’s best defensive players, but his shooting (10 of 38 from 3) made it tough to stay on the floor. But his form looks solid, and he has upside as a two-way wing. His best offensive offering right now is his ability to drive, using long strides to the get in the paint and decent footwork once he gets there. He’s not an explosive athlete but good enough for his size. There’s potentially an NBA player here someday. — C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-8Wt: 220
Reid was a five-star recruit who battled injuries during his freshman year and played limited minutes down the stretch on a stacked Alabama team. He graded out as one of Alabama’s best defensive players, but his shooting (10 of 38 from 3) made it tough to stay on the floor. But his form looks solid, and he has upside as a two-way wing. His best offensive offering right now is his ability to drive, using long strides to the get in the paint and decent footwork once he gets there. He’s not an explosive athlete but good enough for his size. There’s potentially an NBA player here someday. — C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-8Wt: 190
NBA teams are keeping their eyes on Williams after a terrific freshman season at Tulane that saw him do exactly what scouts look for from low-usage wings — knock down shots and be a menace on defense. He drilled 41 percent of his five 3-point attempts per game and has a nice stroke that should continue to translate up levels. On defense, he’s active with his hands and length, averaging 1.4 steals and 1.1 blocks from the four spot. The reason he’s more of a four than a three right now is that his ball skills need to improve significantly. But he knows his role, makes good decisions and doesn’t tend to overextend himself. This is a good bet for any high-major team to take, even the ones at the highest levels.
— Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-8Wt: 190
NBA teams are keeping their eyes on Williams after a terrific freshman season at Tulane that saw him do exactly what scouts look for from low-usage wings — knock down shots and be a menace on defense. He drilled 41 percent of his five 3-point attempts per game and has a nice stroke that should continue to translate up levels. On defense, he’s active with his hands and length, averaging 1.4 steals and 1.1 blocks from the four spot. The reason he’s more of a four than a three right now is that his ball skills need to improve significantly. But he knows his role, makes good decisions and doesn’t tend to overextend himself. This is a good bet for any high-major team to take, even the ones at the highest levels.
— Sam Vecenie
Wing
Committed
Tulane
Kentucky Wildcats
Ht: 6-4Wt: 200
The pitch with McKneely is simple: He’s one of the best shooters in the country, point blank. He has made 43.1 percent of his nearly seven 3-point attempts over the last two years. He makes them off movement at a high level and can find his shot from just about any situation. Where he’s really improved over the last two years, though, is how he uses the threat of that shot to attack off it, finding his way into the lane to score occasionally or to use a touch floater. He’s not a monster passer, but he sees reads well and is unselfish. He also rarely makes mistakes. Teams that run a lot of actions to free shooters should be salivating about getting McKneely into their scheme. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-4Wt: 200
The pitch with McKneely is simple: He’s one of the best shooters in the country, point blank. He has made 43.1 percent of his nearly seven 3-point attempts over the last two years. He makes them off movement at a high level and can find his shot from just about any situation. Where he’s really improved over the last two years, though, is how he uses the threat of that shot to attack off it, finding his way into the lane to score occasionally or to use a touch floater. He’s not a monster passer, but he sees reads well and is unselfish. He also rarely makes mistakes. Teams that run a lot of actions to free shooters should be salivating about getting McKneely into their scheme. — Sam Vecenie
Wing
Committed
Virginia
Louisville Cardinals
Ht: 6-4Wt: 180
The skill pops off the screen. There might not be a better off-hand passer in the country. He can throw lasers with his left hand. He has a creative handle, and for a taller guard he has some burst, able to get separation from his defender quickly. The shot has improved; he made a career-best 36.6 percent of his 3s this past season. The worries about him going up in level will be how he can handle physicalities on both ends of the floor. That showed up around the basket in the Ivy. He shot only 50.3 percent at the rim, per Synergy. But some of the heavy hitters in the sport are in pursuit because of the passing, ability to play out of the pick-and-roll and his shooting. — C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-4Wt: 180
The skill pops off the screen. There might not be a better off-hand passer in the country. He can throw lasers with his left hand. He has a creative handle, and for a taller guard he has some burst, able to get separation from his defender quickly. The shot has improved; he made a career-best 36.6 percent of his 3s this past season. The worries about him going up in level will be how he can handle physicalities on both ends of the floor. That showed up around the basket in the Ivy. He shot only 50.3 percent at the rim, per Synergy. But some of the heavy hitters in the sport are in pursuit because of the passing, ability to play out of the pick-and-roll and his shooting. — C.J. Moore
Guard
Committed
Princeton
Florida Gators
Ht: 6-10Wt: 230
Cofie started the season on fire and looked like a potential one-and-done player. However, he cooled off as the season progressed, looking more like a terrific first-year starter who will take some time to develop to get to the next level. He played about 20 minutes per game and is a sharp, reactive player across the board. He gets his hands up and makes defensive plays regularly and can rotate across the back line to be available on the weak side. Offensively, the jumper looks entirely workable, and he’s a serious mismatch threat with his size and ability to handle the ball. It’s hard to find fours with enough size to play the center position in college, and even with his downturn in shooting late in the year, Virginia was still 10 points per 100 possessions better with Cofie on the court than when he was off it, per CBB Analytics.
— Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-10Wt: 230
Cofie started the season on fire and looked like a potential one-and-done player. However, he cooled off as the season progressed, looking more like a terrific first-year starter who will take some time to develop to get to the next level. He played about 20 minutes per game and is a sharp, reactive player across the board. He gets his hands up and makes defensive plays regularly and can rotate across the back line to be available on the weak side. Offensively, the jumper looks entirely workable, and he’s a serious mismatch threat with his size and ability to handle the ball. It’s hard to find fours with enough size to play the center position in college, and even with his downturn in shooting late in the year, Virginia was still 10 points per 100 possessions better with Cofie on the court than when he was off it, per CBB Analytics.
— Sam Vecenie
Wing
Committed
Virginia
USC Trojans
Ht: 7-3Wt: 240
Mara arrived at UCLA with a lot of hype as a potential first-round pick after a tremendous youth career in Spain. The 7-3 big man is incredibly skilled with the ball, but he needed to add strength and weight to have any sort of effectiveness at the college level. It took a year-and-a-half for him to get comfortable, but by the midseason mark, he was tremendous for UCLA. He averaged 8.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 2.3 blocks in 17 minutes over UCLA’s final 16 games. On top of that, UCLA was a drastically better team when he was on the court. He’s ready to break out next season in college hoops if he stays in the United States (he’ll have extremely strong offers to go back to Spain if he so chooses). He should go somewhere with a creative coach who will be willing to weaponize his best skill — his passing ability from the block.
— Sam Vecenie
Ht: 7-3Wt: 240
Mara arrived at UCLA with a lot of hype as a potential first-round pick after a tremendous youth career in Spain. The 7-3 big man is incredibly skilled with the ball, but he needed to add strength and weight to have any sort of effectiveness at the college level. It took a year-and-a-half for him to get comfortable, but by the midseason mark, he was tremendous for UCLA. He averaged 8.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 2.3 blocks in 17 minutes over UCLA’s final 16 games. On top of that, UCLA was a drastically better team when he was on the court. He’s ready to break out next season in college hoops if he stays in the United States (he’ll have extremely strong offers to go back to Spain if he so chooses). He should go somewhere with a creative coach who will be willing to weaponize his best skill — his passing ability from the block.
— Sam Vecenie
Center
In Portal
UCLA
Michigan Wolverines
Ht: 6-7 Wt: 200
Harper is this season’s mid-major breakout freshman, a 6-foot-7 wing who won both the MEAC’s player of the year and freshman of the year awards. A smooth lefty with a sweet shooting stroke and great touch, Harper still has some things to work on but has the look of a high-level, high-major recruit. He attacks aggressively off the bounce and is fearless driving to the paint. He averaged 8.4 free-throw attempts per game and does a great job of drawing contact, even though he’s not overly vertical. The worries here are that he wasn’t overly efficient at the rim and that he was an athletic/size outlier at the MEAC level. He needs to work on his strength to bounce off other wings and improve his footwork on drives. Otherwise, he’ll need to be more willing to fire from 3. He reminds me of Florida starting wing Will Richard back when Richard was at Belmont.
— Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-7 Wt: 200
Harper is this season’s mid-major breakout freshman, a 6-foot-7 wing who won both the MEAC’s player of the year and freshman of the year awards. A smooth lefty with a sweet shooting stroke and great touch, Harper still has some things to work on but has the look of a high-level, high-major recruit. He attacks aggressively off the bounce and is fearless driving to the paint. He averaged 8.4 free-throw attempts per game and does a great job of drawing contact, even though he’s not overly vertical. The worries here are that he wasn’t overly efficient at the rim and that he was an athletic/size outlier at the MEAC level. He needs to work on his strength to bounce off other wings and improve his footwork on drives. Otherwise, he’ll need to be more willing to fire from 3. He reminds me of Florida starting wing Will Richard back when Richard was at Belmont.
— Sam Vecenie
Wing
Committed
Howard
Creighton Bluejays
Ht: 6-7 Wt: 215
Dioubate has one of the best motors in college basketball and should be a great fit at Kentucky. He should thrive in the playmaking roles that Mark Pope likes to put his bigs in, whether it’s executing dribble handoffs or finding cutters. Dioubate does a good job setting up DHOs and is comfortable handling the ball. He’s also a strong defender and elite rebounder. Those are areas Kentucky should get better in with his addition. The Cats ranked 229th in offensive rebounding rate, and that should likely shoot up. The other thing to like about Dioubate is he leans into his strengths, which makes him an efficient player. Most of his shots come around the rim, and he’s effective getting to the free-throw line. There is some upside if he ever adds a reliable jumper — he made 12 of 26 from 3 — but that’s not something I’d bank on. Still, Dioubate is a really good role player and should bring a level of toughness to the UK frontcourt that was somewhat lacking this past season.
— C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-7 Wt: 215
Dioubate has one of the best motors in college basketball and should be a great fit at Kentucky. He should thrive in the playmaking roles that Mark Pope likes to put his bigs in, whether it’s executing dribble handoffs or finding cutters. Dioubate does a good job setting up DHOs and is comfortable handling the ball. He’s also a strong defender and elite rebounder. Those are areas Kentucky should get better in with his addition. The Cats ranked 229th in offensive rebounding rate, and that should likely shoot up. The other thing to like about Dioubate is he leans into his strengths, which makes him an efficient player. Most of his shots come around the rim, and he’s effective getting to the free-throw line. There is some upside if he ever adds a reliable jumper — he made 12 of 26 from 3 — but that’s not something I’d bank on. Still, Dioubate is a really good role player and should bring a level of toughness to the UK frontcourt that was somewhat lacking this past season.
— C.J. Moore
Forward
Committed
Alabama
Kentucky Wildcats
Ht: 6-7 Wt: 190
The son of NBA great Peja Stojakovic finished the year on a tear, averaging 29 points over his final three games. His 3-point success rate for his career is surprising considering who his dad is: He’s made 75 3s in two years at a 32.2 percent clip. The stroke is there; he just hasn’t shot it very consistently. What he does best is attack off the dribble, often using a ball screen or dribble down to get to his spot. He’s a tough matchup for smaller defenders. His upside as a scorer is high if he continues to add strength and shoots the ball from deep with more consistency. He doesn’t have a great reputation defensively and has played on two lousy defensive teams, but with his size, scoring ability, genetics and two years of remaining eligibility, I’d gamble on that upside. — C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-7 Wt: 190
The son of NBA great Peja Stojakovic finished the year on a tear, averaging 29 points over his final three games. His 3-point success rate for his career is surprising considering who his dad is: He’s made 75 3s in two years at a 32.2 percent clip. The stroke is there; he just hasn’t shot it very consistently. What he does best is attack off the dribble, often using a ball screen or dribble down to get to his spot. He’s a tough matchup for smaller defenders. His upside as a scorer is high if he continues to add strength and shoots the ball from deep with more consistency. He doesn’t have a great reputation defensively and has played on two lousy defensive teams, but with his size, scoring ability, genetics and two years of remaining eligibility, I’d gamble on that upside. — C.J. Moore
Wing
Committed
California
Illinois Fighting Illini
Ht: 7-0Wt: 245
Vokietaitis was the 2024-25 freshman of the year in the American Athletic Conference at Florida Atlantic, a 7-footer from Lithuania who consistently established position on the interior at 245 pounds and went to work. He’s extremely physical and strong in the paint, and once he gets to the spot he wants, it’s exceedingly hard to move him off of it. He was a weapon on the offensive glass, averaging 2.1 in just 17 minutes per game. But more than that, if he saw a mismatch on the block, he showed the ability to hit drop steps or hook shots to score over the top of the defender. Vokietaitis is extremely wide, and it’s hard to work around him to front him. He has three years of eligibility remaining. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 7-0Wt: 245
Vokietaitis was the 2024-25 freshman of the year in the American Athletic Conference at Florida Atlantic, a 7-footer from Lithuania who consistently established position on the interior at 245 pounds and went to work. He’s extremely physical and strong in the paint, and once he gets to the spot he wants, it’s exceedingly hard to move him off of it. He was a weapon on the offensive glass, averaging 2.1 in just 17 minutes per game. But more than that, if he saw a mismatch on the block, he showed the ability to hit drop steps or hook shots to score over the top of the defender. Vokietaitis is extremely wide, and it’s hard to work around him to front him. He has three years of eligibility remaining. — Sam Vecenie
Center
Committed
FAU
Texas Longhorns
Ht: 6-11 Wt: 260
A massive, wide Australian big man who took some time to develop, Cluff is getting an extra year as a player who started his career at a junior college. He’s played at the high-major level before, proving that he could be a starter on an NCAA Tournament team at Washington State. He transferred down for a bigger role this year at South Dakota State and flourished. He finished second nationally in rebounding and has a soft touch on the interior. He’s not particularly vertical, but few bigs across the country do a better job of using their frame to seal off defenders to create space. That lack of vertical pop could make it a bit easier to contest him at a higher level, and I don’t think I’d expect him to average 17 again. But if you put him in an offense like Gonzaga’s, which makes a concerted effort to seal and post, he could thrive again at the highest level.
— Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-11 Wt: 260
A massive, wide Australian big man who took some time to develop, Cluff is getting an extra year as a player who started his career at a junior college. He’s played at the high-major level before, proving that he could be a starter on an NCAA Tournament team at Washington State. He transferred down for a bigger role this year at South Dakota State and flourished. He finished second nationally in rebounding and has a soft touch on the interior. He’s not particularly vertical, but few bigs across the country do a better job of using their frame to seal off defenders to create space. That lack of vertical pop could make it a bit easier to contest him at a higher level, and I don’t think I’d expect him to average 17 again. But if you put him in an offense like Gonzaga’s, which makes a concerted effort to seal and post, he could thrive again at the highest level.
— Sam Vecenie
Center
Committed
S Dakota St
Purdue Boilermakers
Ht: 6-1 Wt: 180
A former five-star prospect coming out of Sweden by way of high school powerhouse Link Academy in Missouri, Cadeau never quite found his footing at North Carolina after choosing to reclassify into the 2023 recruiting class. He’s certainly a dynamic playmaker and passer, as he showed while averaging over six assists per game this season. But he could be turnover-prone and didn’t have a consistent way to score. He’s a real athlete, but he’s a bit undersized and needs to keep working on the jumper to create that threat to get defenders off-balance. He likes to drive downhill or to get out in transition to finish at the rim, but he’s inconsistent at doing that, having made only 50 percent of his attempts in the half court at the basket. There’s clear talent here, and a change of scenery may allow him to bloom. A well-spaced offense that is ball-screen dominant would fit his game best. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-1 Wt: 180
A former five-star prospect coming out of Sweden by way of high school powerhouse Link Academy in Missouri, Cadeau never quite found his footing at North Carolina after choosing to reclassify into the 2023 recruiting class. He’s certainly a dynamic playmaker and passer, as he showed while averaging over six assists per game this season. But he could be turnover-prone and didn’t have a consistent way to score. He’s a real athlete, but he’s a bit undersized and needs to keep working on the jumper to create that threat to get defenders off-balance. He likes to drive downhill or to get out in transition to finish at the rim, but he’s inconsistent at doing that, having made only 50 percent of his attempts in the half court at the basket. There’s clear talent here, and a change of scenery may allow him to bloom. A well-spaced offense that is ball-screen dominant would fit his game best. — Sam Vecenie
Guard
Committed
North Carolina
Michigan Wolverines
Ht: 6-1Wt: 175
A two-time All-Mountain West pick, Thomas is one of the better floor generals available in the portal. He passes the ball extremely well and has a very attack-oriented mindset. He constantly trying to get downhill to the rim and does an amazing job of drawing fouls, averaging six per game. He also has a smooth lefty floater game and the ability to step out and drill shots from distance off the catch. But he’s also quite small, and that impacts his game in several ways. His finishing on the interior when he doesn’t draw contact isn’t great, and he isn’t always effective on defense. Still, expect Thomas to get a massive amount of money to run the show at a high-major next year, and he’ll have a real shot to be an all-conference pick as he puts up gaudy numbers.
— Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-1Wt: 175
A two-time All-Mountain West pick, Thomas is one of the better floor generals available in the portal. He passes the ball extremely well and has a very attack-oriented mindset. He constantly trying to get downhill to the rim and does an amazing job of drawing fouls, averaging six per game. He also has a smooth lefty floater game and the ability to step out and drill shots from distance off the catch. But he’s also quite small, and that impacts his game in several ways. His finishing on the interior when he doesn’t draw contact isn’t great, and he isn’t always effective on defense. Still, expect Thomas to get a massive amount of money to run the show at a high-major next year, and he’ll have a real shot to be an all-conference pick as he puts up gaudy numbers.
— Sam Vecenie
Guard
Committed
UNLV
LSU Tigers
Ht: 6-7Wt: 180
Baker-Mazara is a polarizing player. For one, he’s 25, and it’s wild he still has another year of eligibility, but he’s one of the final players with that pandemic year still at his disposal. He can let his emotions get the best of him and hurt his team, but sometimes it swings the other way and works to his team’s advantage. He can get on a heater and feed off the crowd. He’s the definition of a roller coaster player. He’s also the prototypical 3-and-D wing — a 39.8 percent career 3-point shooter. That also comes with a caveat. Some opposing coaches will tell you that he can be a defensive liability. “I think he is a good recovery defender,” one SEC assistant recently told me. “But I don’t think he’s great at defending.” When engaged, there’s no denying his length and switchability is an asset. Offensively, he’s best as a spot-up shooter, but he can also put it on the floor and attack. He’s one of those slithery lefties with a level of unpredictability that makes him hard to defend. Auburn seemed to get the best out of him, and it’s surprising that he’s in the portal, but he’ll be a plug-and-play starter wherever he lands. Maybe one with a warning label, but it didn’t hold Auburn back this past year. — C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-7Wt: 180
Baker-Mazara is a polarizing player. For one, he’s 25, and it’s wild he still has another year of eligibility, but he’s one of the final players with that pandemic year still at his disposal. He can let his emotions get the best of him and hurt his team, but sometimes it swings the other way and works to his team’s advantage. He can get on a heater and feed off the crowd. He’s the definition of a roller coaster player. He’s also the prototypical 3-and-D wing — a 39.8 percent career 3-point shooter. That also comes with a caveat. Some opposing coaches will tell you that he can be a defensive liability. “I think he is a good recovery defender,” one SEC assistant recently told me. “But I don’t think he’s great at defending.” When engaged, there’s no denying his length and switchability is an asset. Offensively, he’s best as a spot-up shooter, but he can also put it on the floor and attack. He’s one of those slithery lefties with a level of unpredictability that makes him hard to defend. Auburn seemed to get the best out of him, and it’s surprising that he’s in the portal, but he’ll be a plug-and-play starter wherever he lands. Maybe one with a warning label, but it didn’t hold Auburn back this past year. — C.J. Moore
Wing
Committed
Auburn
USC Trojans
Ht: 6-2Wt: 175
Evans is a low-usage, low-maintenance point guard who will burn you if you leave him open from deep. He can shoot with range, and he has such a tight, repeatable motion that it’s almost surprising when he misses. He shot 44.6 percent from deep this past year. He does a good job of running an offense and getting the ball where it needs to go. He spent his first season at Colorado State basically learning under Isaiah Stevens, and CSU’s offense was even better this year when he took over. There’s not a lot of glitz to his game, but he gets the job done, and he’s capable of a big scoring night when he’s able to get open 3s. Otherwise, he’ll just make open shots when they’re there and not try to force anything.
— C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-2Wt: 175
Evans is a low-usage, low-maintenance point guard who will burn you if you leave him open from deep. He can shoot with range, and he has such a tight, repeatable motion that it’s almost surprising when he misses. He shot 44.6 percent from deep this past year. He does a good job of running an offense and getting the ball where it needs to go. He spent his first season at Colorado State basically learning under Isaiah Stevens, and CSU’s offense was even better this year when he took over. There’s not a lot of glitz to his game, but he gets the job done, and he’s capable of a big scoring night when he’s able to get open 3s. Otherwise, he’ll just make open shots when they’re there and not try to force anything.
— C.J. Moore
Guard
Committed
Colorado State
North Carolina Tar Heels
Ht: 6-5Wt: 205
The WCC Player of the Year and scoring champ is best at using his body to create separation. He has a nice handle, moves with a purpose to get to his scoring spots and isn’t afraid of trying to draw contact, which helps him get to the free-throw line frequently. Thomas can operate out of ball screens, but he doesn’t necessarily need a screen and is effective in isolation. He also moves well without the ball, using screens to free himself. He doesn’t have the prettiest jumper, but he shoots it well, making 38.5 percent of his 3s for his career. He’s even better off the bounce, knocking down 30 3s at a 42.9 percent clip this past season.
— C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-5Wt: 205
The WCC Player of the Year and scoring champ is best at using his body to create separation. He has a nice handle, moves with a purpose to get to his scoring spots and isn’t afraid of trying to draw contact, which helps him get to the free-throw line frequently. Thomas can operate out of ball screens, but he doesn’t necessarily need a screen and is effective in isolation. He also moves well without the ball, using screens to free himself. He doesn’t have the prettiest jumper, but he shoots it well, making 38.5 percent of his 3s for his career. He’s even better off the bounce, knocking down 30 3s at a 42.9 percent clip this past season.
— C.J. Moore
Guard
In Portal
San Francisco
Ht: 7-0Wt: 240
Quality bigs seem to be the most expensive asset in the portal, and Tilly will likely draw lots of attention because of his size and advanced numbers. The second-team All-WCC center has solid per-game averages, but his advanced numbers pop. He had a 117.8 offensive rating and a high free-throw rate, drawing 4.7 fouls per 40 minutes. He’s a skilled big who can score in the post and step out to make a jumper — he made 17 3s in ‘24-25. And most promisingly, he had some of his best games against Santa Clara’s best opponents: 17 points and eight boards against Saint Louis, 16 points against Stanford, 21 points against Bradley and 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting in an upset of Gonzaga. — C.J. Moore
Ht: 7-0Wt: 240
Quality bigs seem to be the most expensive asset in the portal, and Tilly will likely draw lots of attention because of his size and advanced numbers. The second-team All-WCC center has solid per-game averages, but his advanced numbers pop. He had a 117.8 offensive rating and a high free-throw rate, drawing 4.7 fouls per 40 minutes. He’s a skilled big who can score in the post and step out to make a jumper — he made 17 3s in ‘24-25. And most promisingly, he had some of his best games against Santa Clara’s best opponents: 17 points and eight boards against Saint Louis, 16 points against Stanford, 21 points against Bradley and 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting in an upset of Gonzaga. — C.J. Moore
Center
Committed
Santa Clara
Ohio State Buckeyes
Ht: 6-3 Wt: 180
Agbim is well-traveled; his next school will be his fourth in five years after three juco seasons and a season at Wyoming. He could be the best three-level scorer in the portal: He drilled 44 percent of his six 3s per game and has real juice in the open court to lead the break, fill lanes or space to the corners. His shot is smooth and translatable to any situation, and he plays off that threat well by getting into the midrange and finding pull-ups, which he hits at about 45 percent. Give him a ball screen, and he’ll snake his way into a good look. While he doesn’t get to the rim often in halfcourt settings, he makes those at a reasonable clip for a guard and has a nice little floater package. Essentially, Agbim is a professional scorer playing in college. He’ll need to play next to a bigger distributor and defender to find the most success. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-3 Wt: 180
Agbim is well-traveled; his next school will be his fourth in five years after three juco seasons and a season at Wyoming. He could be the best three-level scorer in the portal: He drilled 44 percent of his six 3s per game and has real juice in the open court to lead the break, fill lanes or space to the corners. His shot is smooth and translatable to any situation, and he plays off that threat well by getting into the midrange and finding pull-ups, which he hits at about 45 percent. Give him a ball screen, and he’ll snake his way into a good look. While he doesn’t get to the rim often in halfcourt settings, he makes those at a reasonable clip for a guard and has a nice little floater package. Essentially, Agbim is a professional scorer playing in college. He’ll need to play next to a bigger distributor and defender to find the most success. — Sam Vecenie
Guard
Committed
Wyoming
Baylor Bears
Ht: 6-3Wt: 180
Boyd is coming off an All-Mountain West season at San Diego State, where he defended at the point of attack and consistently made good decisions in an offensive structure that looked awfully archaic for long stretches. He’s not a wildly dynamic downhill driver, and he’s a good shooter (not a great one), but Boyd is extremely reliable and can be counted on to organize his team as a lead guard. I don’t know that I quite see him as an all-conference guy at the high-major level, but he can be a big part of a winning team as a starter in the right spot — as he proved when he was a starting guard as a sophomore during Florida Atlantic’s 2023 Final Four run. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-3Wt: 180
Boyd is coming off an All-Mountain West season at San Diego State, where he defended at the point of attack and consistently made good decisions in an offensive structure that looked awfully archaic for long stretches. He’s not a wildly dynamic downhill driver, and he’s a good shooter (not a great one), but Boyd is extremely reliable and can be counted on to organize his team as a lead guard. I don’t know that I quite see him as an all-conference guy at the high-major level, but he can be a big part of a winning team as a starter in the right spot — as he proved when he was a starting guard as a sophomore during Florida Atlantic’s 2023 Final Four run. — Sam Vecenie
Guard
Committed
San Diego St
Wisconsin Badgers
Ht: 6-6 Wt: 225
Watts really stepped up for Washington State after Cedric Coward went down for the season, showcasing real ability to pass and make plays for his teammates while also being efficient on offense. He came with coach David Riley from Eastern Washington and was clearly ready to play in the WCC. His 4.4 assists per game is one of the best marks for a wing in the class, even if he tends to turn the ball over too often. He picks his spots well as a scorer, though, shooting 54 percent from the field, and while he’s not a particularly voluminous 3-point shooter, he did shoot 42 percent from distance. I think a team that uses a variety of back-cuts and flex actions will probably be a good landing spot for Watts.
— Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-6 Wt: 225
Watts really stepped up for Washington State after Cedric Coward went down for the season, showcasing real ability to pass and make plays for his teammates while also being efficient on offense. He came with coach David Riley from Eastern Washington and was clearly ready to play in the WCC. His 4.4 assists per game is one of the best marks for a wing in the class, even if he tends to turn the ball over too often. He picks his spots well as a scorer, though, shooting 54 percent from the field, and while he’s not a particularly voluminous 3-point shooter, he did shoot 42 percent from distance. I think a team that uses a variety of back-cuts and flex actions will probably be a good landing spot for Watts.
— Sam Vecenie
Wing
Committed
Washington St
Texas Tech Red Raiders
Ht: 6-3Wt: 204
Johnson was both the MAC player of the year and defensive player of the year. His game is a combination of shimmy and power. He doesn’t have blow-by speed, but he has an assortment of dribble moves and can create separation once he puts his body on you. He does a good job drawing two defenders and finding the open man. Going up a level, he might struggle to get the same kind of shots he got in the MAC. He had to settle for a lot of mid-range jumpers against Arizona in the NCAA Tournament and went 1-of-9 from the field. Maybe if he’s not the primary scorer he will not feel the need to force those shots. Defensively, he also struggled some with Arizona’s speed, but he plays with a level of physicality that helps make up for a lack of foot quickness. He also plays bigger than 6-3, thanks to his body and length, which gives him some positional versatility.
— C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-3Wt: 204
Johnson was both the MAC player of the year and defensive player of the year. His game is a combination of shimmy and power. He doesn’t have blow-by speed, but he has an assortment of dribble moves and can create separation once he puts his body on you. He does a good job drawing two defenders and finding the open man. Going up a level, he might struggle to get the same kind of shots he got in the MAC. He had to settle for a lot of mid-range jumpers against Arizona in the NCAA Tournament and went 1-of-9 from the field. Maybe if he’s not the primary scorer he will not feel the need to force those shots. Defensively, he also struggled some with Arizona’s speed, but he plays with a level of physicality that helps make up for a lack of foot quickness. He also plays bigger than 6-3, thanks to his body and length, which gives him some positional versatility.
— C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-3Wt: 180
George, originally from Toronto, emerged from out of nowhere at the 2023 Peach Jam, signed that summer with Georgia Tech and has grown into one of the better point guards in the ACC. He has a slick handle and a high-level feel working out of ball screens. He can also shoot behind a screen — he made 36 of his 60 3s off the bounce, per Synergy — shimmy his way into the paint and score there, or find an open teammate. He’s one of the best passers in the portal. He has high turnover numbers (3.0 per game) and is susceptible to trying to make the home-run pass, but he has the vision, size and ability to make just about every pass. He’s not a great finisher at the basket, but in the right system with shooters around him and paired with a good pick-and-roll or pick-and-pop big, he would likely flourish. — C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-3Wt: 180
George, originally from Toronto, emerged from out of nowhere at the 2023 Peach Jam, signed that summer with Georgia Tech and has grown into one of the better point guards in the ACC. He has a slick handle and a high-level feel working out of ball screens. He can also shoot behind a screen — he made 36 of his 60 3s off the bounce, per Synergy — shimmy his way into the paint and score there, or find an open teammate. He’s one of the best passers in the portal. He has high turnover numbers (3.0 per game) and is susceptible to trying to make the home-run pass, but he has the vision, size and ability to make just about every pass. He’s not a great finisher at the basket, but in the right system with shooters around him and paired with a good pick-and-roll or pick-and-pop big, he would likely flourish. — C.J. Moore
Wing
Committed
Georgia Tech
Syracuse Orange
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 190
Donaldson was the starting point guard on a Sweet 16 Michigan team this year, where he displayed many of the positive and questionable attributes that he showed previously at Auburn. Donaldson is a terrific point-of-attack defender who can really set the tone, and his 11 points per game doubled his average at Auburn in the prior season. Having said that, he’s not necessarily the best initiator of offense, and the team often relied on Danny Wolf to get its paint touches. Still, Donaldson is absolutely a starting lead guard at the high-major level, and any team that needs one for a single season would do well to give him a call.
— Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 190
Donaldson was the starting point guard on a Sweet 16 Michigan team this year, where he displayed many of the positive and questionable attributes that he showed previously at Auburn. Donaldson is a terrific point-of-attack defender who can really set the tone, and his 11 points per game doubled his average at Auburn in the prior season. Having said that, he’s not necessarily the best initiator of offense, and the team often relied on Danny Wolf to get its paint touches. Still, Donaldson is absolutely a starting lead guard at the high-major level, and any team that needs one for a single season would do well to give him a call.
— Sam Vecenie
Guard
Committed
Michigan
Miami Hurricanes
Ht: 6-8 Wt: 235
Reneau, a former top-30 recruit, has a terrific mid-post game and sharp low-post footwork. He’s about as physical a player as you’ll find down there, always trying to hunt contact to create a bit of separation for him to score with his left hand. I worry that he’s a bit undersized to be a high-major center, but that’s where his game works best on offense, unless you have a big who can step out and shoot. A league like the ACC is probably the best bet for him. Two schools to watch: Georgia because Mike White originally recruited Reneau to Florida but lost him to Indiana when he took the Bulldogs’ head coaching job, and Miami because it’s Reneau’s hometown and the assistant who led his recruitment at Florida, Erik Pastrana, just joined the Hurricanes’ staff. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-8 Wt: 235
Reneau, a former top-30 recruit, has a terrific mid-post game and sharp low-post footwork. He’s about as physical a player as you’ll find down there, always trying to hunt contact to create a bit of separation for him to score with his left hand. I worry that he’s a bit undersized to be a high-major center, but that’s where his game works best on offense, unless you have a big who can step out and shoot. A league like the ACC is probably the best bet for him. Two schools to watch: Georgia because Mike White originally recruited Reneau to Florida but lost him to Indiana when he took the Bulldogs’ head coaching job, and Miami because it’s Reneau’s hometown and the assistant who led his recruitment at Florida, Erik Pastrana, just joined the Hurricanes’ staff. — Sam Vecenie
Forward
Committed
Indiana
Miami Hurricanes
Ht: 6-4 Wt: 205
A multi-time All-Conference USA selection, Wilkerson is one of the best shooters in the portal. He drilled 45 percent of his eight 3-point attempts per game this season, hitting them off of all sorts of different actions. He also does a good job of using the threat of his shot to get free and get occasional paint touches, although at the high-major level, I think he’ll probably be best attacking close-outs. Averaging 20 points per game in Conference USA is no joke, especially when you possess this skill set. For a team in need of a serious shooter, Wilkerson will be able to step in and drill shots from distance if put in the right situations. — C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-4 Wt: 205
A multi-time All-Conference USA selection, Wilkerson is one of the best shooters in the portal. He drilled 45 percent of his eight 3-point attempts per game this season, hitting them off of all sorts of different actions. He also does a good job of using the threat of his shot to get free and get occasional paint touches, although at the high-major level, I think he’ll probably be best attacking close-outs. Averaging 20 points per game in Conference USA is no joke, especially when you possess this skill set. For a team in need of a serious shooter, Wilkerson will be able to step in and drill shots from distance if put in the right situations. — C.J. Moore
Wing
Committed
Sam Houston
Indiana Hoosiers
Ht: 6-5Wt: 189
Aberdeen possesses a rare combination of speed and size. He has the potential to be a big-time scorer in the right situation. He’s averaged 15.6 points per 40 minutes on a stacked Florida team. He played mostly point guard for the Gators but is capable of playing any of the three spots on the perimeter because of his size. The jumper is solid — 35 percent from 3 this past year — and he can score at all three levels and is constantly getting paint touches. He can get there with power or speed. He’s a little turnover prone but not alarmingly so. He’ll likely be a starter wherever he lands and there’s upside for him to be a go-to scorer or just be a strong contributor on another stacked roster.
— C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-5Wt: 189
Aberdeen possesses a rare combination of speed and size. He has the potential to be a big-time scorer in the right situation. He’s averaged 15.6 points per 40 minutes on a stacked Florida team. He played mostly point guard for the Gators but is capable of playing any of the three spots on the perimeter because of his size. The jumper is solid — 35 percent from 3 this past year — and he can score at all three levels and is constantly getting paint touches. He can get there with power or speed. He’s a little turnover prone but not alarmingly so. He’ll likely be a starter wherever he lands and there’s upside for him to be a go-to scorer or just be a strong contributor on another stacked roster.
— C.J. Moore
Guard
Committed
Florida
Kentucky Wildcats
Ht: 6-0 Wt: 180
Pack will need to get a medical redshirt approved by the NCAA after he played in only nine games this season due to something of a mysterious ankle injury. If it gets approved, some team is going to get a lead guard with an immense amount of experience. He was a first-team All-Big 12 player at Kansas State before transferring to Miami (Fla.) in 2022-23, leading the Canes to a Final Four as a starting guard next to Isaiah Wong. He improved at the lead guard aspects of the position over his three seasons at Miami after being more of a scorer when he was younger. He’s undersized, so a team will need to be willing to work with him a bit on defense. But if he can spend another year in college, he will be in demand. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-0 Wt: 180
Pack will need to get a medical redshirt approved by the NCAA after he played in only nine games this season due to something of a mysterious ankle injury. If it gets approved, some team is going to get a lead guard with an immense amount of experience. He was a first-team All-Big 12 player at Kansas State before transferring to Miami (Fla.) in 2022-23, leading the Canes to a Final Four as a starting guard next to Isaiah Wong. He improved at the lead guard aspects of the position over his three seasons at Miami after being more of a scorer when he was younger. He’s undersized, so a team will need to be willing to work with him a bit on defense. But if he can spend another year in college, he will be in demand. — Sam Vecenie
Guard
Committed
Miami (Fla.)
Oklahoma Sooners
Ht: 6-9Wt: 220
The Horizon League Player of the Year, Folgueiras led Robert Morris to the NCAA Tournament and helped give Alabama just about all it could handle. At 6-foot-9, Folgueiras is an incredibly gifted, skilled mismatch four. The Spanish forward has great instincts across the court for playing off the ball, with timely cuts and sharp movements to find open 3s. He can pick-and-pop, and he posted his man well at the Horizon League level. His touch is terrific, and he can put the ball on the deck to finish, too. He’s also a sharp passer who sees the court well. So, what’s the issue? He’s just not all that explosive athletically. He’s a bit in-between positions defensively at the high-major level, too. But he’s active with his hands and knows where to be, averaging 1.3 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. I’m a big believer in him translating up levels and thriving at least as a high-level starter.
— Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-9Wt: 220
The Horizon League Player of the Year, Folgueiras led Robert Morris to the NCAA Tournament and helped give Alabama just about all it could handle. At 6-foot-9, Folgueiras is an incredibly gifted, skilled mismatch four. The Spanish forward has great instincts across the court for playing off the ball, with timely cuts and sharp movements to find open 3s. He can pick-and-pop, and he posted his man well at the Horizon League level. His touch is terrific, and he can put the ball on the deck to finish, too. He’s also a sharp passer who sees the court well. So, what’s the issue? He’s just not all that explosive athletically. He’s a bit in-between positions defensively at the high-major level, too. But he’s active with his hands and knows where to be, averaging 1.3 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. I’m a big believer in him translating up levels and thriving at least as a high-level starter.
— Sam Vecenie
Forward
Committed
Robert Morris
Iowa Hawkeyes
Ht: 6-5Wt: 190
An expected one-and-done, Bethea’s season didn’t go as planned. The former top-10 recruit showed great range beyond the 3-point line in both pull-up and catch-and-shoot situations. He’s also big enough to play both guard positions down the road, although this season I didn’t feel like his handle was quite strong enough to initiate the offense. It would help Bethea to keep getting stronger, but he’s also a willing defender, and there aren’t many big combo guards available. After Miami’s disastrous season and December coaching change, it might be as simple as getting Bethea into a competent situation that will allow him to grow. Some sharp high-major should still take a flyer on him. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-5Wt: 190
An expected one-and-done, Bethea’s season didn’t go as planned. The former top-10 recruit showed great range beyond the 3-point line in both pull-up and catch-and-shoot situations. He’s also big enough to play both guard positions down the road, although this season I didn’t feel like his handle was quite strong enough to initiate the offense. It would help Bethea to keep getting stronger, but he’s also a willing defender, and there aren’t many big combo guards available. After Miami’s disastrous season and December coaching change, it might be as simple as getting Bethea into a competent situation that will allow him to grow. Some sharp high-major should still take a flyer on him. — Sam Vecenie
Guard
Committed
Miami (Fla.)
Alabama Crimson Tide
Ht: 6-8 Wt: 240
Teams that love to play five-out, spacing-conscious basketball will prioritize Davidson in the portal. It’s hard to find bigs who can step away and fire, and Davidson can do just that. He hit 37 percent from 3 this past year and has a really nice inside-out game as a stretch four that should translate up levels. He’s very skilled as a passer, too. With one year left, he’s a good flyer for a creative offensive coach to take. But the players around him will need to be conscious defensively to get the most out of him. I think it’s reasonable to expect an impact similar to Kentucky’s Andrew Carr. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-8 Wt: 240
Teams that love to play five-out, spacing-conscious basketball will prioritize Davidson in the portal. It’s hard to find bigs who can step away and fire, and Davidson can do just that. He hit 37 percent from 3 this past year and has a really nice inside-out game as a stretch four that should translate up levels. He’s very skilled as a passer, too. With one year left, he’s a good flyer for a creative offensive coach to take. But the players around him will need to be conscious defensively to get the most out of him. I think it’s reasonable to expect an impact similar to Kentucky’s Andrew Carr. — Sam Vecenie
Forward
Committed
Nevada
Clemson Tigers
Ht: 6-5 Wt: 185
A superb athlete out of Los Angeles, Miller had a strong freshman season in the SEC, averaging nine points while shooting 45 percent from the field. He suffered an ankle injury against Ole Miss in mid-January, and his numbers fell off a cliff afterward as he tried to play through it. He’s going to try to poster you if you give him a runway on the interior. But beyond that, he also showed flashes of a three-level scoring game before the injury. I’d feel pretty good about taking a flier on him and seeing what he can bring in just about any high-major setting. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-5 Wt: 185
A superb athlete out of Los Angeles, Miller had a strong freshman season in the SEC, averaging nine points while shooting 45 percent from the field. He suffered an ankle injury against Ole Miss in mid-January, and his numbers fell off a cliff afterward as he tried to play through it. He’s going to try to poster you if you give him a runway on the interior. But beyond that, he also showed flashes of a three-level scoring game before the injury. I’d feel pretty good about taking a flier on him and seeing what he can bring in just about any high-major setting. — Sam Vecenie
Wing
Committed
LSU
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Ht: 6-1 Wt: 180
Isaacs was seemingly on his way to a monster year at Creighton before a hip injury ended his season after eight games. He averaged 15 points per game as a sophomore at Texas Tech before taking his exciting brand of basketball to Creighton. He scored 27 against Kansas, 25 against Texas A&M, 18 against a terrific San Diego State defense and 25 against Nebraska, so there’s some real big-game quality to his play. He seemed to be increasing his 3-point volume playing under Greg McDermott, which is a necessary part of his game because he struggles to finish inside due to his size. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-1 Wt: 180
Isaacs was seemingly on his way to a monster year at Creighton before a hip injury ended his season after eight games. He averaged 15 points per game as a sophomore at Texas Tech before taking his exciting brand of basketball to Creighton. He scored 27 against Kansas, 25 against Texas A&M, 18 against a terrific San Diego State defense and 25 against Nebraska, so there’s some real big-game quality to his play. He seemed to be increasing his 3-point volume playing under Greg McDermott, which is a necessary part of his game because he struggles to finish inside due to his size. — Sam Vecenie
Wing
Committed
Creighton
Houston Cougars
Ht: 6-7Wt: 185
Freeman is a Division II prospect from Lincoln Memorial in Tennessee, the former stomping grounds of current Saint Louis coach Josh Schertz. He’s twitchy and athletic and has the look of a real NBA prospect down the road. He has significant burst and hit around 40 percent of his 3s this season. He’s 6-7, and it’s hard to find players this big, skilled and athletic. So, where does he slot in as a transfer? He’s still quite skinny, and while he has a creative handle, it feels like it can get away from him a bit too often. Going to a place like Saint Louis would make the most sense. Play in an uptempo scheme that is conducive to your athleticism and continue to grow physically in a league that is a bit more forgiving than the highest of high-majors. Having said that, he’s a prospect worth investing in if you are a high-major program.
— Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-7Wt: 185
Freeman is a Division II prospect from Lincoln Memorial in Tennessee, the former stomping grounds of current Saint Louis coach Josh Schertz. He’s twitchy and athletic and has the look of a real NBA prospect down the road. He has significant burst and hit around 40 percent of his 3s this season. He’s 6-7, and it’s hard to find players this big, skilled and athletic. So, where does he slot in as a transfer? He’s still quite skinny, and while he has a creative handle, it feels like it can get away from him a bit too often. Going to a place like Saint Louis would make the most sense. Play in an uptempo scheme that is conducive to your athleticism and continue to grow physically in a league that is a bit more forgiving than the highest of high-majors. Having said that, he’s a prospect worth investing in if you are a high-major program.
— Sam Vecenie
Wing
Committed
Lincoln Mem.
Auburn Tigers
Ht: 6-9 Wt: 250
Payne was in and out of the starting lineup by the end of the season at Texas A&M, but he was the team’s most productive big man, averaging 10 points and five rebounds in 20 minutes per game. He’s a supreme athlete who started his career at Minnesota before transferring last season to A&M. Payne isn’t necessarily that skilled, but he’s strong and can really rim run as well as attack the offensive glass. You’d like to see his defensive rebounding improve given his relatively limited usage, but he’s definitely a starting-caliber center in college basketball. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-9 Wt: 250
Payne was in and out of the starting lineup by the end of the season at Texas A&M, but he was the team’s most productive big man, averaging 10 points and five rebounds in 20 minutes per game. He’s a supreme athlete who started his career at Minnesota before transferring last season to A&M. Payne isn’t necessarily that skilled, but he’s strong and can really rim run as well as attack the offensive glass. You’d like to see his defensive rebounding improve given his relatively limited usage, but he’s definitely a starting-caliber center in college basketball. — Sam Vecenie
Center
Committed
Texas A&M
Maryland Terrapins
Ht: 6-8 Wt: 210
The former five-star hasn’t shown much improvement through the years when it comes to his skill set, but he was a solid contributor right out of the gates at Texas and has continued to be a strong role player. He spent the last year at Cincinnati and put up almost identical numbers to his sophomore season, although his efficiency was at an all-time high, mainly because he shot 66.2 percent inside the arc. Mitchell is one of the bounciest bigs in the country and a good finisher at the rim. He can grab and go and also is comfortable making plays on the perimeter. Where he’s never shown much progress is his jumper. He can make the occasional perimeter shot — he shot 10 of 34 from 3 this year — but that’s never going to be a strength. He also isn’t good with his back-to-the-basket. But any plays where he’s a finisher — either in transition, rolling or cutting to the bucket — he excels. He’s also switchable on defense, and Cincinnati’s defense was significantly better with him on the floor. — C.J. Moore
“
Ht: 6-8 Wt: 210
The former five-star hasn’t shown much improvement through the years when it comes to his skill set, but he was a solid contributor right out of the gates at Texas and has continued to be a strong role player. He spent the last year at Cincinnati and put up almost identical numbers to his sophomore season, although his efficiency was at an all-time high, mainly because he shot 66.2 percent inside the arc. Mitchell is one of the bounciest bigs in the country and a good finisher at the rim. He can grab and go and also is comfortable making plays on the perimeter. Where he’s never shown much progress is his jumper. He can make the occasional perimeter shot — he shot 10 of 34 from 3 this year — but that’s never going to be a strength. He also isn’t good with his back-to-the-basket. But any plays where he’s a finisher — either in transition, rolling or cutting to the bucket — he excels. He’s also switchable on defense, and Cincinnati’s defense was significantly better with him on the floor. — C.J. Moore
“
Forward
Committed
Cincinnati
St. John’s Red Storm
Ht: 6-10Wt: 230
The Missouri Valley has a long history of successfully sending players to the high-major level. Expect Schwieger to be next in line. He largely played the five as a two-year starter at Valpo and projects best there athletically at the high-major level. He’s also improved his frame over the last year, which should allow him to find success against physical players. He has kind of a funky load into his shot but has made about 33 percent of his 3s in college on about three attempts per game. His footwork in ball screens as a roller or a pick-and-pop player is terrific, and he also can run dribble handoffs to roll, pop or reject and get all the way to the rim himself. Defensively, there will be some athletic concerns, but don’t sleep on his timing as a shot blocker: He swatted two shots per game to lead the Missouri Valley. —Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-10Wt: 230
The Missouri Valley has a long history of successfully sending players to the high-major level. Expect Schwieger to be next in line. He largely played the five as a two-year starter at Valpo and projects best there athletically at the high-major level. He’s also improved his frame over the last year, which should allow him to find success against physical players. He has kind of a funky load into his shot but has made about 33 percent of his 3s in college on about three attempts per game. His footwork in ball screens as a roller or a pick-and-pop player is terrific, and he also can run dribble handoffs to roll, pop or reject and get all the way to the rim himself. Defensively, there will be some athletic concerns, but don’t sleep on his timing as a shot blocker: He swatted two shots per game to lead the Missouri Valley. —Sam Vecenie
Forward
Committed
Valparaiso
Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Ht: 6-7Wt: 215
A big Italian wing who came to Evansville by way of the NBA Academy in Australia, Pozzato is more athletic than you’d expect and plays with authority when he decides to get to the rim. He’s a sharp cutter and mover without the ball and attacks close-outs at a high-level. If you let him get downhill in a straight line, it’s a rack attack. The key for Pozzato is the jumper. He only made 32 percent of his 3s last year despite taking six per game and possessing a fluid stroke that should translate to made shots in the future. He looks like a perfect option to play off of dynamic guards at the high-major level and not be as responsible for creating offense as he was at times this season. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-7Wt: 215
A big Italian wing who came to Evansville by way of the NBA Academy in Australia, Pozzato is more athletic than you’d expect and plays with authority when he decides to get to the rim. He’s a sharp cutter and mover without the ball and attacks close-outs at a high-level. If you let him get downhill in a straight line, it’s a rack attack. The key for Pozzato is the jumper. He only made 32 percent of his 3s last year despite taking six per game and possessing a fluid stroke that should translate to made shots in the future. He looks like a perfect option to play off of dynamic guards at the high-major level and not be as responsible for creating offense as he was at times this season. — Sam Vecenie
Wing
Committed
Evansville
Xavier Musketeers
Ht: 6-4Wt: 195
Dawson is a streaky shooter with a quick release. He’s a career 36.7 percent 3-point shooter on 5.3 attempts per game. Loyola Chicago ran him off a lot of screens, zoom actions and dribble-handoffs, where he could shoot behind or get to his mid-range or to the basket. He has good size for a shooting guard and should fit well at KU, where Bill Self has had success with big wings like him. He’ll be a good option spotting up away from the ball when Darryn Peterson works out of ball screens. He also has the athleticism, feel and defensive ability that should allow him a better chance at consistent playing time than some of the other wings Kansas has brought in lately.
— C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-4Wt: 195
Dawson is a streaky shooter with a quick release. He’s a career 36.7 percent 3-point shooter on 5.3 attempts per game. Loyola Chicago ran him off a lot of screens, zoom actions and dribble-handoffs, where he could shoot behind or get to his mid-range or to the basket. He has good size for a shooting guard and should fit well at KU, where Bill Self has had success with big wings like him. He’ll be a good option spotting up away from the ball when Darryn Peterson works out of ball screens. He also has the athleticism, feel and defensive ability that should allow him a better chance at consistent playing time than some of the other wings Kansas has brought in lately.
— C.J. Moore
Guard
Committed
Loyola Chicago
Kansas Jayhawks
Ht: 6-7 Wt: 210
White was up-and-down this season for Illinois, but he’s a proven starter at the high-major level after stops at USC, Louisville and with the Illini. You’d love for him to shoot it better, but he did a great job this season of cutting to the rim and picking his spots better on offense. Then on top of it, I thought White got back to being a much better defensive player at Illinois than what we’d previously seen at Louisville in that catastrophic Kenny Payne season. At 6-7 with athleticism and physicality, he could head just about anywhere that needs wing help and provide a boost.
— Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-7 Wt: 210
White was up-and-down this season for Illinois, but he’s a proven starter at the high-major level after stops at USC, Louisville and with the Illini. You’d love for him to shoot it better, but he did a great job this season of cutting to the rim and picking his spots better on offense. Then on top of it, I thought White got back to being a much better defensive player at Illinois than what we’d previously seen at Louisville in that catastrophic Kenny Payne season. At 6-7 with athleticism and physicality, he could head just about anywhere that needs wing help and provide a boost.
— Sam Vecenie
Wing
Committed
Illinois
Kansas Jayhawks
Ht: 6-3 Wt: 200
Mack came off the bench for UCLA this season after starting as a freshman in 2023-24. His scoring averaged dipped from 12.1 to 9.6 points per game, but his percentages went up as UCLA played a more team-based approach with a deeper roster. He can get to the foul line and get paint touches regularly but is much more of a scoring guard than a real point. He’ll be a starter this season wherever he ends up, but he will need to find a lineup with a bigger playmaker and ballhandler who is a good passer for his next team to reach its ceiling. — C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-3 Wt: 200
Mack came off the bench for UCLA this season after starting as a freshman in 2023-24. His scoring averaged dipped from 12.1 to 9.6 points per game, but his percentages went up as UCLA played a more team-based approach with a deeper roster. He can get to the foul line and get paint touches regularly but is much more of a scoring guard than a real point. He’ll be a starter this season wherever he ends up, but he will need to find a lineup with a bigger playmaker and ballhandler who is a good passer for his next team to reach its ceiling. — C.J. Moore
Guard
Committed
UCLA
Missouri Tigers
Ht: 6-1 Wt: 180
Rataj has a genuinely fascinating game that has prompted me to reach out to multiple coaches to get a read on where they stand on him. The German forward is a dynamic four man who can dribble, pass and shoot at 6-9. He was a serious mismatch nightmare at the WCC level this year for Oregon State, where his ability to use his frame and skill level made him an exceptionally difficult cover. He could just as easily shoot from 3, where he hit 35 percent, attack in a straight line from the 3-point line or post a smaller player. However, he’s not all that explosive, either, and that could get him into some trouble areas. He’s also quite active with his hands on defense and seems to have awesome hand-eye coordination. Rataj is a player who will fit best in a five-out offense that will give him room to operate. But fit will be important to his success. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-1 Wt: 180
Rataj has a genuinely fascinating game that has prompted me to reach out to multiple coaches to get a read on where they stand on him. The German forward is a dynamic four man who can dribble, pass and shoot at 6-9. He was a serious mismatch nightmare at the WCC level this year for Oregon State, where his ability to use his frame and skill level made him an exceptionally difficult cover. He could just as easily shoot from 3, where he hit 35 percent, attack in a straight line from the 3-point line or post a smaller player. However, he’s not all that explosive, either, and that could get him into some trouble areas. He’s also quite active with his hands on defense and seems to have awesome hand-eye coordination. Rataj is a player who will fit best in a five-out offense that will give him room to operate. But fit will be important to his success. — Sam Vecenie
Forward
Committed
Oregon State
Baylor Bears
Ht: 6-9 Wt: 190
Catchings was seen by NBA scouts as a potential one-and-done entering the season due to his size and shooting ability, but his frame was still underdeveloped and he was very raw. The Indiana native also decided at the last minute to decommit from Purdue, where his skill set would have worked very well in the team’s offensive scheme, and instead go to BYU. The theoretical fit was there — his game just wasn’t ready. He averaged seven points per game and hit 35 percent from 3, but by the end of the year, he was essentially out of the team’s rotation. Catchings is an upside swing. He’s a real athlete at 6-9 who can shoot, meaning there will be a lot of interest.
— Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-9 Wt: 190
Catchings was seen by NBA scouts as a potential one-and-done entering the season due to his size and shooting ability, but his frame was still underdeveloped and he was very raw. The Indiana native also decided at the last minute to decommit from Purdue, where his skill set would have worked very well in the team’s offensive scheme, and instead go to BYU. The theoretical fit was there — his game just wasn’t ready. He averaged seven points per game and hit 35 percent from 3, but by the end of the year, he was essentially out of the team’s rotation. Catchings is an upside swing. He’s a real athlete at 6-9 who can shoot, meaning there will be a lot of interest.
— Sam Vecenie
Wing
Committed
BYU
Georgia Bulldogs
Ht: 6-7 Wt: 220
After winning WAC Player of the Year and averaging 20.1 points per game in 2023-24, Grant-Foster was slowed by injuries and had some regression this past year. He did flash what he’s capable of in the NCAA Tournament, going for 23 points in a loss to Maryland. He is one of the twitchiest wings in the country. He has a playground game, capable of getting a shot just about anytime he wants. Now those aren’t always great shots, but his ability to elevate helps him always get it off. He shot only 23.2 percent from 3 this year and his efficiency really dipped. But at 6-7 with the ability to go off for 20-plus on any given night, he’s an intriguing option. — C.J. Moore
“
Ht: 6-7 Wt: 220
After winning WAC Player of the Year and averaging 20.1 points per game in 2023-24, Grant-Foster was slowed by injuries and had some regression this past year. He did flash what he’s capable of in the NCAA Tournament, going for 23 points in a loss to Maryland. He is one of the twitchiest wings in the country. He has a playground game, capable of getting a shot just about anytime he wants. Now those aren’t always great shots, but his ability to elevate helps him always get it off. He shot only 23.2 percent from 3 this year and his efficiency really dipped. But at 6-7 with the ability to go off for 20-plus on any given night, he’s an intriguing option. — C.J. Moore
“
Wing
In Portal
Grand Canyon
Ht: 7-2 Wt: 240
Ivisic is highly skilled but still hasn’t quite found the best way to shape his game to actually impact winning. He has flashy moments, such as his 27 points against Alabama or 25 against LSU, but it’s all very inconsistent, and it’s not an accident that his minutes decreased during Arkansas’ postseason run. He can dribble, pass and shoot, which is ridiculous at his size. But he’s extremely skinny, which allows him to be moved around a bit too easily. Defensively, his positioning and overall reactivity can be an adventure. Having said that, there is serious upside if the right coach can figure him out on defense. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 7-2 Wt: 240
Ivisic is highly skilled but still hasn’t quite found the best way to shape his game to actually impact winning. He has flashy moments, such as his 27 points against Alabama or 25 against LSU, but it’s all very inconsistent, and it’s not an accident that his minutes decreased during Arkansas’ postseason run. He can dribble, pass and shoot, which is ridiculous at his size. But he’s extremely skinny, which allows him to be moved around a bit too easily. Defensively, his positioning and overall reactivity can be an adventure. Having said that, there is serious upside if the right coach can figure him out on defense. — Sam Vecenie
Forward
Committed
Arkansas
Illinois Fighting Illini
Ht: 6-11Wt:270
The starting center and interior anchor on a top-10 defense this year, Jackson is a ready-made starting center at 6-11 and 270 pounds. He’s well-traveled, having gone from Washington State to Charlotte to Iowa State, and is still eligible after taking a medical redshirt at Washington State in 2021-22 to correct a genetic variation in his heart. There’s certainly some game-to-game inconsistency, and you would expect him to finish a bit better than he does at this size. He can be a bit of an adventure as a defensive rebounder, too, because his hands can be awkward and he’s not overly twitchy. But he’s a good screener, and he does a great job of creating driving lanes for his guards with seals. Defensively, he’s just a massive body on the interior who takes up space and contests. In a portal not exactly littered with huge humans, he can come in and start for a mid-tier high-major.
— Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-11Wt:270
The starting center and interior anchor on a top-10 defense this year, Jackson is a ready-made starting center at 6-11 and 270 pounds. He’s well-traveled, having gone from Washington State to Charlotte to Iowa State, and is still eligible after taking a medical redshirt at Washington State in 2021-22 to correct a genetic variation in his heart. There’s certainly some game-to-game inconsistency, and you would expect him to finish a bit better than he does at this size. He can be a bit of an adventure as a defensive rebounder, too, because his hands can be awkward and he’s not overly twitchy. But he’s a good screener, and he does a great job of creating driving lanes for his guards with seals. Defensively, he’s just a massive body on the interior who takes up space and contests. In a portal not exactly littered with huge humans, he can come in and start for a mid-tier high-major.
— Sam Vecenie
Center
Committed
Iowa State
Pittsburgh Panthers
Ht: 6-9 Wt: 205
Davis is at his best as an athletic slasher and cutter who finds his way to the rim either by driving in a straight line, waiting in the dunker spot or cutting. If you give him even a little bit of space, he’s going to get downhill in a hurry by using his long strides to find his way to the rim. He also does a great job of playing through contact, as he drew six foul shots per game this year. He’s continued to get better every year as a shooter, too and made 30 percent of his 3s this year. That’s the swing skill here. If Davis can’t shoot, he’s probably more of a role player at the high-major level on a great team. If he gets to work on the jumper over the summer and figures things out, then he has a chance to be a significant impact player given his length and athleticism at the four at around 6-9.
— Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-9 Wt: 205
Davis is at his best as an athletic slasher and cutter who finds his way to the rim either by driving in a straight line, waiting in the dunker spot or cutting. If you give him even a little bit of space, he’s going to get downhill in a hurry by using his long strides to find his way to the rim. He also does a great job of playing through contact, as he drew six foul shots per game this year. He’s continued to get better every year as a shooter, too and made 30 percent of his 3s this year. That’s the swing skill here. If Davis can’t shoot, he’s probably more of a role player at the high-major level on a great team. If he gets to work on the jumper over the summer and figures things out, then he has a chance to be a significant impact player given his length and athleticism at the four at around 6-9.
— Sam Vecenie
Forward
Committed
Notre Dame
Oklahoma Sooners
Ht: 6-8Wt: 240
Hansberry is the perfect five-out center in that he understands screening angles, can pass, can pop and make a 3, and he is excellent in dribble-handoff actions. He can also play as more of a traditional big-man role and score over both shoulders. He has excellent feel for the game and knows where to be on both ends. He’s also a good rebounder, knowing where to position himself and how to use his body. The shot looks good — he made 35 3s last year — but the percentage (29.2) wasn’t ideal. Maybe that’ll improve. Where Hansberry is limited is in his length and athleticism. He can sometimes struggle to finish around the basket against length, and he’s not a rim protector. He played center for West Virginia, and he is skilled enough to slide over to the four, although guarding more athletic fours could be an issue. But in the right system that utilizes his abilities as a hub on the perimeter, he’s a really effective player. — C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-8Wt: 240
Hansberry is the perfect five-out center in that he understands screening angles, can pass, can pop and make a 3, and he is excellent in dribble-handoff actions. He can also play as more of a traditional big-man role and score over both shoulders. He has excellent feel for the game and knows where to be on both ends. He’s also a good rebounder, knowing where to position himself and how to use his body. The shot looks good — he made 35 3s last year — but the percentage (29.2) wasn’t ideal. Maybe that’ll improve. Where Hansberry is limited is in his length and athleticism. He can sometimes struggle to finish around the basket against length, and he’s not a rim protector. He played center for West Virginia, and he is skilled enough to slide over to the four, although guarding more athletic fours could be an issue. But in the right system that utilizes his abilities as a hub on the perimeter, he’s a really effective player. — C.J. Moore
Forward
Committed
West Virginia
Virginia Tech Hokies
Ht: 6-10Wt: 230
Murphy has quick feet for a big man and is an effective player in the pick-and-roll, with a good feel for finding space. He also does a nice job around the basket finding little pockets where he can slip in and get the ball, and then he’s a good finisher inside about 10 feet. The ball comes off his hand with soft touch. He’s a good rebounder on both ends and is a switchable defender who provides solid rim protection. — C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-10Wt: 230
Murphy has quick feet for a big man and is an effective player in the pick-and-roll, with a good feel for finding space. He also does a nice job around the basket finding little pockets where he can slip in and get the ball, and then he’s a good finisher inside about 10 feet. The ball comes off his hand with soft touch. He’s a good rebounder on both ends and is a switchable defender who provides solid rim protection. — C.J. Moore
Forward
Committed
Mississippi State
Auburn Tigers
Ht: 6-3Wt: 186
Conerway plays with an edge and has the instincts to move up to the high-major level. The Sun Belt Player of the Year ranked third nationally in steals per game (2.9) and has quick hands. He’s a below-average shooter (29.2 percent from 3 in two years at Troy) and is at his best attacking the rim. He has blow-by speed and works well out of ball screens, then is fearless when he attacks the basket. He’d work well as more of a setup man who can be disruptive defensively, attack the paint on offense and be more picky with the jumpers he takes. If he’s willing to see his usage decrease, he’ll be a good fit just about anywhere.
— C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-3Wt: 186
Conerway plays with an edge and has the instincts to move up to the high-major level. The Sun Belt Player of the Year ranked third nationally in steals per game (2.9) and has quick hands. He’s a below-average shooter (29.2 percent from 3 in two years at Troy) and is at his best attacking the rim. He has blow-by speed and works well out of ball screens, then is fearless when he attacks the basket. He’d work well as more of a setup man who can be disruptive defensively, attack the paint on offense and be more picky with the jumpers he takes. If he’s willing to see his usage decrease, he’ll be a good fit just about anywhere.
— C.J. Moore
Guard
Committed
Troy
Indiana Hoosiers
Ht: 7-2Wt: 235
It’s easy to dream big with Thiam. He’s 7-2 with the ability to make 3s and is an elite shot blocker. The shooting would give me pause. It’s more potential than production right now. I’d have an issue with a guy who took 79 3s and shot only 29.1 percent on those attempts. If he ever becomes more consistent from 3, then he’s a real threat on pick-and-pops, but until that point he’s giving away too many possessions and is a bit too trigger happy. Defensively, he has to play in a deep drop in pick-and-roll and is pretty effective backpedaling and guarding his area. In isolation, he’s susceptible to biting on pump fakes, and once he bites, it’s hard to recover because he’s so big. But the effort is there and it’s really hard to score over him at the rim. He also finishes decently around the bucket for someone his size, but he has very little post-up game. So the progression on his jump shot could control his ceiling unless he starts to add more to his back-to-the-basket game.
— C.J. Moore
Ht: 7-2Wt: 235
It’s easy to dream big with Thiam. He’s 7-2 with the ability to make 3s and is an elite shot blocker. The shooting would give me pause. It’s more potential than production right now. I’d have an issue with a guy who took 79 3s and shot only 29.1 percent on those attempts. If he ever becomes more consistent from 3, then he’s a real threat on pick-and-pops, but until that point he’s giving away too many possessions and is a bit too trigger happy. Defensively, he has to play in a deep drop in pick-and-roll and is pretty effective backpedaling and guarding his area. In isolation, he’s susceptible to biting on pump fakes, and once he bites, it’s hard to recover because he’s so big. But the effort is there and it’s really hard to score over him at the rim. He also finishes decently around the bucket for someone his size, but he has very little post-up game. So the progression on his jump shot could control his ceiling unless he starts to add more to his back-to-the-basket game.
— C.J. Moore
Center
Committed
UCF
Cincinnati Bearcats
Ht: 6-1 Wt: 175
The SoCon Player of the Year this past season, Peterson led ETSU to a 12-6 league mark and morphed into a dominant player late in the year, averaging 21.9 points while shooting 45 percent from 3 in his final 12 games. He’s a fast, jittery lead guard who can be a high-volume 3-point shooter when he’s rolling. He’ll make shots off movement and tends to thrive most off the catch, drilling 46.5 percent of his catch-and-shoot 3s, per Synergy. But I don’t really think he’s a high-major lead guard, either. He’s best running off actions or relocating and finding open areas. However, he’s just a bit small for that role at the highest levels. You’ll need a big guard next to him who can help share ballhandling responsibilities. But Peterson is a good bet to be a good high-major scoring guard next year.
— Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-1 Wt: 175
The SoCon Player of the Year this past season, Peterson led ETSU to a 12-6 league mark and morphed into a dominant player late in the year, averaging 21.9 points while shooting 45 percent from 3 in his final 12 games. He’s a fast, jittery lead guard who can be a high-volume 3-point shooter when he’s rolling. He’ll make shots off movement and tends to thrive most off the catch, drilling 46.5 percent of his catch-and-shoot 3s, per Synergy. But I don’t really think he’s a high-major lead guard, either. He’s best running off actions or relocating and finding open areas. However, he’s just a bit small for that role at the highest levels. You’ll need a big guard next to him who can help share ballhandling responsibilities. But Peterson is a good bet to be a good high-major scoring guard next year.
— Sam Vecenie
Guard
Committed
ETSU
Washington Huskies
Ht: 6-8Wt: 220
The A-Sun Player of the Year is one of the best finishers from all three levels in the portal. He shot 40.2 percent from 3, 55.7 percent on non-rim 2s and 72.7 percent at the rim, per Synergy. He’s one of the most efficient post-up scorers in the country, scoring 1.299 points per possession there, per Synergy. Whenever he gets a switch, he knows to take them to the post. He sometimes struggles when he puts the ball on the floor against more athletic players and that could be a challenge in leveling up to the high-major level, but he still produced against high-major competition, averaging 17 points in three games against high-majors this year. — C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-8Wt: 220
The A-Sun Player of the Year is one of the best finishers from all three levels in the portal. He shot 40.2 percent from 3, 55.7 percent on non-rim 2s and 72.7 percent at the rim, per Synergy. He’s one of the most efficient post-up scorers in the country, scoring 1.299 points per possession there, per Synergy. Whenever he gets a switch, he knows to take them to the post. He sometimes struggles when he puts the ball on the floor against more athletic players and that could be a challenge in leveling up to the high-major level, but he still produced against high-major competition, averaging 17 points in three games against high-majors this year. — C.J. Moore
Forward
Committed
Lipscomb
Washington Huskies
Ht: 6-6Wt: 205
Arceneaux was coming off an ACL tear and wasn’t 100 percent until late in his sophomore season. He’s at his best working in the mid-range, but he can score at all three levels. He doesn’t have blow-by speed but is capable of driving a closeout. He has good lift on his jumper, so he doesn’t have any problem getting his shot off. He’s able to play either forward position and was the backup power forward for Houston. Defensively he’s been as well-schooled as you can get playing for Kelvin Sampson. While he wasn’t one of Houston’s best defenders, he was solid on that end. — C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-6Wt: 205
Arceneaux was coming off an ACL tear and wasn’t 100 percent until late in his sophomore season. He’s at his best working in the mid-range, but he can score at all three levels. He doesn’t have blow-by speed but is capable of driving a closeout. He has good lift on his jumper, so he doesn’t have any problem getting his shot off. He’s able to play either forward position and was the backup power forward for Houston. Defensively he’s been as well-schooled as you can get playing for Kelvin Sampson. While he wasn’t one of Houston’s best defenders, he was solid on that end. — C.J. Moore
Guard
Committed
Houston
North Carolina State Wolfpack
Ht: 6-6 Wt: 190
Eaglestaff is a volcano waiting to happen, a dynamic wing scorer who can fire the ball from distance as well as use the threat of that shot to score in other ways. This year alone, he dropped 40 on Alabama and had 51 points against South Dakota State in the conference tournament. He’s a ridiculously tough shot-maker when he’s on, but he also was tasked with taking some absolutely wild attempts for North Dakota this year. That ultimately dragged down his efficiency. The key for a high-major will be finding a role for Eaglestaff that allows him to take easier shots — which will be easier when pairing him with high-level shot creators. He’ll have one year at high-major to show what he’s capable of after playing for a pretty rough North Dakota team that he wasn’t able to elevate. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-6 Wt: 190
Eaglestaff is a volcano waiting to happen, a dynamic wing scorer who can fire the ball from distance as well as use the threat of that shot to score in other ways. This year alone, he dropped 40 on Alabama and had 51 points against South Dakota State in the conference tournament. He’s a ridiculously tough shot-maker when he’s on, but he also was tasked with taking some absolutely wild attempts for North Dakota this year. That ultimately dragged down his efficiency. The key for a high-major will be finding a role for Eaglestaff that allows him to take easier shots — which will be easier when pairing him with high-level shot creators. He’ll have one year at high-major to show what he’s capable of after playing for a pretty rough North Dakota team that he wasn’t able to elevate. — Sam Vecenie
Wing
Committed
North Dakota
West Virginia Mountaineers
Ht: 6-1 Wt: 185
Wilkinson was a fun surprise for Cal, finishing among the national scoring leaders for first-year players. He has a dynamic game off the bounce, with the ability to both drive and find pull-up options. But the decision making on some of his shots was often an adventure, and he’ll need to moderate that as he moves to a winning team. It can also be a struggle to place pure scoring guards roughly his size in the lineup, given how much they can give back on defense. Still, Cal was much better when Wilkinson was on the court because of his ability to beat his man, and that’ll provide value wherever he ends up. He’s from Georgia, so don’t be surprised to see him head back east. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-1 Wt: 185
Wilkinson was a fun surprise for Cal, finishing among the national scoring leaders for first-year players. He has a dynamic game off the bounce, with the ability to both drive and find pull-up options. But the decision making on some of his shots was often an adventure, and he’ll need to moderate that as he moves to a winning team. It can also be a struggle to place pure scoring guards roughly his size in the lineup, given how much they can give back on defense. Still, Cal was much better when Wilkinson was on the court because of his ability to beat his man, and that’ll provide value wherever he ends up. He’s from Georgia, so don’t be surprised to see him head back east. — Sam Vecenie
Guard
Committed
Cal
Georgia Bulldogs
Ht: 6-8 Wt: 225
This one is going to be complicated. Mgbako has shown moments of brilliance, and as a former five-star with long arms and shooting potential, he will have an awful lot of suitors. But, man, there is just an awful lot of bad tape, too, where he looks completely invisible on offense because the jump shot isn’t consistent enough yet and his defensive intensity wavers. Maybe it’s as simple as Mike Woodson not being able to get through to him, but the ‘24-25 Hoosiers were a better team when Mgbako was off the court, per CBB Analytics: They gave up nearly 10 points more per 100 possessions when he played (by far the worst of the nine players to play at least 300 minutes). If a change of scenery is all that was needed, a team could reap massive dividends — or it could come away disappointed. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-8 Wt: 225
This one is going to be complicated. Mgbako has shown moments of brilliance, and as a former five-star with long arms and shooting potential, he will have an awful lot of suitors. But, man, there is just an awful lot of bad tape, too, where he looks completely invisible on offense because the jump shot isn’t consistent enough yet and his defensive intensity wavers. Maybe it’s as simple as Mike Woodson not being able to get through to him, but the ‘24-25 Hoosiers were a better team when Mgbako was off the court, per CBB Analytics: They gave up nearly 10 points more per 100 possessions when he played (by far the worst of the nine players to play at least 300 minutes). If a change of scenery is all that was needed, a team could reap massive dividends — or it could come away disappointed. — Sam Vecenie
Wing
Committed
Indiana
Texas A&M Aggies
Ht: 6-3Wt: 185
Rice regressed at Indiana after averaging 14.8 points, 3.8 assists and 1.6 steals per game during an All-Pac 12 redshirt freshman year at Washington State. Indiana wasn’t an ideal setting for guards under Mike Woodson, so there’s some hope he can be closer to what he was as a freshman in a new setting. What Rice does best is get into the paint to either score for himself or set up a teammate. He finished better at Washington State than he did Indiana, and it’s possible the difference was the spacing. Headed to Maryland, he’s likely going to get an opportunity to be in a high-usage role more similar to what he experienced at Washington State. — C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-3Wt: 185
Rice regressed at Indiana after averaging 14.8 points, 3.8 assists and 1.6 steals per game during an All-Pac 12 redshirt freshman year at Washington State. Indiana wasn’t an ideal setting for guards under Mike Woodson, so there’s some hope he can be closer to what he was as a freshman in a new setting. What Rice does best is get into the paint to either score for himself or set up a teammate. He finished better at Washington State than he did Indiana, and it’s possible the difference was the spacing. Headed to Maryland, he’s likely going to get an opportunity to be in a high-usage role more similar to what he experienced at Washington State. — C.J. Moore
Guard
Committed
Indiana
Maryland Terrapins
Ht: 6-0Wt: 182
No surprise that Bucky McMillian wanted Lane: He went for 32 points and six assists in an overtime loss at Samford this past season. Lane is a score-first guard who is one of the quickest guards with the basketball in the country. His handle is tight and he can score at all three levels. He’s good off the catch, too, and shot an impressive 40.6 percent from 3 this season on five attempts per game. He’s short but I think he has the body and quickness to level up. He should fit well in McMillian’s up-tempo system. He has played well against high-majors the last two seasons, scoring 14 points against Auburn this past season and going for 19 points and 11 assists the year before at K-State. — C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-0Wt: 182
No surprise that Bucky McMillian wanted Lane: He went for 32 points and six assists in an overtime loss at Samford this past season. Lane is a score-first guard who is one of the quickest guards with the basketball in the country. His handle is tight and he can score at all three levels. He’s good off the catch, too, and shot an impressive 40.6 percent from 3 this season on five attempts per game. He’s short but I think he has the body and quickness to level up. He should fit well in McMillian’s up-tempo system. He has played well against high-majors the last two seasons, scoring 14 points against Auburn this past season and going for 19 points and 11 assists the year before at K-State. — C.J. Moore
Guard
Committed
North Alabama
Texas A&M Aggies
Ht: 6-11Wt: 215
The idea of what Stevenson could become is better than what he’s actually been through his first two years in school. For a guy his size, Stevenson moves well, can handle the ball and has a good looking stroke. He started the year cold shooting the ball but did perform better in SEC play, making 18 of his 43 3s, before cooling again in the postseason. He’s best making straight-line drives to the basket, attacking a closeout. His athleticism at 6-11 makes him a switchable defender. There could be an NBA player here if he can ever find a consistent jumper and play with a high motor, but the fact that he was a rotation player the last two years on really good Alabama teams suggest he’s a top-100 level transfer, especially considering the upside.
— C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-11Wt: 215
The idea of what Stevenson could become is better than what he’s actually been through his first two years in school. For a guy his size, Stevenson moves well, can handle the ball and has a good looking stroke. He started the year cold shooting the ball but did perform better in SEC play, making 18 of his 43 3s, before cooling again in the postseason. He’s best making straight-line drives to the basket, attacking a closeout. His athleticism at 6-11 makes him a switchable defender. There could be an NBA player here if he can ever find a consistent jumper and play with a high motor, but the fact that he was a rotation player the last two years on really good Alabama teams suggest he’s a top-100 level transfer, especially considering the upside.
— C.J. Moore
Forward
Committed
Alabama
North Carolina Tar Heels
Ht: 6-5Wt: 200
Overton is a smooth lefty with great positional size who can get buckets when he’s playing with confidence. His minutes fluctuated this past year at Texas Tech and there were times where it seemed like he had the yips, but he moves with fluidity and always seems to find a way to get to his left hand. He usually produced when he played a lot, scoring double figures in four of the five games in which he played 30-plus minutes, including 20 points in a Big 12 semis loss to Arizona. It’s pretty easy to imagine him becoming a consistent double-digit scorer for a high-major. — C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-5Wt: 200
Overton is a smooth lefty with great positional size who can get buckets when he’s playing with confidence. His minutes fluctuated this past year at Texas Tech and there were times where it seemed like he had the yips, but he moves with fluidity and always seems to find a way to get to his left hand. He usually produced when he played a lot, scoring double figures in four of the five games in which he played 30-plus minutes, including 20 points in a Big 12 semis loss to Arizona. It’s pretty easy to imagine him becoming a consistent double-digit scorer for a high-major. — C.J. Moore
Guard
Committed
Texas Tech
Auburn Tigers
Ht: 6-4 Wt: 200
Hall began the year in the starting lineup but wasn’t an ideal fit playing alongside Egor Demin, so the BYU staff decided to make him a super sub in the last two-thirds of the season. Having said that, Hall looks like he can be a high-major starting guard. He makes excellent decisions and consistently finds teammates in the right places. He averaged 4.2 assists with a three-to-one assist-to-turnover ratio in 2024-25, and while the shooting numbers aren’t amazing, he is at least capable from behind the arc when he gets an open look. Anyone looking for a genuine adult who makes good decisions at the lead guard spot should take a look at Hall as an interesting option. He might not be a true all-conference player, but he can help a good team. — Sam Vecenie
Ht: 6-4 Wt: 200
Hall began the year in the starting lineup but wasn’t an ideal fit playing alongside Egor Demin, so the BYU staff decided to make him a super sub in the last two-thirds of the season. Having said that, Hall looks like he can be a high-major starting guard. He makes excellent decisions and consistently finds teammates in the right places. He averaged 4.2 assists with a three-to-one assist-to-turnover ratio in 2024-25, and while the shooting numbers aren’t amazing, he is at least capable from behind the arc when he gets an open look. Anyone looking for a genuine adult who makes good decisions at the lead guard spot should take a look at Hall as an interesting option. He might not be a true all-conference player, but he can help a good team. — Sam Vecenie
Guard
Committed
BYU
Virginia Cavaliers
Ht: 6-2Wt: 185
Holloman is a strong defender and a streaky scorer. His play and his emotions can be a roller coaster, but you know he’s going to play with max effort and guard. He has elite speed but sometimes can over-penetrate and put up tough shots at the basket. His jumper is the streakiest part of his game, but he is a solid 35.6 percent from 3 for his career. This is a good get for NC State because Holloman is used to winning and can help set the standard for what it looks like to play hard. — C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-2Wt: 185
Holloman is a strong defender and a streaky scorer. His play and his emotions can be a roller coaster, but you know he’s going to play with max effort and guard. He has elite speed but sometimes can over-penetrate and put up tough shots at the basket. His jumper is the streakiest part of his game, but he is a solid 35.6 percent from 3 for his career. This is a good get for NC State because Holloman is used to winning and can help set the standard for what it looks like to play hard. — C.J. Moore
Guard
Committed
Michigan State
North Carolina State Wolfpack
Ht: 6-6Wt: 190
The WAC Defensive Player of the Year is a good shot blocker and can also get out and defend on the perimeter. Offensively, he’s the atypical stretch 5 in that he likes to pick-and-pop, but he also plays with a level of physicality. He’s comfortable putting the ball on the floor and is looking for contact when he does. He had a high free throw rate, and while he’s a 35.3 percent 3-point shooter, he shot only 64.6 percent at the free-throw line, a surprising drop after making 76.5 percent of his free throws as a freshman at UC Irvine. Welling is a good fit for Clemson in the mold of past bigs like PJ Hall and Ian Schieffelin, both skilled who also take pride in their defense. — C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-6Wt: 190
The WAC Defensive Player of the Year is a good shot blocker and can also get out and defend on the perimeter. Offensively, he’s the atypical stretch 5 in that he likes to pick-and-pop, but he also plays with a level of physicality. He’s comfortable putting the ball on the floor and is looking for contact when he does. He had a high free throw rate, and while he’s a 35.3 percent 3-point shooter, he shot only 64.6 percent at the free-throw line, a surprising drop after making 76.5 percent of his free throws as a freshman at UC Irvine. Welling is a good fit for Clemson in the mold of past bigs like PJ Hall and Ian Schieffelin, both skilled who also take pride in their defense. — C.J. Moore
Center
Committed
Utah Valley
Clemson Tigers
Ht: 6-4Wt: 180
Council has good size for a point guard and elite quickness. He can get by his man with a live dribble and finishes well with either hand around the basket. He’s also wiry strong. His weakness is his jump shot: It’s flat and not the smoothest release. He’s a career 28.3 percent shooter, but that didn’t stop him from taking 3.9 3s per game. On a team where he’s not the primary scorer, ideally his usage would go down some and he could focus on what he does well. From a speed/size/ability standpoint, he has the goods to be a high-major starter. — C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-4Wt: 180
Council has good size for a point guard and elite quickness. He can get by his man with a live dribble and finishes well with either hand around the basket. He’s also wiry strong. His weakness is his jump shot: It’s flat and not the smoothest release. He’s a career 28.3 percent shooter, but that didn’t stop him from taking 3.9 3s per game. On a team where he’s not the primary scorer, ideally his usage would go down some and he could focus on what he does well. From a speed/size/ability standpoint, he has the goods to be a high-major starter. — C.J. Moore
Guard
Committed
St. Bona
Kansas Jayhawks
Ht: 6-5Wt: 205
Colvin looks the part, but his production has yet to catch up. He’s an awesome athlete with a pretty jump shot. He hasn’t done much besides score in transition and on spot-ups, but he’s going to a program where Steve Forbes has been able to get a lot out of wings who haven’t yet maximized their potential. It’s easy to squint and see a potential star. — C.J. Moore
Ht: 6-5Wt: 205
Colvin looks the part, but his production has yet to catch up. He’s an awesome athlete with a pretty jump shot. He hasn’t done much besides score in transition and on spot-ups, but he’s going to a program where Steve Forbes has been able to get a lot out of wings who haven’t yet maximized their potential. It’s easy to squint and see a potential star. — C.J. Moore
Guard
Committed
Purdue
Wake Forest Demon Deacons
(Illustration: Will Tullos / The Athletic; Photos: Porter Binks, Jamie Squire, Zach Bolinger, Joe Robbins / Getty Images)