Ranking the Top Men’s Basketball Transfers Still in the Portal
More than 1,500 players have entered the transfer portal in men’s college basketball. And while the portal is open until May 11, additions have slowed down from the near-constant stream of new transfers coming in early April. Several high-profile players have signed with new schools already, but there are plenty of big names still on the board whose recruitments will have a big impact on the 2023–24 season.
Here’s a look at the top 20 transfers still available, with notes on how they’ll impact their new schools and intel on where they might be headed.
1. Hunter Dickinson (Michigan)
Dickinson’s departure from Michigan after a disappointing junior season that saw the Wolverines miss the NCAA tournament made sense and has created quite the high-stakes recruiting battle that features multiple bluebloods. Kansas and Kentucky have recently hosted the dominant post presence on visits, and he’s also reportedly considering Georgetown, Villanova and Maryland in what would represent homecomings for the Alexandria, Va., native. Dickinson’s game has its weaknesses, since he’s a more traditional big man who struggles to defend in space, but he’s still an elite college basketball player capable of carrying an offense as a post scorer. His looming decision will have a substantial impact on the the top of the national rankings in the preseason.
2. Max Abmas (Oral Roberts)
After a historic career at Oral Roberts that featured a Cinderella run to the Sweet 16 in 2021 and more than 2,500 points scored across his four years, Abmas is using his extra year of eligibility and is one of the highest-profile names available. The main suitors right now are Texas, where he’d be a star for a reloading roster and Kansas State, which can sell a similar role to the one Markquis Nowell thrived in. Following former Oral Roberts coach Paul Mills to Wichita State could also be an option. The Oral Roberts system offensively accentuated Abmas’s strengths in ways most others wouldn’t, but he’s still perhaps the most dynamic shot maker and creator available and should make a major impact.
3. Tylor Perry (North Texas)
Perry was heavily underrecruited out of high school, forced to attend junior college to boost his recruitment before two sparkling years as an upperclassman at North Texas brought on the heaviest hitters in the sport. While undersized, Perry is a special scorer, and his offensive numbers become even more impressive when considering that North Texas plays at one of the slowest paces in the nation. Florida, Kansas State, Texas Tech and Ole Miss are the schools he’s currently considering, and the Gators and Wildcats are perceived to be in the lead.
4. Tyrin Lawrence (Vanderbilt)
After averaging under four points per game in his first two seasons at Vanderbilt, Lawrence exploded in 2022–23, averaging 13.8 points on impressive efficiency to help lead the Commodores to a surprise NIT berth. He was even better down the stretch, averaging more than 16 points per game and shooting 47% from three in February and March. Expect him to be heavily recruited.
5. Tre White (USC)
White’s versatility would make him a nice pickup from the portal.
Kevin Jairaj/USA TODAY Sports
A relatively recent portal addition, White was a highly regarded recruit and a member of the Pac-12 All-Freshman team after averaging nine points and five rebounds per contest for the Trojans this season. He fits into the versatile wing/forward mold that is so heavily desired by coaches, and getting him for up to three seasons also increases his value to potential suitors. If White improves as a three-point shooter, he has star potential.
6. Jaylon Tyson (Texas Tech)
Tyson’s career has already been a bit of a whirlwind, originally committing to Chris Beard at Texas Tech before following the coach to Austin. Then, in the midst of a redshirt season, Tyson transferred to Texas Tech, where he averaged more than 10 points per game in 2022–23 before new Red Raiders coach Mark Adams stepped down amid allegations that he made racially insensitive comments. If Tyson can find a more stable home, he’s capable of being an all-conference wing thanks to his size and shooting ability.
7. Matthew Cleveland (Florida State)
Once thought to be a potential one-and-done, Cleveland hasn’t quite lived up the hype heaped upon him as a recruit but was still a productive two-year player in Tallahassee before hitting the portal this spring. He’s a big wing with an improving jump shot and significant versatility on the defensive end who profiles as a plus starter on an NCAA tournament team. Missouri, where former Florida State assistant Charlton Young currently works, made Cleveland’s cut list, as did Auburn and Miami.
8. Arterio Morris (Texas)
After wowing coaches and other evaluators on the AAU circuit, Morris struggled to stand out as a freshman in a crowded Texas backcourt. Still, that scoring upside is well within reach in the right situation, and Morris would have been a potential breakout candidate had he elected to stay at Texas in 2023–24. One potential mitigating factor: Morris is currently awaiting trial on misdemeanor assault charges from an incident with his girlfriend last summer.
9. Moussa Cissé (Memphis)
Not much has changed since Cissé’s last foray into the portal two years ago. He’s still a rather unpolished offensive player with little ability to impact the game on that end of the floor other than sitting in the dunker spot, but defensively is as elite as they come as a rim protector. Cissé’s eligibility is also an open question, given he’ll need to go through a waiver process as a second-time nongraduate transfer.
10. Simas Lukosius (Butler)
This is a good example of a transfer who’d fit into a wide variety of contexts. Lukosius is a bigger wing capable of making catch-and-shoot threes, handling the ball and making the right pass. He’s the type of connective tissue lots of teams are looking for to piece their roster together after offseason departures. Cincinnati, Oklahoma State and BYU seem to be in the lead here.
11. Daimion Collins (Kentucky)
A top-20 recruit in the country just two years ago, Collins could never parlay his explosive athleticism into consistent production in Lexington. Losing 15 pounds from his already-slender frame after the unexpected death of his father shortly before the 2022–23 season didn’t help matters. It’s still unclear how much of an offensive weapon Collins will become outside of as a rim runner and lob catcher, but Collins has a chance to make a considerable impact on the game defensively if he puts it all together.
12. Avery Anderson (Oklahoma State)
An athletic combo guard with sharp defensive instincts, Anderson was a strong fit for Mike Boynton’s system despite his shooting woes. His absence from the lineup was felt in a big way down the stretch this season, when Oklahoma State lost five straight late in the regular season to knock the Cowboys out of the NCAA tournament picture. He’s a plug-and-play rotation guy at a high-major.
13. Amaree Abram (Ole Miss)
Abram had a nice freshman season in Oxford, averaging eight points, two rebounds and two assists per game and scoring in double figures five times in SEC play. There’s also added value in landing a player like Abram, who has three years of eligibility given the NCAA’s more stringent requirements for second-time transfers to play right away. Getting a player you’ll likely have for three years is a luxury, and Abram is a clear rotation-level guard at the high-major level with upside to be more.
14. RaeQuan Battle (Montana State)
After struggling for two seasons at Washington, Battle found his stride under Danny Sprinkle at Montana State, averaging nearly 18 points per game this season to lead the Bobcats to the NCAA tournament. Now, Battle has his sights set on a move back to the high-major level for his final year of eligibility and has a long list of suitors, including some of the sport’s biggest programs. His 27-point outburst in the NCAA tournament against Kansas State is proof he can contribute at the highest level.
15. Sahvir Wheeler (Kentucky)
Wheeler is one of the most experienced players in the portal after his two years at Georgia and two and Kentucky.
Jordan Prather/USA TODAY Sports
Wheeler had a disappointing second season at Kentucky riddled with injuries, but he’s still a competent starting point guard at the high-major level despite standing just 5'10". He averaged more than 10 points and nearly seven assists per game for the Wildcats in 2021–22 and has 86 career starts in the SEC under his belt. He should provide a veteran presence at the point wherever he lands.
16. Hunter Sallis (Gonzaga)
Sallis has underwhelmed compared to his lofty recruiting pedigree, but he carved out a valuable role as a defense-first combo guard for Gonzaga this season and has further upside still to tap into. Sallis will likely always be best in transition offensively, but he’d pair well with a smaller scoring guard somewhere to help even things out on the defensive end. He visited Nebraska over the weekend and has heard from several high-profile programs.
17. RJ Luis (UMass)
Luis put together a strong first season at UMass before hitting the portal this spring. He averaged more than 11 points per game, with that tally climbing to nearly 15 per contest in A-10 play despite playing under 25 minutes per game. Luis is a lanky slashing guard whose game could really take off if he becomes a more consistent outside shooter. Louisville, Texas A&M and St. John’s are among his primary suitors.
18. Keshad Johnson (San Diego State)
Johnson was a starter in the national title game and a key four-year contributor for San Diego State but now is in the portal for a new home for his extra year of eligibility. While his offensive game never clicked the way some believed it could out of high school, he’s still an impact player defensively and on the glass. This could be the type of “glue guy” addition who wins a team a game or two next season.
19. Jamarion Sharp (Western Kentucky)
No player in the nation is taller than the 7'5" Sharp, who spent the last two seasons at Western Kentucky after starting his career in junior college. And while Sharp is limited offensively and incredibly slender, that incredible length does make him an impact rim protector. He averaged over four blocks per game in both seasons at Western Kentucky and had the highest block rate in the country, per KenPom.
20. Noah Thomasson (Niagara)
Thomasson is a high-scoring guard with impressive efficiency numbers who has caught the eye of high-major coaches after a strong season at Niagara in the MAAC. The 6'3" combo guard averaged more than 19 points per game on better than 48% shooting and shot more than 38% from three. He topped 20 points 17 times this season, including a 35-point outburst in March against crosstown rival Canisius. He has already visited Georgia and San Francisco, with trips to St. John’s, Penn State and Pittsburgh on the horizon.
