Evaluating Maryland Men's Basketball's Transfer Portal Needs
In this story:
With the NCAA National Championship matchup set, and the transfer portal waiting to officially open right after, time is running short for Maryland men's basketball to put together a list of potential targets.
Second-year head coach Buzz Williams already has some of the key pieces of his roster in place, thanks to guys he brought with him from Texas A&M last offseason.
Freshman standout Andre Mills and fellow former four-star George Turkson Jr. stated that they are returning to College Park, and big man Pharrel Payne will be joining them if his medical hardship waiver is approved by the NCAA.
(For now, we won't assume the worst-case where that waiver is denied.)
The Terps also have five-star small forward Baba Oladotun locked in as part of a promising freshmen Class of 2026. Combo guard Kaden House, power forward Adama Tambedou, and small forward Austin Brown are coming to College Park as well.
Meanwhile, these Maryland players have yet to announce their intentions for next season:
- Daruis Adams
- Myles Rice
- Isaiah Watts
- Guillermo Del Pino
- Aleks Alston
- Jaziah Harper (redshirted)
- Nick Blake (redshirted)
- Rakease Passmore (redhsirted - injury)
With Mills, Payne, and Oladotun locks for the starting lineup, the Terps are left with openings at point guard and power forward. They could also use some outside shooting and depth all around, with as many as eight roster spots to fill.
It's a lengthy shopping order, but there are some intriguing options for Coach Williams to pitch.
While not a comprehensive list, here are a few top targets to consider:
Maryland native Malik Mack would not have to go far to join the Terps. During his second year with Georgetown, Mack shot 38.1% from the field and averaged 13.6 points, 4.1 assists, and 3.0 rebounds per game.
The man quite literally has the Maryland "M" tattooed on his left arm, and with only one more opportunity to chase a trip to the NCAA Tournament, why not do it for his childhood team?
Devin Vanterpool, another Maryland native, is also a prime target. Vanterpool averaged 15.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists for FAU while shooting a 43.8% clip. He carries two years of eligibility and would be a strong second option at the two.
Matt Gilhool is a potential long-term option for either the four or the five. The former No. 1 rated PA prospect redshirted for LSU last season and still carries all four years of eligibility. He was pursued by Maryland beforehand (albeit by Kevin Willard's staff) and should have some time to develop behind Payne while getting decent minutes.
If Williams wants to try to replicate David Coit's success as an undersized guard, he can look at Toledo transfer Sonny Wilson. The Michigan man averaged 17.0 points, shot 49% from the field, and had a career-best 29 points during the Rockets trip to then-No. 9 Michigan State.
Alternatively, he could stay in-state with Towson's Tyler Tejada. The 6'9" rising senior can play forward and guard, and he recently put on a show with consecutive 30-point performances at the CAA Tournament in D.C.
Finally, Pitt is losing Brandin Cummings and Roman
Siulepa, who both averaged double figures while shooting over 40%.
More from Maryland On SI
Stay up to date with the Terrapins by bookmarking Maryland On SI and follow us on Twitter.
Mike joined Maryland On SI with over four years of sportswriting experience. He started off his career in Syracuse on the Orange football beat, where he was featured on CBS Sports' Cover 3 Podcast and local ESPN sports talk radio. After that, he had a brief stint reporting on Major League Baseball before returning to college sports.
Follow MOstrowski_