College Basketball: Top Guards In The Transfer Portal

The transfer portal has become even more active as each year passes by. This offseason has brought a record-breaking number of transfers. A lot of this has to do with NIL and the kind of opportunities players have at other schools. There are a ton of very talented players in the portal this off-season.

Let’s dive into the best guards in the transfer portal.

Bennett Stirtz | Iowa Hawkeyes

Mar 20, 2025; Wichita, KS, USA; Drake Bulldogs guard Bennett Stirtz (14) dribbles against Missouri Tigers guard T.O. Barrett (5) in the second half of a first round men’s NCAA Tournament game at Intrust Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Tre. Smith-Imagn Images | Nick Tre. Smith-Imagn Images

One of the most underrated mid-major prospects this past season was Bennett Stirtz who played for the Drake Bulldogs. Before playing at Drake, he played at the Division II level for a couple of seasons. He elected to follow his head coach, Ben McCollum, to Drake and is continuing to do so as coach McCollum will be coaching the Iowa Hawkeyes this upcoming season.

McCollum is an Iowa native, so this is probably a dream scenario for him. Stirtz is extremely gifted with the ball in his hands. He’s a great playmaker at 6-foot-4. He does great at creating efficient offense for teammates while also being a three-level scorer.

He has been the offensive engine his entire career for McCollum and will likely continue that trend at Iowa. Stirtz had some scouts seeing him as a first-round talent in the 2025 NBA Draft. With him now playing in the Big Ten, we should see his name pop up a lot more on mainstream draft boards.

Xaivian Lee | Florida Gators

Dec 21, 2024; Newark, New Jersey, USA; Princeton Tigers guard Xaivian Lee (1) dribbles the ball against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during the second half at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Tom Horak-Imagn Images | Tom Horak-Imagn Images

The 6-foot-4 point guard out of the Ivy League will be taking his talents to the SEC this upcoming season. Xaivian Lee has seen his name on draft boards quite frequently these past two seasons, but was always seen as a second-round pick on mainstream draft boards.

Making the jump to a more competitive conference could be great for his stock. Lee is a very shifty ball-handler who can create space off the dribble effortlessly. He’s a good shot-maker who averaged 17 points per game in his past two seasons. Lee is also a very good playmaker with the ability to create for teammates.

He’s especially good out of the pick and roll, where he can punish bigs that play drop coverage but also has the ability to make the correct passing read when needed. Lee is a very talented point guard who should be a great replacement for Walter Clayton Jr. He will have a lot of eyes on him as the Florida Gators look to win back-to-back championships.

Robert Wright III | BYU Cougars

Mar 23, 2025; Raleigh, NC, USA; Baylor Bears guard Robert Wright III (1) reacts after a basket during the first half against the Duke Blue Devils in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

The 6-foot-1 freshman who started in over half of his games this past season for the Baylor Bears has elected to take his talents to BYU, where he will be playing next to the potential number one overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, AJ Dybantsa. Robert Wright III is used to playing next to elite talent.

He won the Chipotle National Championship in high school, his senior year, with Cooper Flagg and Montverde Academy. This past season, he played next to VJ Edgecombe, who’s a projected top-five pick. Now he will be playing next to Dybantsa. Wright is a very speedy lead guard who puts a ton of pressure on the rim and is a walking paint touch. He utilizes his paint touches well as he’s able to create open shots for teammates, and he excels at making the advanced read.

In the open floor he’s a blue so playing next to an elite athlete like Dybantsa will be exciting to watch when they’re running in transition. If Wright can continue to improve as a shot-maker, then that will help take his game to the next level. With BYU losing Egor Demin to the NBA Draft, Wright is a great replacement.

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