Which college basketball teams have the best transfer portal haul this spring?
Cody Nagel
Action in the college basketball transfer portal has slowed down significantly in recent weeks as the list of available prospects dwindles. Arkansas and Indiana still sit at the top of the transfer portal team rankings for this cycle, but there was some movement in the updated top 25. So,which college basketball teams have the best transfer portal hauls heading into the final week of May?
Both Cincinnati and Louisville positioned themselves in the updated top 25 transfer portal team rankings with recent commitments. The Cardinals and new head coach Pat Kelsey have 12 (!!) incoming transfers already locked in this spring as they build a roster from scratch. The Bearcats secured one of the best available transfer prospects remaining last week to make their big move in the rankings.
Some teamsare forced torecruit through the transfer portal more than others as they undergo a massive roster overhaul.
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Below is a look at the latest top 25 college basketball transfer portal team rankings as ofThursday (May 23) at9:25 a.m. ET:
25. TCU Horned Frogs — 26.24
24.Louisville Cardinals—26.62
23. Cincinnati Bearcats — 26.77
22. NC State Wolfpack—27.15
21.Georgetown Hoyas—27.15
Louisville has the largest incoming class of transfers at this point in the spring with 12 (!!) newcomers locked in. New head coach Pat Kelsey and the Cardinals went to work right away in rebuilding the roster. Half of the transfer haul rates as four-stars with former James Madison combo guard Terrence Edwards Jr. and former Wisconsin standout Chucky Hepburn headlining the group. Three transfers from Charleston followed Kelsey to Louisville. There is still a pair of incoming transfers forthe Cardinals that are not yet rated.
20. Kansas State Wildcats— 27.36
19. Duke Blue Devils — 27.39
18. Baylor Bears — 27.61
17. USC Trojans — 28.22
16. Texas Longhorns — 28.40
Duke joined in on the conversation for a top-25 transfer portal class earlier this month and now sits at four newcomers from this cycle. Former Tulane shooting guard Sion James became the highest-rated of theincoming transfers alongside former Syracuse power forward Maliq Brown and former Purdue small forward Mason Gillis. All rank as top-100 individual transfers and give the Blue Devils three experienced contributors to add to its top-ranked incoming freshmen class. Head coach Jon Scheyer and Co. also secured Rice transfer Cameron Sheffield last week. The veteran is not yet rated as a transfer.
15. Illinois Fighting Illini — 28.64
Transfer portal commits:5
Illinois lost seven of its top nine scorers from a squad that advanced all the way to the Elite Eight this past season. So, replenishing the roster with transfers is a must for head coach Brad Underwood. The process seems to be a success up to this point with the spring window now closed and the Fighting Illini securing five newcomers.Former Arizona point guard and top-40 overall transferKylan Boswellheadlines the group that also includes former Notre Dame power forwardCarey Boothas another top-100 transfer player in this cycle. All but one of the incoming transfers for Illinois rate as four-stars.
14. Ohio State Buckeyes — 28.88
Transfer portal commits:4
Ohio State has two former McDonald's All-Americans locked into its incoming transfer class with Duke power forwardSean Stewartand Kentucky big manAaron Bradshawen route to Columbus. New head coach Jake Diebler put together a strong haul from the portal, which also includes former Ohio State shooting guardMeechie Johnson, who returns to the Buckeyes after two seasons at South Carolina. Former San Diego State veteran guard Micah Parrish should provide Ohio State with added experience as a fifth-year senior.The Buckeyes built momentum after a mid-season coaching change and looks to keep that rolling into the 2024-25 campaign.
13. Ole Miss Rebels — 29.28
Transfer portal commits:5
Ole Miss got on a hot streak early in the transfer portal window with a handful of commitments before landing the headliner of its haul in May. Former Virginia Tech point guardSean Pedullawill spend his final year of eligibility in Oxford coming off a career-best season in which he averaged 16.4 points per game.Four of the five incoming transfers for head coach Chris Beard and the Rebels rank among the top-150 in the latest update. Former Seton Hall small forwardDre Davisprovides another veteran presence for Ole Miss with more than 1,100 career points while shooting 47% from the field.
12. Missouri Tigers — 29.66
Transfer portal commits:4
After matching its lowest single-season win total (8) in almost 60 years and going winless against SEC opponents, Missouri is in desperate need of upgrades to its roster ahead of the 2024-25 campaign. The Tigers already have aquartetof four-star transfers committed, including former Duke power forwardMark Mitchelland Iowa veteran point guardTony Perkins. Two mid-major transfers are also set to join Missouri for next season with former Northern Kentucky shooting guard Marques Warrick and UT Martin small forward Jacob Crews locked in. Third-year head coach Dennis Gates also secured a top-15 high school recruiting class that could help Missouri get things turned around after a dismal season.
11. Memphis Tigers — 30.09
Transfer portal commits:7
Penny Hardaway faces added pressure to take the next step at Memphis in 2024-25. He reached at least 20 wins in each ofthe six seasons as the head coach at his alma mater, but the Tigers have yet to advance to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament. An influx of talent from the transfer portal could help Memphis hit another gear with former Texas point guardTyrese Hunterand former Tulsa shooting guardPJ Haggertymolding a strong pairing in the backcourt.A familiar face in former five-star big man Moussa Cisse returns to Memphis where he started his college career. He reconnects with former Oklahoma State teammate Tyreek Smith in the talented transfer class for the Tigers.
10. UCLA Bruins — 30.24
Transfer portal commits:6
After finishing the season with a losing record for the first time in eight years, head coach Mick Cronin and UCLA went to work in the transfer portal to secure several prized commitments. The most notable newcomer is former USC small forwardKobe Johnson, who opted to make the crosstown move to the rival Bruins. A new point guard is also en route to UCLA with former Louisville standoutSkyy Clarkbeing the first of six transfer additions since the start of the cycle. The Bruins also landed a trio of power forwards for size —Tyler Bilodeau(Oregon State),Eric Dailey(Oklahoma State) andWilliam Kyle(South Dakota State). A major reload class of transfers — five of which rate as four-stars — needs to mesh early as UCLA transitions to the Big Ten.
9. Michigan Wolverines — 30.27
Transfer portal commits:6
New Michigan head coach Dusty May did not shy away from expectations of winning early in Ann Arbor. A top-10 transfer portal haul should help the Wolverines in those efforts as they begin a new era. Michigan made a major push in recent weeks with a wave of incoming transfers headlined by two of the best big men in the portal this cycle. Former Yale standoutDanny Wolfwas the first to jointhe haul before former Florida Atlantic 7-foot-1 centerVladislav Goldindecided to followhis head coach to Michigan.The Wolverines also landed a trio of transfers with high-major experience including former Ohio State shooting guardRoddy Gayle Jr.and Auburn point guardTre Donaldson.
8. Washington Huskies — 30.41
Transfer portal commits:8
Washington made a big move up the transfer portal team rankings when it landed the best available prospect last weekin former Utah State center Great Osobor. The 6-foot-8, 250-pound big man reportedly got a sizable NIL opportunity with upwards of $2 million to follow his head coach to the Huskies. Osobor gets much of the attention as the headliner of the Washington transfer haul, but it also includes two other four-stars in former Butler combo guard D.J. Davis and former Rice shooting guard Mekhi Mason. It is worth noting that three of the incoming transfers for the Huskies are not yet rated, but the Huskies already have a quartet of four-star transfers locked in.
7. Alabama Crimson Tide — 30.56
Transfer portal commits:4
Alabama hit big in the transfer portal to help its efforts in reaching the Final Four for the first time in program history this past season. The Crimson Tide look to repeat that formula of success heading into the 2024-25 campaign with four incoming transfers up to this point. Head coach Nate Oats and Co. secured one of the best transfer centers of the cycle in former Rutgers big manClifford Omoruyi. The 6-foot-11, 240-pound veteranaveraged 10.4 points,8.3 rebounds and2.9 blocks per game this past season. He joins an Alabama transfer class that already features three standout guards, including former Auburn freshman Aden Holloway.
6. Kansas Jayhawks — 31.03
Transfer portal commits:4
Kansas was positioned inside the top five of the transfer portal team rankings before losing one of its commits earlier in May. The Kansas backcourt is still loaded withfour incoming transfers now locked in, includingformer Wisconsin standoutAJ Storr, who ranks as the No. 4 overall transfer prospect of the cycle. A two-time transfer, Storr led the Badgers with 16.8 points per game this past season. Former Alabama sophom*oreRylan Griffenplayed a key role in the run to the Final Fourand joins a veteran Kansas squad looking to regain control of the Big 12 in 2024-25. The Jayhawks already replaced the loss of a transfer portal commit by landing former Rice point guard Noah Shelby last week.
5. Kentucky Wildcats — 31.20
Transfer portal commits:8
Kentucky was red-hot in the transfer portal as the window for entries closed in early May. New head coach Mark Pope and the Wildcatssit at eight incoming transfers — all of which but one rate as four-stars — as they piece together a roster for the 2024-25 season. No college basketball program has more four-star transfers this cycle than Kentucky. Former McDonald's All-AmericanBrandon Garrisonheadlines the haul as a6-foot-11, 245-pound big man that flashed as a true freshman at Oklahoma State last season. Former San Diego State point guardLamont Butler Jr.and former Oklahoma wingOtega Owehalso rankas top-50 transferadditions for the Wildcats. The start of the new era in Lexington is promising and another big newcomer could be on the way soon.
4. West Virginia Mountaineers — 31.28
Transfer portal commits:7
New head coach Darian DeVries quietly has West Virginia in the top 5 of the transfer portal team rankingsafter securing two top-10 prospects of the cycle. The Mountaineers are the only Division I team to do so.Javon Smallranks as one of the top transfer point guards in the cycle and will remain in the Big 12 for the 2024-25 season after one year at Oklahoma State.West Virginia immediately landeda top early transfer inTucker DeVries,the son of the new head man in Morgantown and Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year. The Mountaineers could be settingthemselves up to see immediate success in a new era with a strong incoming transfer class that continues to grow and ranks as the best in the Big 12.
3. St. John's Red Storm — 31.65
Transfer portal commits:4
St. John's made two huge moves in the portal since the beginning of May to climb up the transfer team rankings.Head coach Rick Pitino and theRed Storm landed the No. 1 overall transfer prospect in former Seton Hall point guardKadary Richmondjust one day after it secured former Utah point guardDeivon Smith. Those additions vaulted St. John's into the top 5 of the transfer team rankings.Richmond earned First Team All-Big East honors last season while averaging 10.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. Smith ranked sixth nationally among all Division I players with 7.1 assists per game.
2. Indiana Hoosiers — 32.69
Transfer portal commits:5
Indiana secured some much-needed help for head coach Mike Woodson as he enters a crucial 2024-25 season. The Hoosiers grabbed the No. 2 overall transfer portal prospect of the cycle in former Arizona big manOumar Balloas the key addition, butfour otherincoming transfers are positioned inside the top-150 individual rankings. While Ballo provides a huge presence inside for the Hoosiers, the addition of three talented guards fortifies the roster. Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and former Washington State combo guardMyles Ricejoins fellow standout freshman and Stanford transferKanaan Carlyleen route to Bloomington. Indiana also secured atalented low-major transfer from Bellarmine inforward Langdon Hatton.
1. Arkansas Razorbacks — 32.73
Transfer portal commits:4
Arkansas continues tositon top of the transfer portal team rankings with new head coach John Calipari piecing together an entirely freshroster for the 2024-25 season.The Razorbacks havefour incoming transfers locked in with two of those followingCalipari from Kentucky —Zvonimir IvisicandAdou Thiero. But the obvious headliner for the Arkansas haul is former Florida Atlanticstar guardJohnell Davis, who ranks as the No. 3 overall transfer in the cycle. The Razorbacks still have a lot of work to do to fill out a rosternext season and more additional transfers could be on the way soon.
