Portal drama! Plus, a legend retires
Texas Tech's had better weekends, but it'll be even more interesting to see what North Carolina does with this now available scholarship
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It’s May, which means some added clarity for the college basketball transfer portal, the NBA Playoffs get more interesting and I’m overdue for some yard work.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL’S PORTAL
Now the dust settles. A bit.
Sunday was the deadline to enter the portal and retain eligibility for the 2022-23 season, resulting in a flurry of news over the last three days. The transfer portal now has more than 1,650 players in it. I’ll highlight the biggest names here, but also point you to this comprehensive list from ESPN’s Jeff Borzello in case you’re looking for more details.
Let’s start with Terrence Shannon. Illinois can celebrate!
Shannon’s a definite boost to a program looking to rebuild without Kofi Cockburn. He’s a big guard who can defend and rebound, and his 3-point shooting has improved each year. I don’t think you want him as your go-to guy, but he’s solid player.
That said the real drama around Shannon was where he didn’t go. As a hint, Michigan big man Hunter Dickinson was irate. (At least for a little while on Twitter until he deleted the Tweets. But people always have screenshots.)
For more details, watch this video from the guys from The Sleepers Podcast, who brought in a Texas Tech beat writer to explain the story.
If you didn’t listen, you missed that Texas Tech’s best all-around player last year, Kevin McCullar, entered the portal. Like Shannon, he’s a big guard who can handle the ball (he was the Red Raiders’ de-facto point guard) and is a capable scorer, though a little streaky.
More important is that McCullar’s already down to two schools (though he’s aiming to stay in the NBA Draft): Kansas and Gonzaga. Both schools would greatly benefit from McCullar’s size and defense and he’d certainly get an more NBA prep at either school.1
Also of note, on Thursday night Isaiah Wong wanted a better NIL deal from Miami. By Friday night, that changed. He passed on entering the portal.
Perhaps the low-key significant news of the last three days was North Carolina guard Kerwin Walton entering the portal. Not that he’s a significant loss for the Heels, but it opens up a scholarship. Expect coach Hubert Davis to snag an impact transfer in the next few months to help ease the loss to Brady Manek and solidify the preseason No. 1 hype.
More new faces, new places:
Gonzaga grabbed ex-LSU center Efton Reid. The 7-foot freshman was a 5-star recruit but didn’t play a ton of minutes last season.
Texas Tech did have some good news the last few days: Fardaws Aimaq, who averaged a double-double for Utah State last season, will play in Lubbock next season.
David Jones will play for St. John’s next season, adding another impact transfer with Andre Curbelo.
Frank Anselem, a 6-10 sophomore who was a highly efficient scorer and started six games for Syracuse, is off to Georgia.
John-Michael Wright, a sharpshooter from High Point, is headed to Oklahoma State.
Players in the portal, but yet to commit:
Matthew Mayer is in the portal, but is reportedly focused on staying in the NBA Draft. He’s been at Baylor four years and has been essential the last two. A return would be a huge lift to the Bears.
South Dakota State’s Baylor Scheierman is deciding among five schools: Arkansas, Clemson, Creighton, Duke and Nebraska. Kansas and Kentucky did not make his final choices.
Keion Brooks started all 33 games for Kentucky last season and averaged 10.0 ppg. He’ll be a solid addition for any team as a rangy, athletic forward.
Jamarion Sharp, all 7-feet-5 of him, averaged 4.6 blocks a game last year for Western Kentucky. He’s in the portal.
Teddy Allen has played for West Virginia, redshirted at Wichita State, got back on the court at Western Nebraska CC, then at Nebraska and blossomed as a redshirt junior at New Mexico State, averaged 20 and 7 a game. He’s looking for a sixth school.2
Keyontae Johnson hasn’t played at Florida in two years due to a heart issue. He’s looking elsewhere.
THE COACHING CAROUSEL
Hear from the new hires
The Field of 68 rolled out a new series on Monday — Off The Carousel. They’ll interview some of the recently hired coaches from this spring, starting with Xavier’s Sean Miller. As the news cycle slows, this’ll make for a nice regular feature.
On that note, Fairleigh Dickinson tabbed Tobin Anderson as its new coach. They had just fired Greg Herenda amid cutbacks. Here’s some Tobin trivia for you. Wonder if we’ll see a rematch?
C. VIVIAN STRINGER RETIRES
End of an Era
It’s the spring for legends to retire. Legendary Rutgers women’s basketball coach C. Vivian Stringer announced she’s retiring (it’s official on Sept. 1) after more than 50 years on the sideline.
Stringer led three different programs to the Final Four — the first to do so — has won more games than all but five other women’s coaches, was the women’s coach of the year in 1993 and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009. Like I said, legend.
Stringer, 74, started her coaching career in 1972 at Cheyney State, spent 12 years there, then another 12 at Iowa until her move to Rutgers in 1995 where the Scarlet Knights were among the game’s premier programs for nearly a decade, including a runner-up finish in 2007.3
“This was the hardest decision of my life, but I thank God he has allowed me to do the thing I love most,” Stringer said. “I am ready to start my new journey and spending more time with my family, children and grandchildren. I am truly blessed to have had so many wonderful people in my life.”
The Fast Break
More links and news as you try to shake off inflation fatigue
Jett Howard (Juwan’s son) was the MVP of the Iverson Classic, a high school all-star game played over the weekend in Memphis. He also got some words of advice from A.I.
LSU’s replenishing that depleted roster under new coach Matt McMahon. Tyrel Ward, the No. 26 overall prospect in 2022, will be in Baton Rouge.
Cincinnati snagged an impact 2023 recruit in Rayvon Griffith. He picked the Bearcats over Kansas, UCLA, Ohio State and Alabama.
A 105.5 mph fastball? From a college kid?
We spend a TON of time with co-workers. Not as much as we do alone, but still. Fun chart.
If Kansas retains Christian Braun and Jalen Wilson, McCullar’s headed to Gonzaga. But if just Wilson returns to Lawrence, McCullar as a Jayhawk makes more sense.
Just last season, Jalen Coleman-Lands (Illinois, DePaul, Iowa State, Kansas) and Charlie Moore (Cal, Kansas, DePaul, Miami), wrapped their playing careers on a fourth school. One won a national title, the other went to the Elite Eight. Find your fit!
Candace Parker and Tennessee stopped Rutgers from winning it all.