Basketball Transfer Portal '25

[zykarious]

Im guessing a chance at getting some more NIL money by winning a couple games in the Crown tournament has kept some of our guys out of the portal for now. Does that stop an agent from shopping them quietly before they enter the portal?

Any player who's any good is getting shopped before they enter the portal (or even if they don't enter the portal). Chad has said top guys know where they are going before they enter the portal. Entering without a destination lined up (or at least a few good options) is generally for guys who want to get out of the program for one reason or another (I.E. coaching change, lack of playing time, bad team chemistry). Quietly shopping also retains the possibility of returning if the options out there aren't to a guys liking.

All signs are that Wes has built up great rapport with all the players. Each player likely had one-on-one meetings last week, where Wes outlined what he envisioned next season would look like for them: their role, minutes and NIL money. Now guys are probably quietly shopping to see if they can find a significant upgrade elsewhere in one or more of those categories.

[sedz]

Here's who we've contacted so far based on what I can find when I'm not busy these days

Jayden Reid USF 5'10 PG
0.2 BPM on the season but 4.2 BPM in 8 top 100 games. 37% from three but 41% from two (only 45% at the rim). High assist and steal rates but high turnover rate too.

Brit Harris SC Upstate 6'4 SG
Discussed earlier.

Seth Hubbard Toledo 6'4 SG
Negative 3.6 BPM.

Zarique Nutter Georgia State 6'7 G/F
Negative 0.9 BPM. Gets to the rim a lot but isn't good at anything else.

Jamichael Stillwell Milwaukee 6'8 PF/C
0.6 BPM on the season, 3.6 BPM in 3 top 100 games. Excellent rebounder, high usage but inefficient scorer. Poor defense with no shot blocking.

Jacari White NDSU 6'3 SG
Discussed earlier.

Cam McDowell Northwest OK St. 6'6 SG
Discussed earlier.

Stillwell is the only guy here who I would even think about unless we're looking at a total rebuild.

[zykarious]

I've never heard anything about their being a interfering rule associated with with the portal so I don't know if its possible that a player who's mind is made up to enter the portal can negotiate and even make a deal with another coach while still playing for his old team as far as the current season takes them. If that is possible maybe some of these kids already have deals made just waiting for seasons end.

There is an interference rule, coaches can't talk directly to players. Agents however can talk to whoever they want and every player worth anything has an agent.

[zykarious]

Not unless some of the guards are leaving, I really do not understand Miller's thinking here with all of the guards.

However, Stillwell is listed as a power forward on Milwaukee's roster at 6'8" 225. I like him at the 4. He is too small for the 5. Here are his numbers for this season: 13 points/g; 10 rebounds/g; shot 46.8% and 28.6% from three. Here is the bad news: he only shot 56% from the free throw line and he turned the ball over about 2 times a game. Also, he is not a shot blocker. There is always an adjustment when a player goes from a lower league to a higher league. Will those number translate to the BIG XII?

Sedz, what is this guy's BPM? Thanks.

I think it's safe to assume one of Jizzle or Day Day won't stay, not enough minutes to go around at PG and we want an upgrade at SG. Even if they both stay and Jizzle moves to SG, we'll still want a backup PG. So we're likely in the market for a cheap backup PG who can push Tillery for minutes.

[sedz]

Not unless some of the guards are leaving, I really do not understand Miller's thinking here with all of the guards.

However, Stillwell is listed as a power forward on Milwaukee's roster at 6'8" 225. I like him at the 4. He is too small for the 5. Here are his numbers for this season: 13 points/g; 10 rebounds/g; shot 46.8% and 28.6% from three. Here is the bad news: he only shot 56% from the free throw line and he turned the ball over about 2 times a game. Also, he is not a shot blocker. There is always an adjustment when a player goes from a lower league to a higher league. Will those number translate to the BIG XII?

Sedz, what is this guy's BPM? Thanks.

I agree with your assessment. 0.6 BPM isn't good. But he's such a good rebounder and comfortable with the ball (highest usage on his team with a league average turnover rate) that I think he could be a serviceable backup in the Big12. His lone P4 game was at UCF where he put up 14 points and 12 rebounds for 3.4 net points. Not bad.

[Lobot]

A rebounder just entered the portal. Quincy Ballard at Wichita State. 7’0 Center averaging close to a double double

[sedz]

I'd say there are 8 players in the portal right now who are great rebounders (9% OReb rate) and good overall (4+ BPM):
Oscar Cluff, South Dakota St
Alvaro Folgueiras, Robert Morris
Quincy Ballard, Wichita St
Owen Freeman, Iowa
Dishon Jackson, Iowa St
Kimani Hamilton, High Point
Amani Hansberry, West Virginia
Luke Bamgboye, VCU

[leeraymond]

I'd say there are 8 players in the portal right now who are great rebounders (9% OReb rate) and good overall (4+ BPM):
Oscar Cluff, South Dakota St
Alvaro Folgueiras, Robert Morris
Quincy Ballard, Wichita St
Owen Freeman, Iowa
Dishon Jackson, Iowa St
Kimani Hamilton, High Point
Amani Hansberry, West Virginia
Luke Bamgboye, VCU

Isn't this something. All of a sudden, all of these big men are available. I am surprised that Dishon Jackson is in the portal. He was starting on a top 15 team: Iowa State. I wonder why he is unhappy.

[leeraymond]

A rebounder just entered the portal. Quincy Ballard at Wichita State. 7’0 Center averaging close to a double double

Hey Labot, did UC recruit Ballard at one time?

[sedz]

Isn't this something. All of a sudden, all of these big men are available. I am surprised that Dishon Jackson is in the portal. He was starting on a top 15 team: Iowa State. I wonder why he is unhappy.

Not a very big list really. All of these guys will be in demand. And it drops off pretty fast. Gabe Dynes has the 25th highest BPM among good rebounders. By the time you get to #38 you're down to negative BPM. Every team in the country would like to have a good rebounder. More will join the portal over the next few weeks, but it's not like there's a huge pool of bigs that want to come here.

[red_n_black_attack]

I'd say there are 8 players in the portal right now who are great rebounders (9% OReb rate) and good overall (4+ BPM):
Oscar Cluff, South Dakota St
Alvaro Folgueiras, Robert Morris
Quincy Ballard, Wichita St
Owen Freeman, Iowa
Dishon Jackson, Iowa St
Kimani Hamilton, High Point
Amani Hansberry, West Virginia
Luke Bamgboye, VCU

With the WVU coaching change, I'd go hard after Hansberry. I know he's likely to end up at IU, but he's young, and already realizing his potential. I don't yet know much about the others, even Jackson from Iowa St.

[leo from jersey]

Isn't this something. All of a sudden, all of these big men are available. I am surprised that Dishon Jackson is in the portal. He was starting on a top 15 team: Iowa State. I wonder why he is unhappy.

maybe just money hungry. There is a premium on Bigs.

[sedz]

I'd say there are 8 players in the portal right now who are great rebounders (9% OReb rate) and good overall (4+ BPM):
Oscar Cluff, South Dakota St
Alvaro Folgueiras, Robert Morris
Quincy Ballard, Wichita St
Owen Freeman, Iowa
Dishon Jackson, Iowa St
Kimani Hamilton, High Point
Amani Hansberry, West Virginia
Luke Bamgboye, VCU

One more to add this morning:

Khamari McGriff, UNC Wilmington

[John P]

The only surprising thing to me so far is that no UC players have entered the portal yet. I think it's coming, but it does seem to be another indicator that Wes is really good at building relationships with guys. He just needs to figure out how to translate that into winning in the Big 12.

I've been thinking that same thing but if an agent can see what kind of interest a player may generate before entering, I guess it would make sense to actually wait.
I hope Reed, Thomas and James stick around.

[Carthage World]

Hey Labot, did UC recruit Ballard at one time?

Yes. Brannen recruited him as a late bloomer high schooler out of Syracuse.

He hardly saw the court during his first two seasons at Florida St but appears to have developed into a competent big at Wichita.