All time Xavier Transfers

[Muskeagle]

Obviously, inspired by discussion on the Nate Johnson thread. I'm trying to create a list of the players that have transferred to Xavier and had an impact. Putting them into the categories of undergrad and grad transfers...because that seems like a substantial difference. I know I will forget/overlook a ton...remind me, and I'll edit the list to try to make it comprehensive. This list goes back to the early 80s. I'll fix my mistakes.

On a personal level, Kimbrough was great. Crawford fantastic for his year. Taylor had a good year. Mclean had a good year...so many were really valuable. One of my personal favorites was Torraye Braggs and what he brought to the table. BUT, if I had to pick one?...3 years of Lavender--the human press break.

Undergrad transfers:

Joe Gromada
Jerry Foley
Mike Plunkett
Steve Penhorwood
Jon Hanley
Garry Whitfield
Dale Haarman
Steve Spivery
Jim Douglas
Paul Jones
Steve Wolf
Stan Kimbrough
Chris Mack
Jeff Massey (I think)
JD Barnett
Dave Minor
Steve Gentry?
Pete Sears
Kevin Carr
Torraye Braggs
Marcus Mason
Desmond Walker? Played one year...his JR year.
Anthony Myles
Brian Thornton
Khalil Nixon
Andrew Taylor
Drew Lavender
Jamel McLean
CJ Anderson
Jordan Crawford
Obi Harris
Charles Bronson
Travis Taylor
Matt Stainbrook (anyone realize he drove an Uber while at X?)
Isaiah Philmore
Rashid Gaston
Remy Abell
Adam Kunkel
Ben Stanley


Grad Transfers:

Andre Walker
Ryan Welage
Malcolm Bernard
Karem Kanter
Jason Carter
Nate Johnson
Bryan Griffin
Bryce Moore
Kyle Castlin
Zach Hankins

[drudy23]

Wasn't Tu a transfer? Didn't he start out at Indiana or did he never make it to campus?

If so, he's #1.

EDIT - yes he was a de-commit.

[markchal]

I thought Tu was a decommit after Indiana changed coaches. Crawford would probably be my No. 1.

[Muskeagle]

He played all 4 years at Xavier. I think he "signed" at IU, but backed out before he ever went. Not sure of that...and not sure if he counts as a transfer. I agree...I'd probably put him over Lavender if he qualified. But definitely top 3

[GoMuskies]

Jeff Massey would be very high on my list. Probably #1 until Crawford arrived. Perhaps #2 to Lavender.

[Xavier]

Kanter was a recent transfer who had some good ability. Same boat as others- Crawford probably #1 transfer

[drudy23]

Damn, that's a good list. ALOT of impact players on that list. Here's my top 5 impact transfers:

1. Lavender - floor leader of arguably our best team ever
2. Crawford - close #2 for me
3. Anthony Myles
4. Braggs - I wish we could clone him every year
5. Kimbrough

Honorable Mention:
1. StainTrain
2. Jeff Massey

[Muskeagle]

Damn, that's a good list. ALOT of impact players on that list. Here's my top 5 impact transfers:

1. Lavender - floor leader of arguably our best team ever
2. Crawford - close #2 for me
3. Anthony Miles
4. Braggs
5. Kimbrough

Honorable Mention:
1. StainTrain
2. Jeff Massey

Damn, Drudy, that's probably almost exactly how I'd rank them...although for personal preference I'd probably switch Myles and Braggs.

[paulxu]

Hanky McSpanky was a lot of fun to watch.

[AviatorX]

Stainbrook has a special place in my heart because the fact that he ended up being so good definitely helped Xavier avoid a very very dark stretch.

IMO Jordan Crawford is probably the most talented player to ever play for X. Kind of guy who you see at Duke/UK from day one usually. IU would have done some serious damage under Kelvin if it didn’t blow up (recognize 2008 Xavier destroyed the Eric Gordon team).

[whopper]

by dropping Kanter and 12 ppg 5 reb and (most important) the ability to make his own shot and space the floor gave X the number one seed as he fit flawlessly between Sean and Tyrique. I dont go back that far(recognize the names as a fan). The only X game on my DVR is senior day 2019 when Hankins Welage, Castlin scored the last 19 pts to break the game v St johns open with flawless ball movement and ball protection and spacing. Remember that game gave us a first round bye, no Naj so was like winning 2 gamees. If only we saw a little more of that in 18-19 we would have made the torunament but a big investment in Q, Harden, Naj at 40 min a game made that impossible.

[xucub]

Torrayye Braggs was a baaaad mother (watch your language).

[joe titan]

Jerry Foley needs to be on the list as does Steve Wolf.

[Muskeagle]

Jerry Foley needs to be on the list as does Steve Wolf.

Foley was in the early 70s (I didn't go back that far, but will add him). He had 3 years of Xavier stats (when freshmen weren't allowed to play). Was he a transfer?

Added Steve Wolf.

Forgot Kanter...I'll add him.

[XU 87]

How could we forget about Obi Harris for this list? And where is Marcus Mason, who played 5 minutes at the end of the game on senior night, and fouled out?

And one more- Charles Bronson (the player, not the actor).

[Muskeagle]

How could we forget about Obi Harris for this list? And where is Marcus Mason, who played 5 minutes at the end of the game on senior night, and fouled out?

And one more- Charles Bronson (the player, not the actor).

Hard to believe I forgot those guys!

[Muskeagle]

How could we forget about Obi Harris for this list? And where is Marcus Mason, who played 5 minutes at the end of the game on senior night, and fouled out?

And one more- Charles Bronson (the player, not the actor).


If you had to guess....which of those guys had the highest single season scoring average at X?






That's right....Charles Bronson at 2.1 pts! Obi had 1.7 and .7, and Mason .7. Good finds!!!

[XUGRAD80]

Brian Thornton was the real deal until he got hurt.

Jerry Foley was a transfer from Ohio St. His brother was an all American tackle for the suckeyes. His other younger brother was an all American tackle for ND. All of them went to Roger Bacon HS in Cincinnati.

[MHettel]

Khalil Nixon? wasn't that a guy?

btw, I don't really count guys that played JuCo. They exhausted their 2 years of eligibility at that level and simply them move up to D1.

Also, didn't Lavendar play 2 years? Not 3.

[Muskeagle]

Good pull on Nixon.

Nixon and Foley added.

fair point on the JUCOs...but for this exercise, I'm not parsing that particular hair--just a list of guys that came into Xavier mid career.

As for Lavender...yep....two years at Oklahoma and two at X...good catch.

[noteggs]

Andrew Taylor?

[XU 87]

From the Tay Baker era- Garry Whitfield and Dale Haarman. And Steve Spivery.

Bob Staak era- Paul Jones.

[chico]

And Steve Spivery.


My only memory of Schimdt Fieldhouse was as a kid being there for a game and seeing Spivery save a ball going out of bounds by jumping, and with his back to the court, throwing the ball under his legs back inbounds. As an 11 year old I didn't think something like that was possible.

[MHettel]

Khalil Nixon? wasn't that a guy?

btw, I don't really count guys that played JuCo. They exhausted their 2 years of eligibility at that level and simply them move up to D1.

Also, didn't Lavendar play 2 years? Not 3.

Nixon came in and then left pretty quickly. Back in the day (20+ yrs ago) I recall hearing that the other players gave him the nickname of "the terminator." As in when they passed him the ball, the offense terminated.

[94GRAD]

My favorite is Kevin Carr!

[mid major]

I can't believe Samford transfer Jim Douglas has been completely overlooked.

[Muskeagle]

Douglas, Carr, Jones, Spivery, Haarman, and Whitfield...added to the list.

[SkyWalker]

Where did Steve Spivery transfer from? I played against him in the old PHSL and I beleive he committed to X from Hughes in '75.

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/steve-spivery-1.html

[MHettel]

Let me add some "metrics" to those "memories" of 2 incredibly underrated XU Transfers.

Keep in mind that these are CAREER stats at XU, and these guys didn't play for 4 full years so their stats are not weighted down with the growing pains that a freshman or Sophomore might have...

Kanter
#2 out of 59 former players for Shot attempts per minute.
#8 out of 80 for FG%
#2 out of 80 for 2 PT FG%
#9 out of 59 for FTA per minute
#16 out of 55 for OREB per minute
#3 out of 55 for DREB per minute
#1 out of 59 in POINTS PER MINUTE

AND, Kanter did all of this with Trevon and JP on the team.

Thornton
#2 of 80 for FG%
#3 of 80 for 2 PT FG%
#1 of 59 for FTA per Minute
#10 of 55 for OREB per Minute
#14 of 55 for DREB per Minute
#3 of 59 for Blocks per Minute
#3 of 59 for POINTS PER MINUTE

I think Thornton might be the all time most underrated Muskie. His injury as a senior derailed what could have been a solid ending to the season.

[muskiefan82]

Plus, Kanter completely blew UC out of the water and he will forever be looked at favorably by me for that alone.

[boozehound]

Let me add some "metrics" to those "memories" of 2 incredibly underrated XU Transfers.

Keep in mind that these are CAREER stats at XU, and these guys didn't play for 4 full years so their stats are not weighted down with the growing pains that a freshman or Sophomore might have...

Kanter
#2 out of 59 former players for Shot attempts per minute.
#8 out of 80 for FG%
#2 out of 80 for 2 PT FG%
#9 out of 59 for FTA per minute
#16 out of 55 for OREB per minute
#3 out of 55 for DREB per minute
#1 out of 59 in POINTS PER MINUTE

AND, Kanter did all of this with Trevon and JP on the team.

Thornton
#2 of 80 for FG%
#3 of 80 for 2 PT FG%
#1 of 59 for FTA per Minute
#10 of 55 for OREB per Minute
#14 of 55 for DREB per Minute
#3 of 59 for Blocks per Minute
#3 of 59 for POINTS PER MINUTE

I think Thornton might be the all time most underrated Muskie. His injury as a senior derailed what could have been a solid ending to the season.

I kind of forgot what a key part of the team Kanter was.

[drudy23]

Not to mention that Cronin went off that Kanter went off, not realizing he was one of the most efficient offensive players X had. Owned as usual.

[xukeith]

Kanter was a pleasant surprise.

Thinking of all these names of the past, wasn't a Sutherland kid a frosh but neither showed up or left very early?

[GoMuskies]

Richie Sutherland? He showed up but left before the season started. A skinnier Brien Hanley (who managed to be our highest rated recruit and yet play on a winless intramurals team).

[XU 87]

Not to mention that Cronin went off that Kanter went off, not realizing he was one of the most efficient offensive players X had. Owned as usual.

Another example, and there many, of Mick Cronin’s stupidity and lack of class when talking to the media.

[xukeith]

Ah yes. I met Hanley as I was his RA. He left around November or December to play football (at Louisville??)

[76Retired]

Mike Plunkett

[GoMuskies]

Ah yes. I met Hanley as I was his RA. He left around November or December to play football (at Louisville??)

He went to a JUCO and ended up as left tackle for a couple of fantastic Kansas State teams. I'm not sure if he ever bothered going to a class at Xavier.

[Muskeagle]

Mike Plunkett

Transfer? I'll add him. Saw that he played three years at X in the early 70s. Did he transfer in?

[76Retired]

I think it was an SEC school. Also Steve Penhorwood transferred from Kentucky. Not sure if you want to add Jon Hanley from a JC in California. Didn’t last long.

[Muskeagle]

Added.

[Final4]

Joe Gromada

[noteggs]

Andrew Taylor transferred to X from Hillsdale

[MHettel]

After looking through the entire list, I've confirmed that my favorite all time XU transfer was Justin Martin.

[whopper]

I kind of forgot what a key part of the team Kanter was.

I thought that by the end of 2018 Kanter was the most effective offensive center in the country(arguably). He made his own shot, spread the floor,drew fouls and hit FT and played inside and outside. I think we owe O'Mara a debt of gratitude for bonding with Kanter, they generally liked each other, and Kanter's minutes came from O'Mara more than Tyrique. Sad in both Providence BE loss and FSU i thought we went to the well too often with Kanter as in both cases he hit a couple of baskets (single team) drew a hard double and forced the shot during PC and FSU run. By adding him seamlessly to the team it probably increased coring by 7 ppg as Omara may have gotten some more pts but not 12 that Kanter got

[GIMMFD]

After looking through the entire list, I've confirmed that my favorite all time XU transfer was Justin Martin.

Justin Martin was so frustrating, so much talent, but the basketball IQ was so poor, he'd have games like the master class defensive performance he put on Doug McDermott, and added like 20 points and 15 rebounds or something, where you'd be like like "yeah that's a top 100 recruit," then others where he'd have 5 turnovers in 3 minutes and you were just left floored. I liked J-Mart though, won't go down as a favorite X player or anything, but I liked him.


I thought that by the end of 2018 Kanter was the most effective offensive center in the country(arguably). He made his own shot, spread the floor,drew fouls and hit FT and played inside and outside. I think we owe O'Mara a debt of gratitude for bonding with Kanter, they generally liked each other, and Kanter's minutes came from O'Mara more than Tyrique. Sad in both Providence BE loss and FSU i thought we went to the well too often with Kanter as in both cases he hit a couple of baskets (single team) drew a hard double and forced the shot during PC and FSU run. By adding him seamlessly to the team it probably increased coring by 7 ppg as Omara may have gotten some more pts but not 12 that Kanter got

Kanter really grew into that second part of the season, I vaguely remember the board being aggravated with him towards the beginning due to his play, but then he put in some incredible performances, also agreed with O'Mara and Kanter having good rapport because it led to a great rotation between the two. Kind of crazy that Kanter hit 34% from behind the arc, but I thought he was an awesome transition after Stainbrook, especially being another transfer big man. Man I really liked that team, second favorite X team for me behind the "Brawl" team because that was my Freshman year at Xavier, and watching Tu and Mark Lyons just basically play like it was a pick-up game was nothing short of exciting.. plus Tu is well.. Tu.

[XU 87]

I can't believe Samford transfer Jim Douglas has been completely overlooked.

Jim Douglas started at X and then transferred out. I think you're thinking of Andy Donnelly, who transferred to X from Samford during Staak/Gillen era.

[xukeith]

After looking through the entire list, I've confirmed that my favorite all time XU transfer was Justin Martin.

He played tough.
Did he leave early too?

[XU 87]

I think it was an SEC school. Also Steve Penhorwood transferred from Kentucky. Not sure if you want to add Jon Hanley from a JC in California. Didn’t last long.

Jon Hanley is a great one. One of Staak's first recruits. JUCO recruit with three years of eligibility. His first year he led the team in scoring and then got kicked off the team the following year, but didn't leave school. He was allowed back on the team the following year, and then got kicked off a second time. He went to the media and claimed Staak once hit him. It became a fairly big local news story. XU players, led by Steve Wolf, came to Staak's defense and also didn't support Hanley.

The guy could play. Athletic and about 6'8", and he could shoot. He was just a goof ball.

Which reminds me- Dwight Hollins and David Anderson- both JUCO's from Staak's first recruiting class.

[MHettel]

He played tough.
Did he leave early too?

Pretty sure this thread was meant to be about players that transferred IN. But I was really happy that Martin transferred OUT.

Hated his mopey ass attitude. Nothing annoys me more that a player that doesn't think it's "cool" to try hard.

I'll take Justin Cage and JP Macura and Stanley Burrell and Paul Scruggs all day. These guys would do ANYTHING to win.

Guys like Jeff Robinson, Gates, Martin and Q can play on some other team

[Muskeagle]

Pretty sure this thread was meant to be about players that transferred IN. But I was really happy that Martin transferred OUT.

Hated his mopey ass attitude. Nothing annoys me more that a player that doesn't think it's "cool" to try hard.

I'll take Justin Cage and JP Macura and Stanley Burrell and Paul Scruggs all day. These guys would do ANYTHING to win.

Guys like Jeff Robinson, Gates, Martin and Q can play on some other team


I did start it for the transfer "in" players (thought it was funny when Martin was listed as a favorite transfer). There's been so much talk about who the best transfer we've had...and I've always thought the recent grad transfer doesn't quite compare with the older 2-3 year transfer, so I sort of wanted to see them myself in list form. Johnson has been unreal...but comparing him to Lavender...doesn't really make sense.....idk, maybe it does, but they feel different to me. The grad transfer usually seems to be a guy you get to meet a need, fill a hole. The traditional transfer seems like they are brought in to be more a focal point. Maybe that is simply reflective of the fact that the overall transfer game has changed. Really, though, I just thought the list might inspire some good old fashioned talk/debate about who the best transfers have been...or at least who some people's favorites have been.