2025 Transfer Portal

[xuphan]

For all the NIL critics saying X won't be able to compete in this era, take a look at the Texas Tech and Florida high school and transfer classes from the last two years. Mostly three and four star players, not loaded with all-conference portal stars or five-star McDonald's All-Americans. They’re just like us. And yet, one of these teams is headed to the Final Four.

Not an NIL critic as I think players should be compensated for the money they bring in but major reform is needed with NIL and the portal. It’s a joke that the NCAA still uses the “student athlete” phrase when most of these D1 football and basketball players are chasing the bag. How many school have some of these guys bounced around to? What kind of a degree are they getting moving around so much? Maybe academic transfer credits are accepted more that they use to be. John Hughley is on his fourth school right?

Anyways, it is hard to watch college basketball when smaller schools who develop players lose out on them to money. Also hard to get behind programs whose players stay for only a season or two. Will we ever have another 4 year player at X. Will we ever retire another jersey in the Tas? Sorry but D1 college football and basketball have become pro sports and need to first be recognized at such and start to form a CBA that benefits the players, programs, and fans. Hopefully change is coming soon because an unregulated NIL world is going to make D1 college football and basketball uncompetitive for most and draw fans away. The current climate is similar to MLB where a few teams can buy the best talent and outspend the rest.

[MHettel]

For all the NIL critics saying X won't be able to compete in this era, take a look at the Texas Tech and Florida high school and transfer classes from the last two years. Mostly three and four star players, not loaded with all-conference portal stars or five-star McDonald's All-Americans. They’re just like us. And yet, one of these teams is headed to the Final Four.

Ok. I went ahead and looked.

Tx Tech-

Toppin average 12/9 on 62% shooting with 1.9 blocks and 1.1 steal as a freshman on New Mexico which was in a 5 bid league. Thats a TOP transfer guy
Williams averaged 8/7/3 with 1.4 steals as a starter on Nevada as a freshman. 2nd year at TT.
McMillan is a 5th year guy, 2nd year at TT. Previous starter for a season at GCU. Averaged 11/3/4 with 44% from 3 in his last year at GCU.
Anderson is a freshman
Hawkins started 2 years at Howard, 13/4/6 with 2 steals both years at Howard. Then a year at
Minnesota where he went 10/4/8 either 2 steals. First year at TT.
Overton had 11/3/1 as a freshman at Drake last year.
Walton is a fifth year guy and spent 2 years at UNC. Can assume he’s a 4 or 5 star recruit out of HS and became a starter at TT with modest overall numbers
Federico started 2 years at Pitt and had about 5/5 with 1.5 blocks in about 20 minutes a game.

2 conclusions I draw. 1). Nearly the entire roster transferred in. 2) nearly all of them had previously put up at least respectable numbers

Florida- similar, but with 2 homegrown soph. The rest of the roster had previously put starting experience and success at lower schools. But not exactly guys they were taking a chance on. Imagine a handful of Adam Kunkels.

[xavbball]

Ok. I went ahead and looked.

Tx Tech-

Toppin average 12/9 on 62% shooting with 1.9 blocks and 1.1 steal as a freshman on New Mexico which was in a 5 bid league. Thats a TOP transfer guy
Williams averaged 8/7/3 with 1.4 steals as a starter on Nevada as a freshman. 2nd year at TT.
McMillan is a 5th year guy, 2nd year at TT. Previous starter for a season at GCU. Averaged 11/3/4 with 44% from 3 in his last year at GCU.
Anderson is a freshman
Hawkins started 2 years at Howard, 13/4/6 with 2 steals both years at Howard. Then a year at
Minnesota where he went 10/4/8 either 2 steals. First year at TT.
Overton had 11/3/1 as a freshman at Drake last year.
Walton is a fifth year guy and spent 2 years at UNC. Can assume he’s a 4 or 5 star recruit out of HS and became a starter at TT with modest overall numbers
Federico started 2 years at Pitt and had about 5/5 with 1.5 blocks in about 20 minutes a game.

2 conclusions I draw. 1). Nearly the entire roster transferred in. 2) nearly all of them had previously put up at least respectable numbers

Florida- similar, but with 2 homegrown soph. The rest of the roster had previously put starting experience and success at lower schools. But not exactly guys they were taking a chance on. Imagine a handful of Adam Kunkels.

Some additional info from the last two recruiting classes for each program:

Florida:
2023 - 9 incoming players (6 transfers), ranked #51 nationally
2024 - 6 incoming players (3 transfers), ranked #61 nationally

Texas Tech:
2023 - 8 incoming players (6 transfers), ranked #66 nationally
2024 - 6 incoming players (4 transfers), ranked #48 nationally

X:
2023 - 11 incoming players (4 transfers), ranked #25 nationally
2024 - 7 incoming players (all transfers), ranked #37 nationally

Not a single player recruited by Florida or Texas Tech was beyond our reach. We've consistently brought in "better" overall classes each year. Florida's Alex Condon was a three-star recruit ranked #214 nationally. We haven't recruited or taken a chance on a player in the 200 range since Dontarius James and Keonte Kennedy in 2018.

Florida just made their first F4 since 2014.
Texas Tech has thrived despite losing players and coaches to other programs and without the luxury of massive NIL dollars. 4 S16s, 2 E8s, and 1 F4 in the last seven years.

[Xville]

Saw that daytons Malachi smith is in the portal. Tough ny guard. Wonder if there is any mutual interest there and wonder what the plans are for roddie Anderson

[drudy23]

A team would be nice.

[Xville]

A team would be nice.

He’s got essentially a little over 3 weeks to do it. Kind of insane if you think about it. I’d expect at least 2-3 guys this week, along with some clarification on traore and roddie

[Xavier]

I saw Craft is looking at Dayton and DePaul.

Something to think about with Miller. He was 100% ready to leave after year one. So, did he ever have any plans to develop guys like Craft or Green? I don’t particularly think those guys had a huge future but I do think Sean sacrificed future and development for 1 year runs until he got a new gig

[D-West & PO-Z]

The mid majors are functionally juco programs at this point.

Put a year of tape out and get picked up / paid by someone when you prove you were better than your recruiting rankings.

Yeah but for every mid major kid that jumps up there’s a high major kid who couldn’t quite cut it that comes down. Or a freshman that would have been high major that now goes mid major. Think Kam Craft.

[xuphan]

He’s got essentially a little over 3 weeks to do it. Kind of insane if you think about it. I’d expect at least 2-3 guys this week, along with some clarification on traore and roddie

Have you heard any visits scheduled? I know X has made lists for several players out of the portal but haven’t seen anything in terms of visits. I’d assume he would get the New Mexico forward next week but beyond him it’s anyone’s guess. Pitino has his work cut out for him.

[Section 200]

I saw Craft is looking at Dayton and DePaul.

Something to think about with Miller. He was 100% ready to leave after year one. So, did he ever have any plans to develop guys like Craft or Green? I don’t particularly think those guys had a huge future but I do think Sean sacrificed future and development for 1 year runs until he got a new gig

With complete respect to Craft and Green, was there enough positives to develop for Sean's system? I think it fair to say Sean helped Boum, Olivari and Conwell become better players so he can develop folks. Not our concern anymore, but I don't think this critique is fair for Miller. Lots of other things to be pissed at him about.