Winners and losers of the boys’s NCAA basketball switch portal cycle

We have checked off each main milestone of the boys’s school basketball offseason — the switch portal window opened and closed, the NBA draft withdrawal deadline has handed — and groups are full steam forward on getting ready for the 2025-26 marketing campaign.

Now that every one of ESPN’s prime 100 transfers have dedicated, Jeff Borzello and Myron Medcalf break down the most important winners and losers of this 12 months’s cycle.

From the contenders that improved their title hopes essentially the most to essentially the most head-scratching misses and past, listed here are their picks for seven key portal classes.

Single-best participant addition

Jeff Borzello: Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan.

PJ Haggerty was No. 1 in my switch rankings — he was an All-American and gained AAC Participant of the 12 months honors over Lendeborg — however it’s laborious to prime Michigan touchdown a professional first-round decide whom the Wolverines satisfied to withdraw from the NBA draft to affix them in Ann Arbor. The 6-foot-9 ahead has been some of the productive frontcourt gamers within the nation the previous couple of years, averaging a double-double in each seasons with UAB.

The one disadvantage on his ledger is his comparatively restricted expertise towards high-caliber competitors, however Lendeborg is an immediate-impact participant with two-way potential, vary out to the perimeter, passing and courtroom imaginative and prescient, and relentlessness on the glass. His addition single-handedly makes Michigan one of many nation’s prime 10 groups.

Myron Medcalf: Darrion Williams, NC State.

It’s simple to overlook simply how shut Florida was to lacking its likelihood to win the nationwide title. The Gators trailed Texas Tech by 10 factors late within the Elite Eight earlier than mounting a miraculous comeback over the ultimate six minutes. Walter Clayton Jr. was one of the best participant on the courtroom in that recreation, however Williams was an in depth second. And you can make a powerful case that Williams (23 factors, 5 rebounds, 3 steals) was essentially the most troublesome particular person matchup Florida confronted within the NCAA match.

The versatile 6-foot-6 Williams is the anchor of Will Wade’s spectacular recruiting class in his first season at NC State, giving the Wolfpack a professional star.

Greatest general class

Medcalf: Kentucky.

Jayden Quaintance, F, Arizona State
Jaland Lowe, G, Pitt
Denzel Aberdeen, G, Florida

Kentucky and St. John’s are extraordinarily shut on this dialog. Each have query marks about their prime transfers — Kentucky’s Jayden Quaintance is recovering from a torn ACL, whereas St. John’s is relying on Bryce Hopkins to be out there regardless of being restricted to only 17 video games over the previous two seasons as a result of accidents. However the Wildcats have a barely increased ceiling.

Quaintance may very well be wholesome by the beginning of the marketing campaign. And if he isn’t, Mark Pope will do what he did final season: handle a short-handed roster till Quaintance is prepared. Plus, Jaland Lowe and Denzel Aberdeen ought to produce at the next stage. And when he’s wholesome, Quaintance may very well be an NBA lottery decide.

Borzello: St. John’s.

Bryce Hopkins, F, Windfall
Ian Jackson, G, North Carolina
Joson Sanon, G, Arizona State
Oziyah Sellers, G, Stanford
Dillon Mitchell, F, Cincinnati
Dylan Darling, G, Idaho State
Handje Tamba, C, Milligan College

St. John’s will get the slight edge over Kentucky for me. The Crimson Storm had an unbelievable marketing campaign in 12 months 2 of the Rick Pitino period, successful the Huge East regular-season and match championships. However there was a obvious challenge that ended up haunting them of their second-round loss to Arkansas: perimeter taking pictures. The Johnnies went out and addressed that within the portal — Ian Jackson shot 39.5% from 3 as a freshman at Carolina; Joson Sanon made 36.9% at Arizona State; Oziyah Sellers made greater than 40% in every of his previous two seasons; and Dylan Darling made practically 36% of his five-plus makes an attempt per recreation at Idaho State. Each Jackson and Sanon are able to getting their very own shot constantly, too.

Then there’s Bryce Hopkins, a former first-team All-Huge East choice who must be top-of-the-line gamers within the league if he is totally wholesome. And Dillon Mitchell brings defensive versatility, which undoubtedly appeals to Pitino.

Nationwide title contender that improved its probabilities essentially the most

Borzello: Florida.

The Gators went from shedding your complete perimeter rotation from their nationwide championship roster to having a professional likelihood of going back-to-back. All it took was a touch of excellent fortune towards the tip of the spring.

Out the door went Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin, Will Richard and Denzel Aberdeen. And though Florida beat out St. John’s for Princeton switch Xaivian Lee, a two-time All-Ivy choice, the Gators nonetheless wanted extra on the perimeter in a market that was rapidly dying up. Enter Boogie Fland, who entered the switch portal simply forward of the deadline, then finally withdrew from the NBA draft earlier than committing to the Gators.

Lee and Fland ought to type one of many nation’s most dynamic backcourts, which mixed with a loaded returning frontcourt places Florida again within the dialog for preseason No. 1.

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Xaivian Lee’s prime performs of the 2024-25 season

Try Xaivian Lee’s prime performs of the 2024-25 season because the Princeton standout transfers to the College of Florida.

Medcalf: BYU.

For the final two months of the 2024-25 season, BYU had one of the best offense within the nation, an asset that helped this system attain the second weekend of the NCAA match for the primary time in 14 years. The highest scorer from that group, Richie Saunders, returns. And now AJ Dybantsa, the projected No. 1 decide within the 2026 NBA draft, arrives in Provo, Utah. However Kevin Younger answered the most important query going through this system — who will run level — when he signed Robert Wright III (Baylor). Kennard Davis, a high-level scorer from Southern Illinois, additionally helps.

Younger’s squad is healthier at practically each spot a season after its Candy 16 run. These additions may flip the Cougars right into a Ultimate 4 crew.

Group that went from under to above .500 with its portal additions

Medcalf: Kansas State.

Jerome Tang’s challenges with one in every of America’s costliest rosters highlighted the better challenges of the switch portal period: Figuring out and recruiting elite gamers is simply step one, however chemistry is crucial part — and Kansas State did not have it final season.

The Wildcats have been by no means in sync on the courtroom, but when Tang can remedy that, All-American guard PJ Haggerty ought to assist repair what ailed this system a season in the past. Kansas State’s lackluster offense did not constantly get to the free throw line, join on photographs from the perimeter and play with poise. However Haggerty did all of that and extra for Memphis. And mid-major transfers Abdi Bashir Jr. and Nate Johnson are potent scorers, too.

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PJ Haggerty knocks down the 3-pointer

PJ Haggerty knocks down the 3-pointer

Borzello: NC State.

When NC State employed Will Wade to switch Kevin Keatts after a disappointing 12-19 marketing campaign, there was an expectation that an inflow of expertise would observe. That performed out this spring, with the Wolfpack taking some massive swings — and eventually hitting a house run deep into the cycle once they landed former Texas Tech ahead Darrion Williams, who was among the many greatest gamers out there. Williams was the marquee addition to a bunch that features high-major names Tre Holloman (Michigan State), Ven-Allen Lubin (North Carolina), Terrance Arceneaux (Houston) and Jerry Deng (Florida State), in addition to Quadir Copeland and Alyn Breed, who suited up for Wade at McNeese.

Wade gained 58 video games in two seasons at McNeese with rosters he largely constructed through the switch portal. He’ll look to observe that very same components in Raleigh.

Group that harm its outlook by not doing sufficient

Borzello: Ole Miss.

Given how a lot success Chris Beard has had with transfers — his time within the juco ranks, overhauling Little Rock, rebuilding Texas Tech and going to the Candy 16 final season with six transfers in his prime seven — I anticipated the Rebels to be extra energetic within the deep finish of the portal. They return simply one in every of their prime eight scorers from final season, and Excessive Level’s Kezza Giffa is the lone incoming switch who averaged greater than 7.1 factors in 2024-25. There have been hyperlinks to the likes of PJ Haggerty, Desmond Claude, Pop Isaacs, Mackenzie Mgbako and others, however none got here to fruition.

There’s nonetheless a aggressive crew right here, in fact. The Rebels did land McDonald’s All-American Niko Bundalo and extremely touted worldwide guard Ilias Kamardine. Plus, the prospect AJ Storr returns to his All-Huge Ten type of two years in the past made him value signing. However I anticipated a pair extra massive swings within the portal, particularly on the perimeter.

Medcalf: Kansas.

Final season was a catastrophe for Invoice Self, who landed a number of the prime transfers within the portal however could not sew the group collectively. He as soon as once more brings in high-caliber expertise with Darryn Peterson, a five-star recruit and the potential No. 1 decide in 2026, to go along with Illinois switch Tre White, who ought to assist fortify one of many nation’s prime backcourts. However the lack of expertise within the paint is an actual concern for Kansas.

Whereas Flory Bidunga is prepared for a starring position after enjoying behind Hunter Dickinson final season, one other skilled massive or two would have improved the Jayhawks’ outlook. Bidunga must deal with his new position for them to achieve their targets.

Greatest shock

Medcalf: NC State.

Will Wade hasn’t had a sub-.500 season since turning into a head coach in 2013. And he gained 28 video games final season and led McNeese State to the second spherical of the NCAA match, so it isn’t shocking that he made a direct splash at NC State. But it surely is shocking that he corralled a category that ought to vie for a spot within the preseason prime 25 after successful solely 12 video games final season.

Darrion Williams was a star within the NCAA match and is now the gem of Wade’s first switch class in Raleigh. Each prime crew in America coveted Williams, who practically led Texas Tech to an Elite Eight win over eventual champion Florida. However Wade received Williams, Tre Holloman (Michigan State) and Ven-Allen Lubin (North Carolina) as he goals to speed up his rebuilding effort with the Wolfpack.

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Will Wade: NC State will get ‘greatest model of me’

Will Wade makes his introductory speech as NC State’s new basketball coach and says he’ll flip the Wolfpack right into a constant winner.

Borzello: Oklahoma.

I used to be going to select Iowa, however it should not be a shock when a brand new coach has to go portal-heavy in his first 12 months with a program — particularly when one in every of Ben McCollum’s signees performed underneath him at his previous two stops. So I am going to go along with the Sooners in what must be a pivotal season for Porter Moser.

Moser clearly recruited with the stakes in thoughts, getting 4 ready-made impression transfers who should not want any time adapting to high-level school basketball. Nijel Pack has began 121 energy convention video games at Kansas State and Miami, Tae Davis took an enormous step ahead at Notre Dame final season, Alabama switch Derrion Reid was a five-star recruit simply 12 months in the past, and Saint Joseph’s switch Xzayvier Brown was a first-team All-Atlantic 10 choice with a slew of big-time scoring performances on his résumé.

Maybe Oklahoma ought to have additionally procured a middle to spherical out the beginning 5, however this quartet must be able to play instantly.

Greatest head-scratcher

Borzello: Missouri’s perimeter group.

Missouri had top-of-the-line offenses within the nation final season, rating within the prime 10 nationally in offensive effectivity at KenPom. On the coronary heart of it was an ultra-aggressive crew that excelled at attending to the free throw line and balanced it out as top-of-the-line 3-point taking pictures groups within the SEC.

The Tigers deliver again their two highest-volume free throw shooters however lose three 40% 3-point shooters in Caleb Grill, Tamar Bates and Marques Warrick. Dennis Gates’ greatest addition was UCLA switch Sebastian Mack, who will get to the free throw line incessantly however has simply 48 made 3-pointers in 66 video games. Given its roster building, Missouri is probably going going to trot out ultra-big lineups, however its lack of taking pictures is a priority that successfully went unaddressed within the portal.

There’s expertise on this roster, however I query how all of the gamers match. In equity, there have been questions final season and the Tigers went from 0-18 within the SEC to a 6-seed within the NCAA match, so there must be some stage of belief in Gates to determine it out.

Medcalf: Memphis’ frontcourt.

The portal introduced quite a few surprising choices, none better than PJ Haggerty’s transfer to Kansas State. Penny Hardaway cannot substitute an All-American with Wood Award aspirations in 2025-26, although he did add Dug McDaniel and different sturdy guards to solidify his backcourt.

Hardaway is an skilled at molding guards to suit his system, however his system additionally calls for the presence of energetic, bouncy and explosive massive males. This roster doesn’t seem to have that.

Though Memphis has all the time been molded within the picture of its prime guards underneath Hardaway, he has relied on his frontcourt to provide these perimeter gamers an opportunity to shine. His groups have completed within the prime 50 in offensive rebounding price in 5 of his seven seasons at Memphis. These gamers have been additionally crucial elements of the Tigers’ defensive presence. Memphis performs quick and lets its guards take management — however that works solely with elite frontcourt expertise. The Tigers will want their new additions to make fast strides.