The May 1 deadline for college basketball players to transfer schools and receive immediate eligibility has come and gone, which means the vast majority of players that will be on the move this offseason have now put their name in the portal. After a mad rush of high-profile names entered the portal in the week leading up to the cut-off date, as well as a number of key commitments among previous top available transfers, it’s a good time to update the best available players that could make an impact on men’s college basketball with new teams in 2022–23. Many of these players are testing the NBA draft process and may eventually decide to turn pro rather than stay in college, but here are the 25 best players still open to a new NCAA destination.
Listed school is where player entered portal from.
Petre Thomas; Michael C. Johnson; Nelson Chenault/USA TODAY Sports
1. Tyrese Hunter, Iowa State
Hunter was given the keys to Iowa State’s offense from the moment he stepped on campus in Ames and became a key reason the Cyclones were perhaps the most improved team in the country this season. He’s undersized and not a great shooter (27% from deep as a freshman) but makes up for it with tremendous poise, sharp defensive instincts and great feel running a team. He’s expected to be an NBA draft prospect in 2023, so whoever lands him may only have him for a year. The six schools in the mix for his services: Tennessee, Kansas, Louisville, Gonzaga, Texas and Purdue.
2. Pete Nance, Northwestern
Nance is focused on the NBA draft process and has a good chance to at least get a two-way contract should he turn pro this summer. But if he elects to use his extra year of eligibility, he’ll be among the best players to change teams this spring. Nance is a highly skilled 6’10” big man capable of playing center or power forward. He shot 45% from three this season at relatively high volume and is a gifted passer. His new team may not design its offense around him quite the way Northwestern did, but Nance will look even better if surrounded with better guards than he played with in Evanston.
3. Kevin McCullar, Texas Tech
He’s not an explosive offensive player, but every team in the country would gladly take a player like McCullar in its rotation. A terrific defender who has played in two NCAA tournaments and can play four positions, McCullar is considering Gonzaga and Kansas should he elect to return to school. Texas Tech used him as a point guard for much of this past season, though his natural position is more as a secondary ballhandler. But his length, physicality and feel makes him one of the most valuable commodities in the portal at this point.
4. AJ Green, Northern Iowa
Green was a star at Northern Iowa from the moment he stepped on campus, earning a reputation among Missouri Valley coaches as not just a high-level shotmaker but also an elite competitor and winner. In fact, the main reason he wound up at UNI in the first place was his father, Kyle, was an assistant for the Panthers. Now, the elder Green is on staff at Iowa State, which has fueled belief around the sport that AJ will end up teaming up with his father again in Ames. If not, he’ll have plenty of other suitors from across the college hoops landscape.
5. Matthew Mayer, Baylor
The 2021 national champion is reportedly completely focused on the NBA draft process, but entered the portal ahead of the May 1 deadline in order to keep his options open. Mayer didn’t make the leap some expected in ’21–22 as he shifted into a more featured role in the Baylor offense, but still has plenty of intrigue as a long wing/forward who can stroke it from beyond the arc. If he chooses to return to school, plenty of high-majors would want a guy with championship experience and his skill set.
6. Kenneth Lofton Jr., Louisiana Tech
Coaches at top programs across the country had been waiting for Lofton’s name to hit the portal since Eric Konkol took the Tulsa job in March. The burly forward burst onto national radars last summer when he helped lead Team USA to a gold medal at the U-19 World Cup alongside the likes of top draft prospects Chet Holmgren, Johnny Davis and Jaden Ivey. Lofton’s 6’7”, 275-pound frame makes him less of an ideal fit at the next level, but he should be a highly productive high-major player and has had contact with a laundry list of big-name schools since entering the portal.
7. Jamarion Sharp, Western Kentucky
Sharp may not be the best player in the transfer portal, but he’s certainly the biggest. The 7’5” giant had a productive first season at Western Kentucky after a stint at John A. Logan community college to begin his career, tying Auburn’s Walker Kessler for the most blocked shots per game nationally while shooting nearly 73% from the field. His extremely lean frame and raw skill set make him somewhat limited still, but he’s capable of taking over a game because of his ability to protect the rim. One school to watch here: Missouri, which hired Kyle Smithpeters (Sharp’s former juco head coach) as an assistant coach this offseason.
8. Osun Osunniyi, St. Bonaventure
One of the best rim-protectors in the sport, Osunniyi hit the portal late in April after spending four years as a critical piece for St. Bonaventure. His massive wingspan and elite instincts have made him one of the sport’s most-feared shot blockers, and he’s also a strong offensive weapon because of his impressive hands and soft touch. He’ll have no shortage of suitors in the coming days.
9. Isiaih Mosley, Missouri State
Mosley is one of just three men’s Division I players in the last 30 years to average 20 points per game on 50% from the field, 40% from three and 90% from the free throw line. That stat alone is enough to know why he’ll be pursued at the highest level by high-level programs, despite some athletic and defensive limitations. He can flat-out score in isolation, as highlighted by his 40-point outburst against an elite Loyola Chicago defense in January. Few teams at the highest level will build their offense around him like Missouri State did, but he’ll be impactful as a scorer anywhere he goes.
10. Malachi Smith, Chattanooga
The 2021–22 SoCon Player of the Year, Smith is testing the NBA waters while also exploring other college options this spring. He led Chattanooga to the NCAA tournament and nearly a first-round upset of Illinois, and is one of the best all-around guards available in the portal. Smith can create in ball screens and can play either guard spot, and he’s physical enough to get downhill and score through contact at the rim. Plus, he’s an excellent defensive player.
11. Keion Brooks Jr., Kentucky
Brooks is a throwback power forward, more known for his physicality than ability to space the floor. He was a productive starter for a top-10 team this past season, playing off Oscar Tshiebwe and averaging double-figure scoring for the second season in a row. Brooks probably isn’t a guy you want to build your team around, but anyone in need of a plug-and-play starter at the power forward position would be wise to get involved here.
12. Courtney Ramey, Texas
With more than 100 career starts in the Big 12 under his belt, Ramey is as proven a transfer as they come for high-major teams in need of guard help. He can play on or off the ball, has shot 37% from deep in his career and is known as a strong perimeter defender. Pretty much any coach could plug Ramey into their system and find a role for him, which is perhaps the reason he has heard from the likes of Villanova, Kentucky, UConn, Gonzaga and Maryland since hitting the portal.
13. Emoni Bates, Memphis
It’s incredibly difficult to rank Bates in a list like this as he hits the portal trying to rebuild his stock after a disastrous 2021–22 season. He’s far from the prospect he was anointed to be at 15 years old, but still is a five-star talent who could be impactful in the right context. Bates needs to be coached and brought along slowly at his new destination; being thrust into the point guard role at Memphis at 17 years old wasn’t fair to his development. Louisville and DePaul are perceived to be favorites to land his services.
14. Patrick Baldwin Jr., UW-Milwaukee
A former five-star recruit, Baldwin spurned offers from Duke and pretty much every other high-major program in the country to play for his father at UW-Milwaukee. One injury-plagued season later, Baldwin’s NBA stock has dropped some, and his father has been fired. Despite that, Baldwin has a good chance to be a first-round NBA pick thanks to his high-level shooting ability at 6’10”. But, he’s in the portal to keep his options open and, like Bates, is a more-than-worthwhile reclamation project should he not get good NBA feedback this spring.
15. Efe Abogidi, Washington State
The 6’10” big man didn’t have the breakout sophomore season some were projecting in Pullman, but Abogidi still presents a high-upside option for teams looking for a talent injection in their frontcourt. He has been a key cog for two seasons in the Pac-12, and really grew as a shot blocker this season, posting close to a 10% block rate. Plus, the Nigerian big man has impressive shooting touch, making 80% of his free throws over his two years at Wazzu and flashing the occasional ability to hit from deep.
16. Antoine Davis, Detroit Mercy
There’s no active player in college basketball who has scored more points in his career than Davis, who tallied more than 2,700 points in his four years at Detroit Mercy before entering the portal this spring for his extra year of eligibility. He’s considering four schools in addition to a return to Detroit, and all four are situations in which teams would make him a featured part of the offense: BYU, Georgetown, Kansas State and Maryland. If he plays out a full season, he’ll likely end up in the top 10 and potentially the top five all-time in scoring in D-I men’s basketball history.
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17. Manny Bates, NC State
Bates remains among the best options for teams in need of frontcourt help despite playing just one minute all season due to a shoulder injury. The best trait Bates brings to the table is his ability to block shots—he posted a block rate better than 10% (among the top 20 nationally) in 2020–21. Without him this season, NC State’s defense fell off a cliff, becoming one of the worst high-major defenses in the country. Bates has great size, finishes well at the rim and has great shot-blocking instincts. He visited Butler and has interest from several other high-major programs.
[UPDATE: Bates committed to Butler on May 4]
18. Mouhamed Gueye, Washington State
So many portal additions are about finding proven contributors who can easily plug into roles. Gueye is a bit different, an upside play in adding a 6’11” former top-100 recruit with tremendous potential thanks to his smooth outside stroke. Gueye was in the rotation this past season for a Washington State team that reached the semifinals of the NIT, but his best basketball is ahead of him and he may eventually have a future in the NBA. How productive he’ll be next season remains to be seen, but recruiting Gueye is like getting a somewhat more proven four- or five-star recruit.
19. Isaac Likekele, Oklahoma State
Likekele is one of the more unique players in college basketball, a 6’5” bowling ball of a guard capable of playing point guard and defending power forwards. That skill set makes him a tricky fit: He’s probably best in a context like how he was showcased at the Fiba U-19 World Cup in 2019—as a glue guy and defensive wrecker capable of attacking in transition—but played in a higher-usage role in his four years at Oklahoma State. Virtually every team could use Likekele as a switchable defender and energy guy, but if he’s looking for a spot to put the ball in his hands the fit is trickier.
[Update: Likekele committed to Ohio State on May 4.]
20. Umoja Gibson, Oklahoma
Gibson is undersized for the shooting guard position, but he’s a knockdown shooter that would provide a major boost for teams in need of floor spacing. He knocked down 92 threes at a 39% clip this past season and has shot 36% or better from deep in all four of his collegiate seasons. Gibson may not be a great defender or a high-level scorer in isolation, but his ability to make shots made him one of the most highly coveted names to enter the portal in the final days before May 1.
21. Kyle Lofton, St. Bonaventure
Atlantic 10 coaches rave about Lofton as the consummate point guard, a leader and a winner whose ability to distribute and make clutch plays was a huge reason for St. Bonaventure’s success in his four seasons in Olean. Now, the New Jersey native will use his extra year of eligibility elsewhere, and plenty of high-majors in need of help at the point guard spot have already reached out. Lofton’s a poor outside shooter and isn’t the most dynamic shot creator in the world, but he’s crafty and tough, and I trust him late in games to make winning plays.
22. Ricky Council IV, Wichita State
The AAC’s Sixth Man of the Year in 2021–22, Council is the most sought-after name from the Shockers’ offseason mass exodus. Currently considering Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia Tech, Iowa State, Kansas and Mississippi State, the 6’6” wing projects as a plug-and-play option for teams in need of versatility and scoring help. He’s capable of guarding multiple positions and is a solid outside shooter. He’ll be an easy addition to the starting lineup for a high-major team looking to round out a rotation.
23. Grant Sherfield, Nevada
There’s a lot to like with Sherfield: He’s put up consecutive impressive statistical seasons at Nevada, is a skilled operator in ball screens and has made his fair share of clutch shots over the last two seasons. So what holds him back from being higher on this list? First, he’s a second-time transfer, which means he’s not guaranteed to be immediately eligible (though many coaches believe all transfers will eventually be made eligible). Second, he was part of a Nevada team this season that was one of the most disappointing in the country, one that seemed riddled with chemistry issues. Maybe a change of scenery helps, but Sherfield’s being the leader of a team that fell apart as spectacularly as the Wolf Pack did may give some teams cause for pause.
24. Jarod Lucas, Oregon State
Sharpshooters are a valuable commodity in the portal, and Lucas can knock down threes with the best of them. He’s perhaps best known for his role in bringing Oregon State to the Elite Eight in 2021, drilling multiple threes in all nine games across those magical Pac-12 and NCAA tournament runs. He averaged more than 13 points per game this season in a brutal three-win year for the Beavers. Teams out West in need of shooting will be in pursuit.
25. Keyontae Johnson, Florida
There are far more questions than answers regarding Johnson’s future, but a player of his talent level being in the portal warrants consideration for this list. On basketball ability alone, Johnson would be the clear top player on this list. But Johnson was never cleared by Florida’s medical staff to return to action after he collapsed on the floor during a December 2020 game against Florida State that left the Gators star in a coma. Any school bringing in Johnson would need the support of its medical staff. And on top of the on-court medical concerns, Gainesville Police has accused Johnson of felony sexual assault tied to an incident in late February.
