2022-23 Around the NCAA

up7587 wrote:Carson Basham moves from PU to Northern Arizona (?).
Jan Zidek moves from PU to Chattanooga.
Chance Stephens moves up from LMU to Big Ten Maryland.

Some decent talent leaving the WCC!

LMU picks up another guard, Justice Hill. He was on Arkansas' roster as a freshman in 2018-19. 2019-20 don't know where he was, perhaps took a Covid year off. Played at Murray State two years, then LSU last year when he transferred with the coach.

I have not seen it in writing, but I've been told Santa Clara guard Carlos Stewart will enter the transfer portal.

Just a sophomore, Stewart was SCU's second leading scorer and was a First-team All-WCC guard averaging 15.2PPG, 2.4RPG and 2.3APG this past season for Santa Clara.

From Baton Rouge, I bet he's heading that direction...

Former Duck Kel'el Ware landed at Indiana. CBS claims he was the second most talented player in the portal.

Soares is leaving too.

DoubleDipper wrote:I have not seen it in writing, but I've been told Santa Clara guard Carlos Stewart will enter the transfer portal.

Just a sophomore, Stewart was SCU's second leading scorer and was a First-team All-WCC guard averaging 15.2PPG, 2.4RPG and 2.3APG this past season for Santa Clara.

From Baton Rouge, I bet he's heading that direction...

Bronco fans have not commented on that yet posted a tweet from @247HSHoops saying that, but Francisco Caffaro 7'1" 254# C with a year to play is moving from Virginia to SCU.  They like tall players a lot.

GU's Strawther declaring for NBA draft. He was unstoppable in Chiles this year. He should just send that tape to the NBA scouts.

DoubleDipper wrote:I have not seen it in writing, but I've been told Santa Clara guard Carlos Stewart will enter the transfer portal.

Just a sophomore, Stewart was SCU's second leading scorer and was a First-team All-WCC guard averaging 15.2PPG, 2.4RPG and 2.3APG this past season for Santa Clara.

From Baton Rouge, I bet he's heading that direction...

Talking to a SCU contact, I am told Stewart will likely be "heading to the highest bidder."

Apparently, SCU was giving him $100,000 a year in NIL money, but he told the staff he was leaving unless he got more.  The staff pointed out that they were now regularly sending players to the NBA and that staying at SCU would be great for his development and exposure, but he still insisted he wanted more money, and they offered him $125,000.

But when $125,000 wasn't enough for him, he bolted for the portal.

Does this mean we can now boo and criticize college players like pros?  Kinda hard seeing an athlete getting six figures on top of his scholarship hanging out in the student union or commons with the regular schmoes paying (or borrowing) their way through school.  Nor can I blame the students who don't bother to show up at the games to root for the athletes who have nothing in common with their experience. The player will have your school's name on his jersey this year, and some other school's name on it next year.

If this situation doesn't change, it will sour a lot of people on college sports.

Jaiden Delaire, 6'9" 215#, who spent four years at Stanford before transferring to San Diego this past year, is now in the portal. His first 2 years at Stanford he played in a total of 3 games, so maybe he has another year to play? Delaire started 10 games of the 12 he appeared in at USD last year, before suffering an injury. He started 47 of 56 games his last two years at Stanford, averaging about 10 ppg his last three seasons.

Former WSU scorer TJ Bamba lands at Villanova.

Per Verbal Commits, there are 1,460 players who have entered the portal. And over 1,100 do not have a new D-1 school listed. They could still be looking for an NIL deal, or for a new D-1 school that will give them a scholarship, or returning to their old school if they'll have them, or looking for a preferred walk-on, or transferring to D-2 or lower, or going pro, or ending their basketball career. At some point the majority of NIL money will be claimed, there will be players looking for leftover schools and there will be schools looking for leftover players.

I don't envy the UP coaches trying to build a quality and cohesive team.

ESPN is reporting Arizona transfer Adama Bal has committed to Santa Clara. The 6'7, 19-year-old sophomore guard from France reportedly rejected a dozen high major offers to attend SCU.

Jeff Goodman reports that USC transfer guard Malik Thomas has committed to USF.  A sophomore, Thomas didn't get a lot of playing time for the Trojans, averaging 8 minutes and 2.4 points last season.

And a player I wanted UP to get, 6-11/235 Syracuse transfer Jesse Edwards from the Netherlands, committed to West Virginia. When contacted by the UP staff, Edwards said he needed $150,000 to commit.

DoubleDipper wrote:ESPN is reporting Arizona transfer Adama Bal has committed to Santa Clara. The 6'7, 19-year-old sophomore guard from France reportedly rejected a dozen high major offers to attend SCU.

Jeff Goodman reports that USC transfer guard Malik Thomas has committed to USF.  A sophomore, Thomas didn't get a lot of playing time for the Trojans, averaging 8 minutes and 2.4 points last season.

And a player I wanted UP to get, 6-11/235 Syracuse transfer Jesse Edwards from the Netherlands, committed to West Virginia. When contacted by the UP staff, Edwards said he needed $150,000 to commit.  

In 2 years at UA, he appeared in 49 games, started none. He averaged 6.5 minutes per game, 2 ppg, 0.7 rpg, 63% on FTs. Perhaps he explodes like Podziemski. But realistically, how often does that happen?

BIG pickup for LMU as 7-1/265 junior Lars Thiemann commits after transferring from Cal.

The big German from Krefeld was the second leading scorer, and by far the leading rebounder, as a starter at Cal this past season.

SCU picks up a 6'6" G from Charleston Southern, Tyeree Bryan. Played one year, started 28 of 29 games, 10.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg.

Mount St. Mary's leading scorer (16ppg), grand-transfer guard Jalen Benjamin has committed to play at Santa Clara.

Listed as 5-10/160, Benjamin says he's "actually 6 foot."

Benjamin played two seasons at The Mount after spending two seasons at UAB.

Steven Ashworth ends up at Creighton. What a perfect landing spot for his skill set and style of play.

up7587 wrote:I don't envy the UP coaches trying to build a quality and cohesive team.

You hit the proverbial nail on the head...it is all about the fit (and NIL money, unfortunately).

As we watch the flurry of activity in the WCC (it seems like most of it is at SCU), UP has one excellent commit in Yuto Yamanouchi-Williams.

And, although it may not seem like anything is going on at UP, I am assured there is. Regardless of the NIL money being paid out to some athletes, there are still only 13 scholarships allowed at each D1 MBB program, so you know that among the almost 1500 that were once in the portal, not all will find gold at the end of the portal rainbow.

I have lost track of how many scholarships UP has available, and as previously stated, with Legs it's difficult to know who is on scholarship and who is a walk-on until the numbers are crunched at the beginning of the season.

We know there are three, perhaps four inbound freshmen, so there is a need for some experienced transfers that should include at least one more proven big man...and I am guessing that means UP is looking for three more commits.

Regardless, it is about getting guys that fit in with the other players, fit in with the style of play, and fit UP's rigorous academic standards to make a quality and cohesive team.

This makes sense
4 hours ago NC State signed a transfer from Clemson.
3 hours ago Clemson signed a transfer from NC State.
Were the NIL deals equivalent, or is there a player to be named later, or compensatory draft picks?

DoubleDipper wrote:I have not seen it in writing, but I've been told Santa Clara guard Carlos Stewart will enter the transfer portal.

Just a sophomore, Stewart was SCU's second leading scorer and was a First-team All-WCC guard averaging 15.2PPG, 2.4RPG and 2.3APG this past season for Santa Clara.

From Baton Rouge, I bet he's heading that direction...

You win the bet. LSU it is.

Darrion Williams leaving Nevada for Texas Texh. The Pack lost a ton of talent this offseason.

Guerrier leaving the Ducks.

Kevin wrote:Keylan Boone leaving Pacific. He was really impressive in the WCC tournament until he tweaked his back.

Boone committed to UNLV today.

Update: Keylan started at Okla. St. before going to UOP. Now his brother Kalib Boone is transferring from Okla. St. to join him at UNLV.

There are five players from Air Force in the portal. All that money for jets and none for NIL?

up7587 wrote:Zane Meeks (6'9" 220# F) from USF has entered the portal.  Played 2 years at Neveda and 2 at USF.  

Meeks will finish his career at Arizona State.

up7587 wrote:There are five players from Air Force in the portal.  All that money for jets and none for NIL?

Cadets can leave the Air Force Academy without any commitment to serve their country or owe any money until the first day of their junior year.  After that, they would typically need to serve as enlisted people in the Air Force for two or three years.

The Air Force and Naval Academies are on par with Ivy League universities with regards to academics, but is obviously who whole different regimented, and sometime painful way of living.

The two years of a free-ride education and the ability to quit, makes the USAFA the least expensive (to the cadet/student, not the taxpayer) but most painful junior college in the country.

Of the five cadets in the portal, three are freshman and two are sophomores.