Ranking top 10 available players in the college basketball transfer portal

With the 2021-22 college basketball season now behind us, several stars around the country have already entered their name in the NCAA Transfer Portal. This provides both an opportunity for players to get a fresh start and for teams in need to replenish their rosters with talent ahead of 2022-23.

On3’s Transfer Portal Best Available provides a rundown on the top college basketball players to enter the portal so far this offseason. Below is the top 10 players currently still available, according to those rankings.

On3’s top 10 available college basketball players in the transfer portal

1. Emoni Bates | Small Forward | Memphis

A former five-star recruit and the No. 1 small forward in the 2021 class according to On3 Consensus, Bates is calling it quits after just one season with the Tigers. He didn’t have quite the debut many imagined, appearing in just 18 games as a freshman and finishing with an average of 9.7 points on 44.2% shooting. Still, his talent is too hard to ignore and he should receive ample interest from big-time programs.

2. Rocket Watts | Point Guard | Mississippi State

After transferring to Starkville from Michigan State this past offseason, Watts is entering the portal for the second time in as many years. Because he already transferred once, he will need a waiver from the NCAA to be eligible to play for a Division I school in 2022-23. The No. 27 overall player in the 2019 class according to On3 Consensus, Watts averaged 4.4 points across 13.4 minutes this past season.

3. Brandon Huntley-Hatfield | Power Forward | Tennessee

Like Bates, Huntley-Hatfield is in search of a new home after just one season in college. The No. 24 overall player in the class of 2021, he played in 35 games for the Volunteers this past season and averaged 3.9 points along with 2.9 rebounds per game.

4. Akok Akok | Power Forward | Connecticut

Akok is quite possibly the best shot blocker in the transfer portal. During his freshman season with the Huskies in 2019-20, he averaged 2,6 rejections along with 5.5 rebounds in 28 minutes per game. He slowly saw his playing decrease over the next two seasons however, which likely prompted his decision to move on.

5. Shareef O’Neal | Power Forward | LSU

The son of NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal, Shareef is one of many Tigers transfer this offseason as the program finds itself in the midst of an NCAA investigation. The No. 42 overall player in the 2018 class according to On3 Consensus, Shareef O’Neal played his freshman season at UCLA. He transferred to LSU at the end of that year, and went on to average 2.8 points and 3.1 rebounds over the next two seasons.

6. DJ Jeffries | Small Forward | Mississippi State

It’s been a rough offseason for the Bulldogs as they not only lost Watts, but also Jeffries. Like Watts, he was a transfer addition to the MSU roster in 2021-22 and will need an NCAA waiver to play next season. He started 31 games this past season, averaging 8.9 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.

7. Bryce Hopkins | Power Forward | Kentucky

A true freshman this past season, Hopkins played a very small role for the Wildcats, averaging 6.5 minutes across 28 games. The No. 38 overall player in the 2021 class according to On3 Consensus, he will surely have no trouble finding a new home for 2022-23.

8. Ira Lee | Center | George Washington

After spending the first four years of his college career with Arizona, Lee transferred to George Washington for what was thought to be his fifth and final season. Unfortunately, he never played a game for the Colonials as he suffered a season-ending knee injury in the offseason. Now, the former No. 6 center in the 2017 class according to On3 Consensus is on the move again.

9. Jairus Hamilton | Small Forward | Western Kentucky

Hamilton transferred from Western Kentucky after posting his best college stats yet. He averaged 12.7 points and 5.4 rebounds per game for the Hilltoppers — his third school after starting his career at Boston College and Maryland. Out of high school, Hamilton was the No. 69 recruit in the country from the Class of 2018, according to the On3 Consensus.

10. Dwon Odom | Point Guard | Xavier

A former four-star recruit and the No. 17 point guard in the class of 2020, Odom averaged 6.3 points and two rebounds this season. He showed his real worth in Xavier’s run to an NIT title, however, capped off by 18 points in the championship game.