The top five transfers in the ACC

The transfer portal has become such a hot-button topic, especially over the last 12 months. Here we are with the college basketball season starting in a couple of weeks. Teams can be transformed in one offseason by adding talented players with college experience who are looking for a fresh start.

The ACC alone had at least 25 players transfer to teams within the conference this offseason. Some players were added to be focal points, and some were added as pieces of a bigger picture.

In 2020, Jeff Goodman of Stadium Sports wrote an article with research suggesting that players who transferred up in level (D-II to D-I, mid-major to high-major, etc.) would, on average, have their statistics cut in half. It should be noted this article was written while the transfer portal was on the rise but prior to the one-time transfer rule when the portal exploded. However, that is interesting research and an article I suggest reading.

In this series, I wanted to go through each conference and look at the transfers. I plan to list the top five transfers from each conference in alphabetical order and then others to watch. The purpose of this is to spark conversation.

I will start with the ACC, and I can’t wait to hear your comments.

Top five transfers

Tyree Appleby (Florida) Wake Forest

Height/Weight: 6-1/165
Class: Senior
2021-22 Stats: 10.9 points, 3.7 assists, 1.2 steals

Wake Forest played a unique style last year, having many of their possessions initiated by Alondes Williams and Jake LaRavia, who were a wing and forward. Both are also in the NBA now. Enter Tyree Appleby, the super senior transfer from Florida. The 6-foot-1 guard is a more traditional play initiator. He has a rugged mentality, and he guards the point of attack. Steve Forbes is quickly building a reputation as the ‘transfer whisperer’; will Appleby be the next in line?

Jack Clark (LaSalle) NC State

Height/Weight: 6-8/200
Class: Senior
2021-22 Stats: 12.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.6 threes

Kevin Keatts’ teams are at their best when he has a four-man who is an offensive threat and able to guard. Jack Clark is a transfer from LaSalle who can space the floor, make a play, and guard multiple spots. At 6-foot-8, he has good length, and early returns are his 29 percent three-point shooting from last season is not indicative of the threat he is. Clark’s transfer to the Wolfpack did not come with much hype, but the spacing he could provide for Terquavion Smith to work and his defensive versatility may be just what the doctor ordered.

Darin Green (UCF) Florida State

Height/Weight: 6-5/195
Class: Senior
2021-22 Stats: 13.3 points, 38.5% 3P, 3.0 3s/game

Darin Green is a sharpshooter, and floor spacing was a necessary addition from last season’s team. According to Sports Reference, the Seminoles finished 225th in D-I last season, shooting 33.1 percent from three. Caleb Mills is the only returner who averaged more than one made three per game and shot over 35 percent (35.3%) from three.

Pete Nance (Northwestern) UNC

Height/Weight: 6-10/225
Class: Senior
2021-22 Stats: 14.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.1 blocks, 45.2% 3P

The interesting question here will be can how Pete Nance and returning All-American Armando Bacot co-exist. Both players have the look of traditional five men, especially with who they can guard. On the periphery, Nance will be tasked with replacing the production Brady Manek provided. While Nance is not the shooter Manek was, the Northwestern transfer did knock down 45.2 percent of his threes on 3.1 attempts per game last season. Will last season’s spot shooting be the norm moving forward, or will Nance revert back to his 31.2 percent shooting from the previous three seasons combined?

Norchad Omier (Arkansas State) Miami

Height/Weight: 6-7/232
Class: Sophomore
2021-22 Stats: 17.9 points, 12.2 rebounds, 1.9 blocks, 1.6 steals

Sure, Nijel Pack may be a sexier pick here, but the ruggedness Norchad Omier brings to the Hurricanes will be necessary for them to have success. Sports Reference says Miami finished 345th in D-I basketball with 30.6 total rebounds per game and 171st in blocks per game. Omier was one of only three players in D-I last season to average 17 points and 12 rebounds per game. Of the 15 D-I players who averaged double-doubles last season, Omier’s 1.9 blocks were the third most. For a team who needed an identity around the basket, the reigning Sun Belt Defensive Player of the year comes in with a reputation.

Others to watch

PF Grant Basile (Wright State) Virginia Tech

C Andrew Carr (Delaware) Wake Forest

PG Nelly Cummings (Colgate) Pittsburgh

SF Jacob Grandison (Illinois) Duke

PF Brandon Huntley Hatfield (Tennessee) Louisville

CG Nijel Pack (Kansas State) Miami

PF Ben Vander Plas (Ohio) Virginia