Notre Dame adds Niagara grad transfer guard Marcus Hammond to backcourt mix
Mike Brey understood Notre Dame freshman guard Blake Wesley’s emergence as a potential one-and-done this season might create a roster hole he didn’t anticipate encountering this year.
The No. 99 recruit in a class rarely plays his way into a projected first-round pick in one season, but that’s what Wesley did while leading the 24-11 Irish in scoring. Brey knew what it meant: he might be losing Wesley way sooner than he initially thought.
Sure enough, Wesley declared for the NBA Draft, and in doing so, 14.4 points and 29 minutes per game walked out the Rolfs Hall doors. His exit left a chasm in the Irish backcourt. Adding a transfer portal guard was no longer a luxury or unnecessary. It was a priority.
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The portal yields plentiful options for any team needing a quick fix for an unforeseen roster hole. Notre Dame sifted through the many offerings and identified Niagara grad transfer Marcus Hammond as a fit.
Hammond apparently feels the same way about Notre Dame.
The 6-3, 173-pound guard committed to the Irish on Monday after an official visit, choosing them over Georgetown. He also visited Rutgers and had scheduled a trip to Kansas State. He has one year of eligibility left and is using the COVID-19 exemption to play a fifth season.
Hammond was a three-year starter at Niagara, averaging 18.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists as a senior this season. He shot 43 percent overall, 37 percent on three-pointers and 83 percent on free throws for the 14-16 Purple Eagles. He was the second-leading scorer in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. He’s a career 38.9 percent shooter from beyond the arc.
In four seasons at Niagara, Hammond played 113 games and scored 1,422 points. He is a three-time All-MAAC selection, with two first-team appearances. He has played on and off the ball in his college career. He is a Queens, N.Y. native and played at Cardozo High School in New York. He entered his name in the portal March 22. He’s the No. 79 player in Stadium’s 2022-23 transfer rankings.
Notre Dame adds Hammond to a backcourt with three other fifth-year seniors. Dane Goodwin, the Irish’s second-leading scorer (13.6 points per game) in 2021-22, announced he will return using the COVID-19 exemption. Cormac Ryan and Trey Wertz are expected back for their fifth years. Notre Dame is also counting on McDonald’s All-American guard signee J.J. Starling to play a prominent role. He’s the No. 24 player in the 2022 class, per the On3 Consensus.
Hammond is likely the first of multiple transfer portal additions for Notre Dame this offseason. The Irish are searching for a forward to step into the starting center spot Paul Atkinson Jr. (12.5 points per game) held last season. Their top target is former Wright State forward Grant Basile, who was on campus for an official visit at the same time as Hammond.
Notre Dame has 13 scholarships with Hammond in the fold, but that could drop to 11 if senior forward Nate Laszewski pursues a pro career and senior guard Robby Carmody moves on. Laszewski is going through the NBA Draft process and has until June 1 to decide if he will return for a fifth season. Outside of a six-second senior day appearance this year, Carmody has not played since Dec. 2019 due to multiple injuries.
