How each team has used the transfer portal to get to the Sweet 16
The landscape of college basketball, really college athletics as a whole, has changed over the past couple of years. With the NCAA passing the one-time, no-penalty rule for the transfer portal, the landscape has seen a significant uptick in players transferring schools. The transfer portal has come up with mixed reviews, some appreciating it and some suggesting that it is ruining college sports.
No matter the stance, there is no denying that the transfer portal is here, and the list of names grows daily. During the 2022 transfer portal cycle, over 1,700 names were entered. This year, merely seven days after the transfer portal opened, while teams are still playing, already over 600 names have entered.
The transfer portal has had a significant role in this year’s Sweet 16. Only two teams, Princeton and UCLA, have zero players in their rotation from the transfer portal. On the flip side, Kansas State’s entire nine man rotation came from the transfer portal.
No two teams are built alike. But this is era of basketball we are currently in. Coaches are able to build teams out of the portal, or they are able to supplement or add to an already strong roster with the portal. Make no mistake; the transfer portal is going nowhere soon.
What better way to see how the transfer portal is working than to look at the NCAA Tournament? Here are how each team has used the portal to get to the Sweet 16.
Alabama
Transfers in the rotation: PG Jahvon Quinerly (Villanova/20.9mpg), PG Mark Sears (Ohio/29.8mpg), SG Nimari Burnett (Texas Tech/15.0mpg), PF Nick Pringle (Juco/8.0mpg), PF Noah Gurley (Furman/15.4mpg)
Alabama is the 1 seed in the South Regional. The Crimson Tide finished the season 31-5 and first in the final A.P. Poll. They beat Maryland and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to get the Sweet 16,
Nate Oats typically plays a ten-man rotation, and five of those players came to Alabama from the portal. Transfers Jahvon Quinerly and Mark Sears have started all five tournament games, both conference and NCAA. And the Crimson Tide have created good depth with the other transfers. It is also worth noting three of the five players, save Quinerly and Burnett, transferred up in level. Gurley was All-Southern at Furman, and Sears was All-MAC at Ohio.
Houston
Transfers in the rotation: C Reggie Chaney (Arkansas/13.4mpg)
Houston is the 1 seed in the Midwest Regional. The Cougars finished the season 28-4 and sixth in the final A.P. Poll. They beat Auburn and Northern Kentucky to get to the Sweet 16.
Kelvin Sampson’s teams have typically thrived in the portal, looking at Kyler Edwards, Josh Carlton, Dejon Jarreau, and Quentin Grimes, just to name a few. Fifth-year senior Reggie Chaney is the only player the Houston rotation this season who came from the portal. All five Cougar starters were recruited to Houston out of high school.
UCLA
Transfers in the rotation: 0
UCLA is the 2 seed in the West Regional. The Bruins finished 31-5 on the season and seventh in the final A.P. Poll. They beat Northwestern and UNC-Asheville to get to the Sweet 16.
While transfers like Johnny Juzang (Kentucky) and Myles Johnson (Rutgers( were big pieces of UCLA’s recent success, Mick Cronin seems to prefer developing high school talent. Each player in UCLA’s rotation was recruited to Westwood out of high school. There is also an interesting age mix with three seniors and two freshmen starting after a season-ending injury to junior Jaylen Clark.
Texas
Transfers in the rotation: CG Marcus Carr (Pittsburgh, Minnesota/33.8mpg), SG Sir’Jabari Rice (New Mexico State/25.3mpg), SF Timmy Allen (Utah/28.0mpg), PG Tyrese Hunter (Iowa State/29.8mpg), C Dylan Disu (Vanderbilt/19.5mpg), PF Christian Bishop (Creighton/17.5mpg)
Texas is the 2 seed in the Midwest Regional. The Longhorns finished 28-8 this season and fifth in the final A.P. Poll. They beat Penn State and Colgate to get to the Sweet 16.
Texas has a rotation of nine players who average double-digit minutes each night. And while they start freshman Dillon Mitchell, each of the Longhorns’ five biggest minute earners are all transfers. Of the six transfers in the rotation, five of them transferred laterally from other high-major programs. The player who transferred up in level, Sir’Jabari Rice, was All-WAC three times at New Mexico State.
Kansas State
Transfers in the rotation: SF Keyontae Johnson (Florida/34.3mpg), PG Markquis Nowell (Arkansas-Little Rock/36.6mpg), C Nae’Qwan Tomlin (JUCO/26.8mpg), CG Desi Sills (Arkansas, Arkansas State/29.5mpg), CG Camryn Carter (Mississippi State/25.9mpg), PF David N’Guessan (Virginia Tech/19.7mpg), PF Ismael Massoud (Wake Forest/14.9mpg), C Abayomi Iyiola (Stetson, Arkansas, Hofstra/11.9mpg)
Kansas State is the 3 seed in the East Regional. The Wildcats finished the season 25-9 and No. 15 in the final A.P. Poll. They beat Montana State and Kentucky to get the Sweet 16.
So here we are, first-year head coach Jerome Tang plays an eight or nine man rotation, and all of them are transfers. Some transferred up in level, some transferred laterally, and one came from junior college. The team’s two All-Big 12 performers, Keyontae Johnson, and Markquis Nowell, were both all-league players at their previous schools. Tang was able to establish an identity and demand buy-in quickly.
Gonzaga
Transfers in the rotation: PG Rasir Bolton (Penn State, Iowa State/26.6mpg), Malachi Smith (UT-Chattanooga/20.5mpg)
Gonzaga is the 3 seed in the West Regional. The Bulldogs finished 30-5 this season and ninth in the final A.P. Poll. They beat TCU and Grand Canyon to get to the Sweet 16.
Mark Few is no stranger to the transfer portal. Even before the new rules were implemented, he navigated the portal to fill in holes or enhance certain positions on the roster. This team is no different. They have one starter, Rasir Bolton, who was taken out of the portal, and then their sixth-man Malachi Smith.
Xavier
Transfers in the rotation: PG Souley Boum (San Francisco, UTEP/35.1mpg), C Jack Nunge (Iowa/29.4mpg), SG Adam Kunkel (Belmont/30.3mpg), SF Jerome Hunter (Indiana/20.7)
Xavier is the 3 seed in the Midwest Regional. The Musketeers finished 27-9 this season and No. 13 in the final A.P. Poll. They beat Pittsburgh and Kennesaw State to get to the Sweet 16.
Sean Miller is another first-year coach who put his stamp on the roster almost immediately. He plays six guys who log the majority of minutes, and each of them plays 20-plus. Junior Colby Jones is the only starter who was recruited to Xavier out of high school. It is an interesting split down the middle, with two transfers making lateral moves and two moving up in level. Boum was All-Conference USA twice and Kunkel All-OVC the year prior to transferring.
Tennessee
Transfers in the rotation: SG Tyreke Key (Indiana State/23.4mpg)
Tennessee is the 4 seed in the East Regional. The Volunteers finished this season 25-10 and No. 20 in the final A.P. Poll. They beat Duke and Louisiana to get to the Sweet 16.
Tyreke Key has been a part-time starter this season but has gotten consistent playing time. The senior is also the only transfer in the rotation. Key is from Clay County, Tennessee, and transferred back home from Indiana State. He scored 1,560 career points at Indiana State and was twice All-MVC.
UConn
Transfers in the rotation: PG Tristen Newton (East Carolina/28.3mpg), SG Joey Calcaterra (San Diego/14.6mpg), CG Hassan Diarra (Texas A&M/13.8mpg), Nahiem Alleyne (Virginia Tech/18.0mpg)
UConn is the 4 seed in the West Regional. The Huskies finished 26-8 this season and tenth in the final A.P. Poll. They beat St. Mary’s and Iona to get to the Sweet 16.
Head coach Danny Hurley went into the portal this offseason to snag their starting point guard, Tristen Newton. The rest of the starters came to Storrs out of high school. UConn built this team’s perimeter bench depth out of the portal, with three players averaging more than 13 minutes per game.
Miami
Transfers in the rotation: C Norchad Omier (Arkansas State/28.6mpg), SF Jordan Miller (George Mason/34.9mpg), CG Nijel Pack (Kansas State/31.4mpg)
Miami is the 5 seed in the Midwest Regional. The Hurricanes finished 27-7 this season and No. 16 in the final A.P. Poll. They beat Indiana and Drake to get to the Sweet 16.
After losing three starters from last season’s Elite Eight team, Miami was very notably a big player in the transfer portal this off-season, bringing in two major pieces with Pack and Omier. In fact, three of Miami’s eight-man rotation are from the transfer portal, and all three of them are starters who play more than 28 minutes per game. Norchad Omier, who was the Sun Belt Player of the Year, and Jordan Miller, who was All-A10, both made All-ACC teams this season.
San Diego State
Transfers in the rotation: SG Matt Bradley (California/26.7mpg), PG Darrion Trammell (Seattle/26.9mpg), SF Micah Parrish (Oakland/21.6mpg), C Jaedon Ledee (Ohio State, TCU/18.1mpg)
San Diego State is the 5 seed in the South Regional. The Aztecs finished 29-6 this season and No. 18 in the final A.P. Poll. They beat Charleston and Furman to get to the Sweet 16.
Head coach Brian Dutcher has a nine-man rotation, and they all play a lot of minutes. The top two minutes getters, however, Matt Bradley and Darrion Trammell, are both transfers. The first wing off the bench, Parrish, and the first big off the bench, Ledee, are also transfers. Two made lateral transfers, Bradley and LeDee, while two transferred up in level. Trammell was first-team All-WAC prior to his transfer, and Micah Parrish was Horizon League All-Defense.
Creighton
Transfers in the portal: SF Baylor Scheierman (South Dakota State/32.5mpg), G Francisco Farabello (TCU/15.8mpg)
Creighton is the 6 seed in the South Regional. The Bluejays finished the season 23-13 and outside of the final A.P. Poll. They beat Baylor and NC State to get to the Sweet 16.
Greg McDermott returned four players with starting experience this season. They brought in a highly-coveted transfer, Baylor Scheierman, to round out the starting group. Farabello has experience on and off the ball, as well as in a high major starting lineup. Both have played big roles on this team, not only on offense but bringing toughness on the defensive side as well.
Michigan State
Transfers in the rotation: SG Tyson Walker (Northeastern/33.7mpg), Joey Hauser (Marquette/33.9mpg)
Michigan State is the 7 seed in the East Regional. The Spartans finished 21-12 this season and finished outside of the final A.P. Poll. They beat Marquette and Southern California to get to the Sweet 16.
Tom Izzo has eight players who log more than ten minutes per game, while six of them play 20-plus. The Spartans’ top two minute-getters are both transfers. The rest of the rotation came to East Lansing out of high school. Joey Hauser was Big East All-Freshman prior to transferring, and Tyson Walker was the CAA Defensive Player of the Year.
Arkansas
Transfers in the rotation: SG Ricky Council IV (Wichita State/34.1mpg), PF Makhi Mitchell (Maryland, Rhode Island/20.3mpg), C Makhel Mitchell (Maryland, Rhode Island/13.2mpg), PF Kamani Johnson (Arkansas-Little Rock/11.7mpg), PF Jalen Graham (Arizona State/9.8mpg)
Arkansas is the 8 seed in the West Regional. The Razorback finished 22-13 this season and outside of the final A.P. Poll. They beat Kansas and Howard to get to the Sweet 16.
Eric Musselman brought in 11 new players this season, five of which were transfers. Even with transfer Trevon Brazile’s early season injury, the newcomers had to tote the load. While this team was expected to be led by freshmen, however, it was transfer Ricky Council IV that led the Razorbacks to the upset of No. 1 ranked Kansas. It should also be noted the freshmen are very good too.
Florida Atlantic
Transfers in the rotation: C Vladislav Goldin (Texas Tech/20.5mpg), PG Bryan Greenlee (Minnesota/24.7mpg), PF Jalen Gaffney (UConn/22.9mpg), SG Brandon Witherspoon (JUCO/15.7mpg)
Florida Atlantic is the 9 seed in the East Regional. The Owls finished 33-3 on the season and No. 25 in the Final A.P. Poll. They beat Memphis and Fairleigh Dickinson to get to the Sweet 16.
Dusty May’s group has maintained a nine this season. Four of the players on the roster are transfers, one JUCO and three coming from high majors. Greenlee and Goldin are full-time starters, while Witherspoon and Gaffney both started over 20 games this season.
Princeton
Transfers in the rotation: 0
Princeton is the 15 seed in the South Regional. The Tigers finished 23-8 this season and outside of the final A.P. Poll. They beat Missouri and Arizona to get to the Sweet 16.
Princeton lost two of its top three scorers off last year’s team to high major transfers. Ivy League programs do not have graduate schools, so players are forced to transfer if they have eligibility after graduating. So what does head coach Mitch Henderson do? Business as usual, down two high majors, next man up, and bring in some freshmen to play important roles.