Transfer portal: three players under-the-radar Monday entrants
While there are over 1,600 names in the D1 men’s basketball transfer portal, things are drastically slowing down. Thirteen players entered on Monday, after only seven entered over the weekend. There are still players trickling in, but at nowhere near the rate of a month ago when over 100 were entering daily.
We have just ten days left of the portal being open to first-time, non-graduate transfers to enter without penalty (loss of a year). The portal opened for 60 days, starting on March 13, and the last day to enter will be May 12.
On3 has been your go-to source to follow everything happening with the college basketball transfer portal. Daily, we bring you intel, list cuts, who has entered, commitments, up-to-date rankings, and more. So if you are following along at home, be sure to follow the On3 Transfer Portal Hub.
On Monday, three very interesting players entered the portal. Three players who may not be superstars in their own right but guys who, if they go into the right situation, could help a team win and advance. Let’s discuss.
Three portal entrants who could help winning
C Connor Vanover – Oral Roberts
Connor Vanover, a 7-foot-5 grad transfer from Little Rock, Arkansas, originally signed with Cal-Berkley out of Henderson (NV) Findlay Prep. After a season, he transferred back to his home state school, Arkansas. Through those three seasons, Vanover was never quite able to find his footing at the two high major stops averaging 6.3 points and 1.3 blocks with 52 total starts.
The tides turned drastically last season for Vanover. He transferred to Oral Roberts and averaged 12.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.3 blocks, and 1.4 threes per game. Oral Roberts ended up 30-5 on the season, and head coach Paul Mills took the head job at Wichita State.
Vanover has a unique skill set. He carries a lengthy 7-foot-5 frame that, despite its skinny nature, is a natural shot blocker. He also prefers to play out on the perimeter, attempting 4.2 threes per game last season.
SF DJ Rodman – Washington State
I am sure that many reading this piece recognize the name Dennis (DJ) Rodman Jr. He is the son of Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman. DJ Rodman is a 6-foot-6 grad transfer from Washington State, where he averaged 9.6 points and 5.8 rebounds last season.
Last season, Rodman filled the stat sheet. He started 30 games for the Cougars, who finished 11-9 in the conference. He also shot 38.1 percent from three on 4.3 attempts per game. Rodman added 1.4 assists and finished top 15 in the Pac-12 in rebounds per game, offensive rebounds, offensive win shares, and offensive box plus/minus.
Rodman’s averages bumped up to 10.2 points and 6.0 rebounds during Pac-12 play last season.
C Aziz Bandaogo – Utah Valley
Aziz Bandaogo is from Dakar, Senegal. He originally signed with Akron out of the NBA Academy Africa and transferred to Utah Valley this off-season after his two seasons at Akron. The 7-foot-0 center is rostered as a rising COVID junior.
Bandaogo earned the WAC Conference Defensive Player of the Year award this season after finishing fifth in NCAA D1 men’s basketball with 2.9 blocks per game. He also finished second in D1 in Defensive Win Shares (3.0) and ninth in Defensive Rating (88.0). His 10.4 rebounds per game were 11th in D1 basketball. Bandaogo was first-team All-WAC averaging 11.5 points on 60 percent shooting from the field.
The 7-footer is still relatively thin, listed at 225 pounds, but his natural instincts on defense and ability to play within the pick and roll and be used as a vertical lob threat on offense make him a presence.