2024 College Basketball Transfer Portal Winners
2024 College Basketball Transfer Portal Winners
When it comes to betting on college basketball, the key is learning about all the changes that occurred in the off-season. Kansas (+1000) is the favorite, while Duke (+1100) and UConn (+1100) are a close second in terms of winning the 2025 NCAA Championship. How did those teams do in the transfer portal? Let’s take a look at the winners as of May 23.
(Odds to win the NCAA Title from Draft Kings)
1)Kansas (+1000)
The Jayhawks added A.J. Storr from Wisconsin and they return 24-year-old center Hunter Dickinson. Storr and Rylan Griffen (Alabama) are 6-6 wins that Kansas desperately needed. Zeke Mayo (South Dakota St.) shot 39.1% from the three-point line and had 3.5 assists last season, while averaging 18.8 points for the Jackrabbits. Storr just seems to go from school to school, but he’s a talented wing.
2)Alabama (+1500)
Alabama ran and ran last season, but didn’t have much rim protection. Enter Clifford Omoruyi from Rutgers, who will help solve that problem for coach Nate Oats. He averaged 10.4 points, 83 rebounds and 2.9 blocks for the Scarlet Knights in the Big 10. Alabama lost starting guars Aaron Estrada to eligibility, while Mark Sears entered the draft (could return). If Sears doesn’t return, the Tide brought in Aden Holloway from Auburn to replace him. The talented freshman averaged 7.3 points and 2.7 assists off the bench last season. They added another strong shooter in Houston Mallette from Pepperdine, who shot 41.5% from long range and averaged 14.7 points.
3)St. John’s (+4000)
Look out but Rick Pitino is going to have a serious squad this season. Kadary Richmon (Seton Hall) and Deivon Smith (Utah) will both have to co-exist in the backcourt. Richmond was first-team All-Big East last season averaging 10.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists. Smith ranked sixth in the nation with 7.1 assists per game. Center Vincent Iwuchukwu comes from USC where health problems slowed him down, but is a very talented player and worth the gamble. Pitino added a solid 6-7 wing in Aaron Scott from North Texas, who shot 37% from the three-point line last season and 5.6 rebounds.
4)Baylor (+1800)
Is Baylor back? They didn’t really go anywhere but the key was bringing in Duke guard Jeremy Roach. He averaged 14 points and 3.3 assists on 42.9% from beyond the arc last season in the ACC. Bryce Drew also added another talented ACC player in Norchad Omier from Miami. He’s a 6-7, 240-pound senior who averaged 17 points, 10 rebounds and shot 35.3% from long range last season.
5)Louisville (+11000)
Pat Kelsey takes over a mess. It’s not going to change overnight because adding 11 players is a task. Kasean Pryor from South Florida averaged 13 points and should fit into his uptempo system. Chucky Hepburn from Wisconsin is a solid veteran who can run the team and averaged 2.1 steals per game last season. Terrence Edwards Jr. (James Madison) was the Sun Belt Player of the Year and should do fine in the ACC.
6)Michigan (+5000)
The Wolverines start anew with coach Dusty May, who brought in two 7-footers in Vladislav Goldin from FAU and Danny Wolf from Yale. The key will be Ohio State transfer Roddy Gayle Jr. He averaged 13.5 points, but shot just 28.4% from beyond the arc as a sophomore for the Buckeyes last season. Sam Walters (6-10) from Alabama shot 39.4% from the three-point line as a freshman. This class was very good but they need a playmaker to emerge in the Big 10.
7)Indiana (+5000)
It’s pretty much win now or else for Mike Woodson. The Hoosiers picked up Arizona big man Oumar Ballo as the key addition. He averaged 12.9 points and 10.1 rebounds and replaces Kel’el Ware, who left for the NBA. Guard Myles Rice from Washington State and Canaan Carlyle from Stanford are talented guards who struggled from three-point land. IU gets better and deeper with these additions.
8)West Virginia (+12000)
West Virginia desperately needed to add talent and new coach Darian DeVries came over from Drake. He brought his son Tucker, who at 6-7, averaged 21.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists at Drake and is considered one of the best portal additions. Javon Small from Oklahoma State is an ultra-athletic guard who could be a star on a team that needs talent. They added mostly role players, but they will be a much better squad next season led by Small and Tucker DeVries.
9)Arkansas (+2500)
John Calipari leaves Kentucky and adds FAU star guard Johnell Davis, a 6-4 guard, who averaged 18.2 points last season and most importantly, hit 41.4% of his three-pointers. He was one of the top transfers. Coach Cal also added two players from Kentucky in Adou Thiero and Zvonimir Ivisic.
10)Saint Louis (n/a)
New coach Josh Schertz from Indiana State brought along C Robbie Avila (Cream Abdul-Jabaar) and Isaiah Swope. Avila at 6-10, 240, is one of the nation’s best all-around offensive players, averaging 17.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists on 39.4% from beyond the arc. Swope averaged 15.9 points and shot 36.2% from long range as a sophomore at 5-10. A third Indiana State transfer is Ryan Conwell (6-4, 195), who averaged 16.6 points and 5.8 rebounds on 40.7% from long range.
