College Basketball Transfer Portal 2024-2025

MHettel · 04-26-2024, 06:05 PM

Originally Posted by ArizonaXUGrad

No way to push that narrative, throughout X's history we are at a rather large net positive when it comes to transfer players. If you net the quality of transfers in vs. those we lost. It is not even close. Even if you jsut consider this portal's era.

Oh, this is a true statement, 100%.

I'd take a team of XU Transfers and go head -to head with a team of Traditional XU players. Lavender, Crawford, CJ, McLean & Stain. Or maybe swap out for Nunge, Boum, Olivari, Hankins, Kunkel, hunter, Thornton, Kanter, Myles.....the list goes on. We've LIVED off of transfers.

But, we arent talking about "XUs history". We are talking about the "portal Era." And the reality is we've had one good year in the last 6. You need to go back 40+ years to point to a bigger disappointment.

With that said, of COURSE we've had some good transfers in the portal era. Its been WIDELY stated that wings are a "dime a dozen" and thats where we've been successful. And we just picked up 3 more. There are dozens of guys out there that could flourish under Sean Miller. But where are the Bigs? Abou was a flop. freaking Duncolmb was a project and then quit before the season started but has suddenly unretired. I like Hugley, but he's got an injury history and other health issues that have costs him time. Is this where we are? Collect a bunch of wings and then find some scratch and dent big guys? Our freaking OWN big guys wouldnt pass the "CarFax" report.

look, I'm glad we got the guys we got. And i see a top 25 roster. But I'm tired of the top 25, and want to get into the National Championship discussion. Loading up on good mid-major wings will not get the job done. Which of the top teams in the country have NOT also loaded up on wing depth in the portal?

the reality is that the landscape is evolving, and we havent seen what this looks like when it's in full bloom. someone said "we're almost a half decade into this" and the fact is, NO we are not. This is like the 3rd offseason with no transfer restrictions and NIL. The NIL has become increasingly MORE organized and impactful. Each year is different from the last. its becoming more and more extreme. guys are leaving DUKE. These kids probably dreamed about playing for Duke their whole lives. But that smell of money comes into the picture and they are gone.

But back to the original point. We've had alot more success with transfers BEFORE the Portal era than since. prove me wrong.

**Xville** · 04-26-2024, 06:37 PM

Originally Posted by MHettel

Oh, this is a true statement, 100%.

I'd take a team of XU Transfers and go head -to head with a team of Traditional XU players. Lavender, Crawford, CJ, McLean & Stain. Or maybe swap out for Nunge, Boum, Olivari, Hankins, Kunkel, hunter, Thornton, Kanter, Myles.....the list goes on. We've LIVED off of transfers.

But, we arent talking about "XUs history". We are talking about the "portal Era." And the reality is we've had one good year in the last 6. You need to go back 40+ years to point to a bigger disappointment.

With that said, of COURSE we've had some good transfers in the portal era. Its been WIDELY stated that wings are a "dime a dozen" and thats where we've been successful. And we just picked up 3 more. There are dozens of guys out there that could flourish under Sean Miller. But where are the Bigs? Abou was a flop. freaking Duncolmb was a project and then quit before the season started but has suddenly unretired. I like Hugley, but he's got an injury history and other health issues that have costs him time. Is this where we are? Collect a bunch of wings and then find some scratch and dent big guys? Our freaking OWN big guys wouldnt pass the "CarFax" report.

look, I'm glad we got the guys we got. And i see a top 25 roster. But I'm tired of the top 25, and want to get into the National Championship discussion. Loading up on good mid-major wings will not get the job done. Which of the top teams in the country have NOT also loaded up on wing depth in the portal?

the reality is that the landscape is evolving, and we havent seen what this looks like when it's in full bloom. someone said "we're almost a half decade into this" and the fact is, NO we are not. This is like the 3rd offseason with no transfer restrictions and NIL. The NIL has become increasingly MORE organized and impactful. Each year is different from the last. its becoming more and more extreme. guys are leaving DUKE. These kids probably dreamed about playing for Duke their whole lives. But that smell of money comes into the picture and they are gone.

But back to the original point. We've had alot more success with transfers BEFORE the Portal era than since. prove me wrong.

Dwest is 100% correct, you complain just to complain.

Now it’s well we haven’t done as well as before the portal era. Well you’re comparing history vs six years but in those six years done pretty damn well as previously noted:

Nunge
Rome
Olivari
Boum
McKnight
Kunkel
4 from this year

Oh now you want to complain about big men? Well we just had Nunge and this year free/rome were ready to roll but got injured/sick (too late to be replaced adequately) and this year we got hugley and will end up with a probably developing 5.

Geez

Xavier · 04-26-2024, 07:19 PM

I think you have to look and see where X can compete with the year in year out NC contenders. That’s through guards/wings IMO. With the up tempo system you lean into that. I really think the first year is a glimpse into what the system can be, but we can get better/more depth at the guard/wing spot for it. For example I would almost never expect a guy Kunkel to start for X again. Great 6th man, but talent of the guys we are bringing in are just much higher.

A Nunge/Freemantle front court fit the system well and that’s kinda the frontcourt styles we need to look for and can get. That team was in the conversation before Freemantle went down. As for this year, Freemantle/hugely/Hunter can maybe fit that. Still hoping for another center though. And I do kinda think the best way to attack portal talent (for X) is to get second change guys like Hugely or stud high school guys that didn’t pan out at first stop. I don’t really expect X to be in the conversation with the top transfer bigs every year so go after guys that fit the system well or have shown some talent and hope it pans out.

**XUGRAD80** · 04-27-2024, 05:39 AM

Over the last few years….

Duke has had 10 players transfer out. Kansas has had 15 players transfer out. It’s not a new phenomenon for this year. It’s been happening for years at these schools. During the same period, X has had 20….with several of them this year.

Oh and by the way MH……EVERY school wants to find that stud center/forward that will take them to the NC. But they are few and far between. X has done a pretty good job over the years of either recruiting and developing bigs or finding diamonds in the rough through transfers. Nunge came in with injury history also. HankyMcSpanky came from D2. Thorton came from Vanderbilt. Hill, Grant, West were not high school all American players. Xavier has TRIED to get high ranked recruit and transfer bigs, but hasn’t been very successful ever in that regard. I suggest you take off the rose colored glasses and take an unbiased and realistic look at what X has to offer compared to the schools that land those players. IMO X has been punching above it’s weight for years and years. They have some hurdles to overcome that make recruiting against the teams that regularly get the top players very very difficult. I’m sure that they will keep trying (in fact I know they are) but the odds aren’t in their favor. That’s reality.

**paulxu** · 04-27-2024, 06:37 AM

1,900 players in the portal.
Xavier at #24 predicated on the return of Freemantle and Hunter.
And this gem:

Pope's new program, Kentucky, has also dropped out because the Wildcats don't have enough players to field a lineup at this point.

It's a circus.
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...2024-25-season

**UCGRAD4X** · 04-27-2024, 10:56 AM

Originally Posted by paulxu

1,900 players in the portal.
Xavier at #24 predicated on the return of Freemantle and Hunter.
And this gem:

It's a circus.
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...2024-25-season

I took it as; If Free and Hunter stay healthy, they will likely move up.

One man's opinion of one man's opinion.

**A Fan** · 04-27-2024, 11:06 AM

Originally Posted by UCGRAD4X

I took it as; If Free and Hunter stay healthy, they will likely move up.

One man's opinion of one man's opinion.

Let’s face it. Absent another Big, the whole season hinges on the health of Fremantle., Hunter and Hugely. We have seen what an ineffectual front court nets you in the body banging Big East.