The college basketball transfer portal is experiencing a surge, with a projected 65% increase in player acquisitions this spring. Notable teams like Louisville, Texas, Indiana, and Providence are aggressively pursuing top talent, while LSU and Kansas have yet to make any additions.
Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune
The transfer portal is humming along, and it's a good time to hit free agency. Evan Miya has forecasted a 65% spike in the player-acquisition market this spring, so the strategies to navigate this booming market have been fascinating.
Pat Kelsey has chosen to be extremely aggressive. Louisville is throwing major bags at the best players at each position. Teams like Texas, Indiana and Providence have not been afraid to go big-game hunting right from the jump.
And then there is Will Wade. The brash, loud new LSU coach has ... zero portal adds?? Kansas' roster is barren, too. You know Wade and Bill Self will be heard from in free agency, but the cat-and-mouse game to find value in the market is well underway.
Let's dive into the newly-unveiled top 100 transfers in 2026, plus a NFL Draft-style big board that illustrates which positions are full of talent and others that have little to choose from.
Transferring from: Kansas
The player-acquisition market is forecasted to see a 65% spike this spring.
Teams like Louisville, Texas, Indiana, and Providence are actively targeting top players in the transfer portal.
Milan Momcilovic and Allen Graves are highlighted as key entries in the latest transfer rankings.
LSU's new coach Will Wade and Kansas have not yet made any additions, indicating a different strategy in navigating the transfer market.
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Numbers to know: 13.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 9.0 block percentage
The scout: Bidunga is a pogo-stick leaper who hammered down 82 dunks (second-most in this portal) and an elite defensive prospect. The 6-foot-9 forward is switchable, mobile and highly disruptive on the perimeter and in the paint defensively. Louisville wisely paid up for Bidunga, who can reward that investment by making a serious run at ACC Defensive Player of the Year.
Transferring from: Iowa State
Numbers to know: 16.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, 49% from 3-point range on 7.5 attempts
The scout: Momcilovic is the best shooter in all of college basketball. No one made more triples than Momcilovic (136), and the 6-foot-8, 225-pound forward makes tough shots look remarkably easy. Momcilovic's fadeaway midrange jumper is almost impossible to deflect, and it serves as a needed counter to his barrage of off-movement triples that he can uncork even if a defender is draped nearby. The shot-making is so pure that it covers up some of Momcilovic's warts (no offensive rebounding, little creation, no rim pressure and average defense).
Momcilovic has his sights set on the NBA Draft, but if he returns to college basketball, he is a plug-and-play difference-maker for anybody because he has an elite trait. Florida, Kentucky and Kansas will be in the mix if this recruitment opens up.
Transferring from: Wisconsin
Numbers to know: 19.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 39% from 3-point range on 7.3 attempts
The scout: Blackwell is a powerful, scoring guard who plays a physical brand of clean basketball. Blackwell is just so skilled, smart, competitive and tough. Blackwell has become a knockdown shooter from downtown, and he sheds defenders with get-off-me drives. All-Conference upside. Duke and Illinois are regarded as the favorites for now, with UCLA, Louisville, Arizona and Alabama certainly in the mix.
Transferring from: Santa Clara
Numbers to know: 11.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.9 steals, 0.9 blocks, 41% from 3-point range on 2.6 attempts
The scout: Graves is a five-tool player who broke out in a huge way to help Santa Clara earn an at-large bid. The 6-foot-9, 225-pound forward creates havoc on defense (4.8% block rate and 4.8% steal rate). He can be a jumbo playmaker (2.5-to-1, assist-to-turnover ratio). He's a dangerous pick-and-pop threat from downtown. He can put it on the deck and drive it. He can play in post-ups and has proved to be a high-feel cutter. Graves' first focus is the NBA Draft, but if he returns to school, teams like hometown LSU and the blue bloods will be in hot pursuit.
Transferring from: Arizona State
Numbers to know: 13.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 7.7 block percentage
The scout: Arizona State transfer Massamba Diop has no idea how good he can be. The 7-foot-1 center had an impressive rookie season in the Big 12, using his length, fluidity and burgeoning skill to transform into one of the best big men in the league. Diop runs the floor so smoothly and owns a terrific catch radius around the basket. Playing with an unselfish, set-the-table point guard like Moe Odom certainly helped, but Diop has an advanced skill set that's not far from blossoming. He can hit face-up jumpers or the occasional pick-and-pop trey. He can put the ball on the deck for drives. He can protect the rim or guard in space. He can be a weapon on the glass and as a lob threat. Once the game slows down, Diop can be a terror. There's All-League potential in 2026-27 if it clicks with room for so much more.
St. John's and Gonzaga remain the top contenders for Diop's services.
Transferring from: BYU
Numbers to know: 18.1 points, 4.6 assists, 3.5 rebounds, 41% from 3-point range on 4.0 attempts
The scout: Wright is a dynamic, downhill point guard who can score at all three levels and create. Wright's wiggle, speed and handle form a brutal combination for defenders His size and defense are limitations for the NBA, but Wright can be one of the most productive players in college basketball next season.
Kentucky or a return to BYU are the most likely destinations at this point for the best floor general in the portal.
Editor's note: Wright exited the portal on Wednesday morning and will return to BYU for his junior season.
Transferring from: Kansas State
Numbers to know: 23.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists
The scout: Haggerty's game is no secret. The well-traveled combo guard can score the rock. Haggerty is an outstanding transition scorer who can get to the charity stripe at will, and he's improved his decision-making and 3-point shooting along the way. He's cracked double figures in 94 of the last 96 games over the past three seasons. Haggerty will be the favorite to lead the country in scoring next season at Texas A&M. It's a good fit for both parties.
Transferring from: Wake Forest
Numbers to know: 21.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 33% from 3-point range on 7.5 attempts
The scout: Harris is the best wing in the portal haul, so far. The 6-foot-7, 200-pound sophomore can operate as a dangerous off-movement shooter who showed his feel for the game as a cutter, slasher, rebounder and secondary creator. Harris can play in pick-and-rolls, but he's most dangerous off the ball. His counting stats will likely go down next year, but the all-around impact will be clear as day.
Heavy hitters like North Carolina, Michigan and Tennessee are wooing Harris for good reason.
Transferring from: TCU
Numbers to know: 14.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists
The scout: Punch is one of the top two-way players in the country. The 6-foot-7, 245-pound bruiser forward is arguably the most switchable player in this portal class. He can root out centers, battle power forwards, switch onto slippery guards and everything in between. Punch adds plenty of secondary rim protection, rugged rebounding and real utility offensively because he's a willing passer, sharp cutter and a physical mismatch threat. Punch only made 11 triples last year, but he impacts winning whether the jumper is going in or not.
Texas has built a knock-your-teeth-out frontcourt by landing Punch and retaining big man Matas Vokietaitis.
Transferring from: Saint Mary's
Numbers to know: 18.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists
The scout: Murauskas is a yoked forward who combines outstanding positional size with an inside-out game. The 6-foot-8, 235-pound forward uses backdowns to obliterate smaller defenders, and he can do a little bit of everything as a passer, handler and spot-up shooter. Murauskas is more of a 4-man who can play on the wing than vice versa, but he defends multiple positions and impacts the game positively in an abundance of ways.
Despite interest from everywhere, Murauskas is currently expected to to follow his long-time coach, Randy Bennett, to Arizona State.
Transferring from: San Diego State
Numbers to know: 10.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists,
The scout: Byrd is one of the elite defensive prospects in this class, using ridiculous athleticism and a 6-foot-10 wingspan to rack up unrivaled numbers (104 combined steals and blocks) for a wing. Scoring doesn't always come easily for Byrd, so it's up to the next staff to extract that out of his game if he wants to be an NBA player one day. Byrd projects as an off-ball wing who can make some reads, be a threat from downtown, attack long closeouts, fly around as a cutter and smash in transition. Providence's up-tempo scheme should be ideal.
Transferring from: Alabama
Numbers to know: 11.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 8.0 block percentage
The scout: Sherrell has all the tools to be a terrifying two-way big man if he can get his body cleaned up. Sherrell showed promising gains as a pick-and-roll threat and in pick-and-pops with soft touch around the basket and range out to the 3-point stripe. Sherrell was a good player at Alabama, but he's one locked-in offseason away from being an All-League big man. Indiana is the top squad to know here. Darian DeVries is making big-money moves.
Transferring from: Cincinnati
Numbers to know: 12.8 points, 7.1 rebounds, 6.8 block percentage
The scout: Thiam can wreck the game on both sides of the floor with his rim protection, rebounding and face-up game. If Thiam can put it all together, there's NBA upside. St. John's is one team firmly in the mix for Thiam, but there are dozens of suitors.
Transferring from: Colorado
Numbers to know: 16.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, 3.0 assists
The scout: Johnson is a jitterbug guard who is a jet in the open floor and can collapse the defense in a flash. He shredded bad teams, good teams, great teams and everyone in between on his way to being one of the top freshmen in the Big 12. The 6-foot-1 point guard has answers to the test as a scorer or playmaker, and his handle and pace make him a dizzying cover. Texas landed a gem.
Transferring from: Providence
Numbers to know: 15.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists
The scout: The 6-foot-7 lead guard has limitless range and can navigate ball screens with craft and uncoachable feel. The defense may never be even adequate, but Vaaks' combination of size, shooting and playmaking is so tantalizing. Vaaks' value ticks up because he can be an impact player on or off the ball. Vaaks fits like a glove in Illinois' scheme.
Transferring from: Syracuse
Numbers to know: 16.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists
The scout: The idea of Freeman is salivating. The 6-foot-9, 205-pound forward can do a little bit of everything, and when he plays with force, Freeman is nasty. He might be one of those toolsy pass-dribble-shoot forwards that every team craves, but Freeman would be far more effective if he found (and bought into) a system where he didn't have to rely on iso ball constantly.
Kentucky and UConn are the top headliners in the Freeman sweepstakes.
Transferring from: LSU
Numbers to know: 15.3 points, 6.5 assists
The scout: Thomas walks onto the floor, itching to make others better. The 6-foot-1 floor general has some durability concerns after missing significant chunks of the previous two seasons, but when healthy, Thomas has real shake, sky-high IQ and unquestioned feel in pick-and-rolls. Thomas' low turnover rate is essential for a Houston program that routinely rates near the top of the country in offensive-rebound rate.
Transferring from: Oregon
Numbers to know: 15.6 points, 4.9 assists, 2.9 rebounds
The scout: Shelstad is a total bucket. There's always a question about whether he's a point guard or just a scoring combo guard, but his lightning-quick first step and stop-and-pop ability are legit strengths. Shelstad can get to his pull-up jumper whenever, and he's a blur in transition. Louisville paid him to be a dude, and Shelstad is itching to deliver.
Transferring from: VCU
Numbers to know: 15.7 points, 2.8 assists, 2.7 rebounds, 37% from 3-point range on 6.0 attempts
The scout: Hill has real game. The 6-foot-3 guard drilled 41% of his catch-and-shoot 3s and shot over 63% at the rim. Those are both impeccable marks, and he can create something out of nothing off the bounce while playing clean basketball. Hill had two or fewer turnovers in 30 of 36 games this year for a VCU club that advanced to the Round of 32.
Kansas is a notable team in the Hill sweepstakes.
Transferring from: Villanova
Numbers to know: 12.2 points, 5.3 assists, 3.0 rebounds
The scout: The lefty floor general was one of the Big East's top freshmen from the jump thanks to his polished skillset in pick-and-rolls. Lewis posted a 2.5-to-1, assist-to-turnover ratio. Lewis has a rock-solid jumper, but his best trait is the barrage of tricks he has in his bag to generate paint touches and finish over, around and through contact. He can be one of the ACC's best point guards at Miami next year.
Transferring from: Georgia
Numbers to know: 9.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.2 blocks
The scout: Very few bigs in this portal haul have the physical tools that Cyril possesses. The 6-foot-11, 260-pound, true 5 is one of the top pound-for-pound athletes in the country. He can protect the rim, guard in space, catch lobs that are thrown near the square, dunk everything and generate second-chance opportunities. The feel and skill is still a major work in progress, though. Cyril fouls a lot, hasn't shown much as a playmaker, struggles to finish outside the restricted area and can play his way off the court with overzealous defensive miscues. He will help Miami, but Miami can help Cyril get way better, too.
Transferring from: Virginia Tech
Numbers to know: 12.1 points, 4.6 assists, 3.1 rebounds
The scout: Avdalas is a 6-foot-9 wannabe point guard who showed flashes of brilliance but struggled to find easy pressure points for buckets down the stretch because he couldn't create a ton of separation. But the combination of size, shooting and playmaking is attractive. It's hard to shake the feeling that Avdalas may be best-suited to play off the ball as a secondary creator, but he'll need to shoot better than 30% on catch-and-shoot 3s to be valuable in that role.
Avdalas is a toolsy, high-upside first piece for new UNC coach Michael Malone to build a squad around.
Transferring from: Tennessee
Numbers to know: 10.0 points, 5.4 rebounds in 18.3 minutes
The scout: Estrella ranked eighth nationally with a 17.3 offensive-rebound rate, and he's a functional athlete with great touch around the basket. Estrella has a ton of counters in his bag for the low-post work and untapped upside as a playmaker. The 6-foot-11, 240-pound big man screams breakout if he can stay healthy next year at Michigan. The work Dusty May does with transfers is well-documented, and Estrella is poised to soar.
Transferring from: Notre Dame
Numbers to know: 18.5 points, 3.7 assists
The scout: Burton is one of the most dangerous midrange artists in the game. He makes tough shots look easy, and Burton's competitive streak is super high. The 6-foot, 190-pound guard doesn't have insane physical tools, but he's a warrior who is wired with all the right stuff. Indiana needed a difference-maker to hold serve with the barrage of awesome point guards in the Big Ten, and Burton fits the bill.
Transferring from: Notre Dame
Numbers to know: 16.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists
The scout: Haralson is a massive 6-foot-7, 220-pound lead guard who is always looking to punish defenders with downhill, slippery drives. Haralson can use pick-and-rolls or backdowns to matchup hunt and go to work, but he may be more fit-dependent. The shooting is MIA, as of now. Haralson shot just 5-for-25 from 3-point range last season.
Tennessee and Ohio State are the top suitors for Haralson at this point.
Transferring from: Georgia Tech
Numbers to know: 9.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.2 blocks
The scout: Sylla offers real appeal as a mobile, athletic, bouncy big man who can be a versatile, disruptive defender. It's all theoretical with Sylla right now. The 6-foot-10, 240-pound center just needs to play after missing 16 games last season with a leg injury. West Virginia needed a jolt of talent, and Sylla is brimming with upside.
Transferring from: Washington
Numbers to know: 15.7 points, 4.5 assists, 3.9 rebounds
The scout: The 6-foot-4, 180-pound sophomore guard was one of the biggest bright spots amid a dreary, injury-plagued season for Washington. Diallo plays a decisive brand of basketball. As a playmaker, he gets the ball from Point A to Point B efficiently. When it's time to score, Diallo attacks without hesitation to get downhill or to his trustworthy pull-up jumper (48% on 82 attempts). Even though he's not a great 3-point shooter, Diallo posted sterling efficiency rates across the board in the Big Ten.
Kentucky is certainly one team to watch here, but the ebbs and flows in the point guard market can have real ramifications on Diallo's landing spot.
Transferring from: Seton Hall
Numbers to know: 6.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 16.4 block rate.
The scout: Hines is a space-eater in the paint who makes his presence felt. The 6-foot-10, 265-pound freshman ranked second in the country in block percentage, which is a bit confusing because he doesn't have ridiculous vertical pop off the floor. Hines makes up for it with excellent timing and hand-eye coordination. Hines has three years of eligibility remaining, so if he gets his body right, he can be a menace.
UConn has Hines in its crosshairs right now.
Transferring from: Hofstra
Numbers to know: 20.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 40% from 3-point range on 5.9 attempts
The scout: Davis has so much wiggle and a ton of game. Davis became an electric pick-and-roll creator, who has a little bit of everything in his bag. The lefty is a polished pull-up shooter with terrific balance and body control. He sends defenders careening with his shake. The 6-foot-3, 170-pound senior can stop on a dime, hit step-backs, slice to the cup or stop and pop with a little floater. He makes defenders so uncomfortable. There's always some hesitation with transfer-up guards, but there shouldn't be with Davis because his dynamic playmaking adds a buffer if the scoring isn't dialed in that day. Davis has just terrific vision. He has an enormous market, but Texas Tech is the team to beat as of now.
Transferring from: Penn State
Numbers to know: 13.7 points, 4.3 assists, 3.5 rebounds
The scout: Mingo is a true set-the-table point guard with positional size and defensive chops. Mingo posted a 2-to-1, assist-to-turnover ratio last year at Penn State, flashing outstanding vision and the ability to bend the defense with plenty of slippery drives. Mingo could get into the teeth of the defense whenever he wanted. Over 50% of his shots came at the rim, and he has a trustworthy float game to beat drop coverage. He has to shoot it better, but the size, playmaking, transition punch and defense make him a tantalizing option for guard-needy teams. Mingo was most recently visiting Oklahoma, but there are plenty of teams in the mix, including Maryland.
171 players have earned a four-star grade from the transfer portal scouting team. An NFL Draft-style board illustrates the pecking order.
F Drew Scharnowski, Belmont
G Jeremiah Wilkinson (Georgia 👉 Arkansas commit)
G Paul McNeil, NC State
F Nik Khamenia, Duke
F Bryson Tiller, Kansas
G KJ Lewis (Georgetown 👉 USC commit)
C Samet Yigitoglu (SMU 👉 Indiana commit)
G Chance Westry (UAB 👉 Xavier)
C Sananda Fru (Louisville 👉 Marquette commit)
SF Jamier Jones (Providence 👉 Missouri commit)
F Kwame Evans Jr. (Oregon 👉 Villanova commit)
PG Alex Wilkins, Furman
G Collin Chandler (Kentucky 👉 BYU commit
G Terrence Brown, Utah
G Matt Able, NC State
G Jaylen Petty (Texas Tech 👉 UCLA commit)
PG JaQuan Johnson (Bradley 👉 Iowa State commit
PG Jaland Lowe (Kentucky 👉 Georgetown commit)
F Keanu Dawes (Utah 👉 Kansas commit)
G Derek Dixon (UNC 👉 Arizona commit)
G Finley Bizjack (Butler 👉 West Virginia commit)
G Dai Dai Ames, Cal 👉 Tennessee commit
F Devin Royal, Ohio State 👉 Villanova commit
G Jake Hall, New Mexico
F Drew Fielder, Boise State
F Baye Ndongo (Georgia Tech 👉 Pitt commit)
G Christian Hammond (Santa Clara 👉 NC State commit)
SG Tyler Lundblade (Belmont 👉 Tennessee commit)
SF Karter Knox (Arkansas 👉 Louisville commit)
PF LeJuan Watts, Texas Tech
PG Budd Clark, Seton Hall
PF Mo Dioubate, Kentucky
PG Tylen Riley, Tulsa
PF Alvaro Folgueiras, Iowa
C Eric Reibe, UConn
PF Tomislav Buljan (New Mexico 👉 Maryland commit)
PF Aleksas Bieliauskas, Wisconsin
SG Freddie Dilione V, Penn State
PF Filip Jovic, Auburn
SF Cole Cloer, NC State
F Mike Nwoko (LSU 👉 Xavier commit)
F DeSean Goode, Robert Morris
SG Tru Washington (Miami 👉 Xavier commit)
CG Justin Pippen (Cal 👉 Ohio State commit)
SF Tyrone Riley IV (San Francisco 👉 Oregon commit)
SF Myles Colvin (Wake Forest 👉 Cincinnati commit)
SG Wes Enis (South Florida 👉 Creighton commit)
C Magoon Gwath (San Diego State 👉 DePaul commit)
CG Bishop Boswell (Tennessee 👉 Maryland commit)
SF Gavin Doty (Siena 👉 Syracuse commit)
SF Amari Evans, Tennessee
SG Vyctorius Miller, Oklahoma State
PF Thomas Dowd, Troy
PG Malik Mack, Georgetown
SG Jaeden Mustaf (Georgia Tech 👉 Indiana commit)
SF Dwayne Aristode, Arizona
PG Leroy Blyden, Toledo
SF Hamad Mousa, Cal Poly
PF Roman Siulepa (Pittsburgh 👉 Ole Miss commit)
SF Nolan Minessale, St. Thomas
Miles Rubin (Loyola Chicago 👉 Tennessee commit)
PG Rowan Brumbaugh, Tulane
CG Kory Mincy (George Mason 👉 South Carolina commit)
SG Mikey Lewis, Saint Mary's
SG Omari Witherspoon, Pitt
PF Josiah Parker, FAU
PF Sebastian Rancik, Colorado
C Arrinten Page, Northwestern
Aiden Tobiason (Temple 👉 Syracuse commit)