John Fanta
College Basketball Broadcaster and Reporter
The quality of play in college basketball has grown tremendously in recent years. One reason for that is NIL (name, image and likeness) dollars and the impact it has had in keeping some potential pros around for another season. Those players can make more money in college and gain more for their profile than a potential trip to the G League to continue development.
The flip side is the chaotic climate within the sport, an open market that has increased to dollar figures that seemed unfathomable even two-to-three years ago. But, that’s the reality of where things stand: Roster continuity with talent is like buried treasure in this sport, while having the great white whale, a top-shelf donor who can lead the bankrolling efforts for a roster, is the invaluable asset you need to compete with the best sharks during portal season. As one coach told me, “It’s challenging, but this is still an amazing sport. I hate when coaches complain because we chose this life.”
And look at it this way: While changes are needed, the free agency aspect has created buzz around college hoops in late April and into May that we had not seen before. Over 2,500 players entering the portal, though? Well, that could use shifting, and I offer some possible solutions below:
As for what has happened in the offseason, it’s fascinating when looking at the top of my rankings, because the top-two teams embody the two ways to stay ahead in this day and age: keeping a bevy of talent or outdoing everybody else in the portal.
Purdue has done an outstanding job with roster continuity, bringing back the preseason national player of the year front-runner in Braden Smith, who was this past year’s Bob Cousy Award winner and the Big Ten Player of the Year. Smith had 15 assists against Houston in the Sweet 16, which was the latest testament to his leadership, playmaking ability and poise against any defense. This past season, he became the second player in NCAA history to record at least 550 points, 300 assists and 150 rebounds in a season, joining Murray State’s Ja Morant as the only other player that can say that. But the fact Smith has Fletcher Loyer (13.8 PPG) as a backcourt mate is scary for everybody else, not to mention a veteran stud in Trey Kaufman-Renn, a high-impact transfer in Oscar Cluff, and an intriguing big man in Daniel Jacobsen, who is set to return from a season-ending leg injury that cut his freshman campaign short. There’s a lot to like about Matt Painter’s team, provided the Boilermakers get enough complementary shooting.
If the Boilers are the continuity champs, the transfer portal championship should be handed out on Utopia Parkway in Queens. Rick Pitino and St. John’s, the reigning Big East regular-season and tournament champions, have the No. 1-ranked portal class in the nation, according to 247 Sports. The Johnnies reeled in an All-Big East First Team forward in Bryce Hopkins to make a big early splash. They acquired a rising sophomore who looks the part of a future NBA first-round pick in North Carolina transfer Ian Jackson, and they added another sophomore guard with elite upside in former five-star recruit Joson Sanon.
Perimeter shooting was the priority for this St. John’s team, and Pitino and his staff addressed those areas, but they weren’t done there, also adding senior guard Oziyah Sellers from Stanford, who averaged 14 points per game in the ACC this past year. Then there’s a stalwart defender and supreme athlete in Dillon Mitchell, and the Big Sky Most Valuable Player, Dylan Darling. And oh, by the way, in the world of “sometimes the best gets are the ones you already have,” All-American candidate Zuby Ejiofor returns for his senior season, looking to lead the Johnnies on a deeper NCAA Tournament run.
The biggest portal winners after St. John’s were Kentucky, Louisville and Iowa. Do not sleep on Ben McCollum in Year 1 at the helm in Iowa City after he brought in one of the most dynamic scorers in the country in Bennett Stirtz, along with a sharpshooter in Brendan Hausen and Horizon League Player of the Year Alvaro Folgueiras. They’re the first team out of my top 25. In terms of portal losers, Memphis losing PJ Haggerty was a big blow to the Tigers, while Arizona saw six players enter the portal and Alabama saw Mouhamed Dioubate and Jarin Stevenson leave.
With that, here is a look at my updated way-too-early rankings:
Can I lend you one more Braden Smith statistic? He broke the Big Ten record for assists in conference play this past season, dishing out 175 of them, which smashed the previous record set by Michigan State’s Cassius Winston (157). And yes, he could break his own record in the upcoming year.
St. John’s rise to the top is happening because of Pitino and the school’s lead donor, Mike Repole, whose horse “Grande” will be in this weekend’s Kentucky Derby. The founder of Vitamin Water has been invaluable to St. John’s, but his money begins and ends with his faith in the Hall of Famer. Pitino has made the Johnnies matter again nationally and Madison Square Garden has once again turned into one of the toughest home-court environments.
Emanuel Sharp and JoJo Tugler are back from a Final Four team and, while we await the NBA Draft withdrawal deadline of May 28 for star Milos Uzan, Houston has the nation’s No. 1-ranked recruiting class, according to 247 Sports, headlined by Link Academy product Chris Cenac Jr. With Creighton transfer Pop Isaacs coming in to help their offense, the Cougars will have a go-to bucket-getting guard, who, when healthy, is very hard to stop.
Alex Karaban is coming back for another shot at a third national championship. Solo Ball is back for his junior season and poised for a big campaign. Tarris Reed returns and now has a year in Storrs under his belt, while Dan Hurley and his staff made a transfer splash with former Georgia guard Silas Demary. Another transfer in Malachi Smith from Dayton should help with ball-handling duties, while the Huskies welcome in a great freshman class. If you don’t know the name Braylon Mullins, you soon will, and I’m intrigued to see what 7-footer Eric Reibe brings to the table.
Having All-American JT Toppin back in the fold in Lubbock instantly means the Red Raiders can reach the Final Four, especially when considering what’s around him. While we are uncertain about what’s next for Darrion Williams, who’s testing the draft waters and is in the portal, sophomore Christian Anderson is poised for a big year and LeJuan Watts (Washington State) and Donovan Atwell (UNCG) headline a top-25 portal class.
Dusty May is building something special in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines reeled in one of the biggest fish in the portal with UAB transfer Yaxel Lendeborg, who is testing the NBA Draft waters and could be a first-round pick. If he returns to school, he will make Michigan one of the nation’s best teams. Last year, the 6-foot-9 forward averaged 18-11-4 per game. Getting Morez Johnson from Illinois helps the frontline, while Elliot Cadeau still has his best basketball ahead of him after things didn’t go as planned at North Carolina. With Nimari Burnett and Roddy Gayle back, Michigan has good continuity as well.
Pat Kelsey laid the foundation for the Cardinals. Now, the pieces are aligning for him to take this program on an NCAA Tournament run. Kelsey ushers in the nation’s No. 3 transfer portal class with all-conference players Ryan Conwell (Xavier), Isaac McKneely (Virginia) and Adrian Wooley (Kennesaw State) on the way, while five-star freshman Mikel Brown Jr. enters with high expectations. To get J’Vonne Hadley and a healthy Kasean Pryor back is huge for continuity and the frontcourt. Louisville is the front-runner in the ACC.
Not to be outdone, Mark Pope, and what sources tell FOX Sports is a bankroll of over $20 million, has led to a star-studded Wildcats roster. Kentucky has the nation’s fourth-ranked transfer class, according to 247 Sports. If Otega Oweh returns for his senior season, he’ll be right in the mix for SEC Player of the Year. When you combine that with a guy who averaged 17 PPG in Jaland Lowe, a national champion in Denzel Aberdeen out of Florida, a big man with a ton of upside in Jayden Quaintance and intriguing talents Mouhamed Dioubate (Alabama) and Kam Williams (Tulane), there’s a lot to like about this team. And don’t forget about top-20 freshman Jasper Johnson, who is a blur in transition and a guy who is wired to score. Now, the pressure is on Pope in Year 2 to make it all come together after a Sweet 16 season.
The Blue Devils will go from the Cooper Flagg Show to the Cameron-and-Cayden Boozer Show in the upcoming year. Cameron is among the best prospects in the sport, a 6-9 forward who is polished and strong with an inside-out game, a willingness to defend and the versatility to flourish. Jon Scheyer knows continuity is big in this sport. That’s why guys like Caleb Foster and Isaiah Evans coming back helps. Washington State transfer Cedric Coward (17.7 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 3.7 APG) was an excellent addition to bolster the perimeter with proven talent.
Look out for John Calipari and the Razorbacks. Coming off a magical ride to the Sweet 16, the Hogs are slated to get D.J. Wagner, Trevon Brazile, Billy Richmond and Karter Knox back, while a pair of five-star freshmen guards in Darius Acuff and Meleek Thomas will bolster the offense. The two are prototypical Calipari one-and-done guys who can come in and change the game with their skills. Acuff is a dynamic ball-handler who has a variety of ways to make plays for his teammates and drive the lane, while Thomas is the toughest shotmaker in the national freshman class. Throw in Malique Ewin from Florida State and Nick Pringle from South Carolina and Calipari addressed his interior needs with experience via the portal.
John Fanta is a national college basketball broadcaster and writer for FOX Sports. He covers the sport in a variety of capacities, from calling games on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Network to providing commentary on The Field of 68 Media Network. Follow him at @John_Fanta.
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