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Mountain West basketball transfer portal

Published

8 months ago

April 26, 2025

Mountain West basketball transfer portal

Mountain West men’s basketball teams have had 82 players enter the transfer portal this offseason, with that portal closing earlier this week. The conference also has added 34 players out of the portal thus far, a number that will continue to rise. You can track all of the moves on our transfer portal page here. But let’s cut to the chase — which schools have been the biggest winners and biggest losers from transfer portal madness? Take a look below.

Winners

Boise State: The Broncos had eight players start at least 10 games last season with five of those having remaining eligibility. Boise State retained three of them in Andrew Meadow, Pearson Carmichael and RJ Keene with the losses being Dylan Anderson and Emmanuel Ugbo, although Anderson lost his rotation spot midway through last season and Ugbo averaged 3.1 points and 2.3 rebounds per game. Boise State also added two starting-caliber players in Dylan Andrews (a starter guard at UCLA) and Drew Fielder (a starting center at Georgetown). There’s more work to be done, but Boise State easily could have lost more talent and has already added some impact.

San Diego State: The Aztecs could have lost a lot of talent to the portal but didn’t. Starting point guard Nick Boyd left for Wisconsin, but Magoon Gwath returned after hitting the portal and Pharaoh Compton and Miles Heide are back to give great depth in the post. Miles Byrd is either staying in the NBA draft or returning to school, bypassing the portal. Starter BJ Davis is back as is reserve guard Taj DeGourville. So, there was one key loss and six key retentions. SDSU also added three good transfers in Sean Newman Jr. (Louisiana Tech), Jeremiah Oden (Charlotte) and Latrell Davis (San Jose State). The roster still needs more shooting, but it’s teeming with talent.

Utah State: Only one All-MW first-, second- or third-team honoree is definitely returning to the conference, that being Utah State’s Mason Falslev (Byrd could return after testing the NBA draft waters). That alone puts the Aggies in this column. Utah State has seven players in the portal, but only Deyton Albury and Isaac Johnson were rotation players with remaining eligibility. The Aggies retained most of their key pieces and have added Garry Clark (Texas A&M-Corpus Christi), M.J. Collins, Jr. (Vanderbilt) and Kolby King (Butler), who were all productive at their previous schools. This team has a full rotation for next season already.

Losers

Air Force: The Falcons will always be a loser in this category because they can’t add transfers but are increasingly losing them to the portal (players can leave the academy before their junior season starts without penalty). This year, Air Force lost two starters to the portal in Kyle Marshall and Luke Kearney plus reserve Will Cooper (Nebraska). The Falcons also lost two starters to graduation, so it couldn’t really afford losing three key players to transfer on top of that.

Fresno State: The Bulldogs lost 12 players to the transfer portal one season after losing all of its productive players to the portal the year prior. That’s no way to build a program. And thus far, Fresno State has added just one player in former Air Force and Clemson player Jake Heidbreder. I like Heidbreder a lot; he would have been a good fit at Nevada. But the Bulldogs have to build an entire roster for the second straight season. That definitely puts Fresno State in the “loser” column.

New Mexico: The Lobos had 14 players enter the transfer portal, although some are seniors out of eligibility hoping for an NCAA rule change. Donovan Dent is off to UCLA and Tru Washington to Miami. Both are huge losses. Filip Borovianin and Jovan Milicevic followed Richard Pitino to Xavier while Braden Appelhans (Drake), Kayde Dotson (Loyola Chicago) and Quinton Webb (Cal State Northridge) found new homes. New Mexico returns zero points from last season’s roster, so while new coach Eric Olen has added some quality players, this is going to end up a massive net deficit in talent acquisition.

San Jose State: Mid-major coaches complain about being farm systems for bigger schools. That’s nowhere more evident than San Jose State, which has rarely been able to retain it best players over the last decade. The Spartans lost all of its starters, including five players with remaining eligibility who combined for 98 starts last season in Robert Vaihola (Minnesota), Latrell Davis (San Diego State), Will McClendon, Sadaidriene Hall and Sadraque Nganga. As a result, San Jose State lost its top-seven scorers, meaning it’s another rebuild for coach Tim Miles.

Neutral

Colorado State: The Rams lost two impact starters from last year’s MW Tournament title team in Kyan Evans (North Carolina) and Jaylen Crocker-Johnson, which isn’t ideal when you promote your associate head coach to the top job (you’d like to see more retention as a result). One starter from last year’s team (Rashaan Mbemba) is back and new coach Ali Farokhmanesh has added six transfers, a nice mix of players who have produced at the Division I level and former top prospects who don’t have much playing time. It’s a good group, but losing Evans and Crocker-Johnson hurts.

Nevada: The Wolf Pack lost its top-two returning players to the portal in Nick Davidson (a second-team All-MW pick) and Justin McBride, giving Nevada no returning starters. The Wolf Pack has added three experienced D-I transfers in Elijah Price (Fresno State); Tayshawn Comer (Evansville); and Joel Armotrading (UC Riverside). But the transfer class might hinge on the impact made by lower-level additions Vaughn Weems (North Idaho College) and Kaleb Lowery (The Master’s University). Losing Davidson, in particular, hurts. But Nevada has added a good amount of talent; it just needs more shooting.

UNLV: No MW teams has been busy in the portal than UNLV under first-year head coach Josh Pastner, who lost his three returning starters with eligibility to the portal, including Dedan Thomas Jr. (LSU), Jaden Henley (Grand Canyon) and Jeremiah Cherry (Sac State), not to mention Jailen Bedford (the team’s No. 2 scorer), Rob Whaley, Jr. (a former starter who missed last year with injury) and Brooklyn Hicks (a key reserve). Given that talent loss, it’s a win that UNLV is in the “neutral” category rather than “loser.” The Rebels have added seven transfers, a mix of proven D-I producers and former top recruits looking for playing time.

Wyoming: We considered putting Wyoming in the “losers” column after the departure to Baylor of Obi Agbim, whose 17.6 points per game ranked fourth in the MW (he was second in 3-pointers made and 12th in assists). But the Cowboys retained four key players with eligibility in Kobe Newton, Cole Henry, Touko Tainama and Matija Belic and have added two solid players via the portal in Damarion Dennis (Texas A&M-Corpus Christi) and Khaden Bennett (Quinnipiac). Losing Agbim hurts, but this is not the massive rebuild we’ve seen in past years.

Columnist Chris Murray provides insight on Northern Nevada sports. Contact him at crmurray@sbgtv.com or follow him on Twitter @ByChrisMurray.

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NIL Funds Are at Top of Arizona State’s Christmas Wishlist

Published

40 minutes ago

December 25, 2025

Your Sports Nation

TEMPE — Fan support. Improving facilities. Competent head coaches. Nearly all of the factors that the Arizona State Sun Devils need to maintain quality athletic programs are in place.

Kenny Dillingham, Bobby Hurley, Molly Miller, volleyball coach JJ Van Niel, and many others have displayed marked moments of success during their respective tenures. Baseball, swim and dive, and volleyball have broken attendance records in the last year. The indoor practice facility for the football program appears to be well on the way to being constructed.

One thing that is missing is consistent support from within the sphere of NIL.

Arizona State was late in entering the “arms race” that name image and likeness has created – it has shown in recent years as well.

While the Sun Devils were able to accomplish things such as winning Big 12 titles in football (2024) and volleyball (2025), there are still limitations at the moment – this season of giving opens the door for individuals to make a difference that can shape the future of Arizona State athletics.

Dillingham Gets Honest About NIL Efforts

Dillingham was candid when speaking about the program’s NIL efforts last Saturday when interacting with media following reports that he had agreed to an amended contract with the university.

“Can we get people who aren’t involved, who maybe didn’t go to Arizona State who did go to Arizona State and are far away? Can we get the Phil (Mickelson) involved, like, get these guys involved in our program, the Jon (Rahm), can we get people back involved in this program, that and get them involved in a level that everybody knows, man, these guys love Arizona state.”

While the efforts the program has made since Graham Rossini took over as AD in May of 2024, they are still behind in many ways and surely could use a donor in a similar vein of Mickelson or Rahm.

This is a plan of attack that has proved to work in the past – as a high six-figure donation by program alum James Harden in 2024 likely funded the basketball program handsomely and was a big part in being able to keep stars such as Jayden Quaintance happy.

The effort didn’t work out long-term, but it shows that when the infrastructure is supported by passionate and influential fans – there are avenues any given program can take to reach the state of consistent contention

Read more on why the Arizona State men’s basketball team will exceed expectations in the 2025-26 season here, and on why the bright future of the football program isn’t dimmed by the loss to Arizona here.

Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page when you click right here.

Please follow us on X when you click right here, as well as @khicks_21 for nonstop Arizona State coverage!

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Kirby Smart gives fiery response to question about conversations with players on future

Published

2 hours ago

December 25, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Throughout the month of December, college football players everywhere are making life-altering decisions about their future. Many are even releasing well-crafted announcements over social media regarding whether they intend to remain with their current program to seek greener pastures elsewhere.

Some upper classmen are even declaring their intention to enter next April’s NFL Draft or announcing postseason all-star game invites. And let’s not forget about National Signing Day on the first Wednesday of the month.

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At the same time, college football coaches are having often difficult and frank conversations with their current roster, while at the same time formulating a plan of attack ahead of Jan. 2nd, when the NCAA Transfer Portal opens for two full weeks.

It’s happening all over, … well, except in Athens apparently, where No. 3 Georgia (12-1) is busy preparing for a return to New Orleans for the College Football Playoff‘s Sugar Bowl national quarterfinal against No. 6 Ole Miss (12-1). Kickoff is set for 8 pm ET, New Year’s Day inside the Caesars Superdome. When asked about how he’s splitting his time between bowl prep and roster management at a recent press conference, UGA head coach Kirby Smart flipped the script regarding what he’s telling Bulldogs players that might approach him with concerns about their future.

“We’re focused on this team. I think it’d be remiss to say we’re focused on roster management. We’re not focused on it. We’re focused on prep and getting better,” Smart said Monday. “And for a while it’s been intrinsically looking at ourselves and asking each player: ‘Did you come here to develop? Did you truly come here to develop?’ Because if you did, all your buddies are out there right now, everybody’s announcing what they’re doing, announcing that I’m going into the portal, announcing that I’m re-signing. How about you announce that you’re getting better and you’re going to practice and actually do what (for the prior) 20 and 30 years college football players did before you, which was practice in December – when they’re on good teams – and get better.

“Because if you’re going to play somewhere else, you know what you need to do? You need to get better. If you’re going to play here, you know what you need to do? You need to get better,” Smart continued. “If you want to go to the National Football League and play, this is your last chance to get better. Because they’re not going to give you much opportunity, they’re going to cut you or keep you based on how you do, and they don’t get to practice in pads so many days. So development occurs in December for us, and that’s what we’ve been focused on.”

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Shane Beamer blasts report surrounding cost of deals signed by LaNorris Sellers, Dylan Stewart

Published

2 hours ago

December 25, 2025

Your Sports Nation

South Carolina fans received an early Christmas present this week when superstar quarterback LaNorris Sellers and star pass rusher Dylan Stewart both inked new rev-share/NIL deals with the Gamecocks to return for the 2026 season. Sellers announced his plan to return on Monday on X/Twitter, while Stewart confirmed his return Tuesday on Instagram.

And while South Carolina’s Shane Beamer undoubtedly welcomed both back with open arms, the fifth-year Gamecocks head football coach shot down a Tuesday night report from Columbia’s SportsTalk Media Network suggesting the price tag for the two Gamecocks stars was “in the neighborhood of $5 million from the school’s rev share total.”

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“Sounds to me like you need some much better sources,” Beamer reponded on X/Twitter on Christmas Eve. “This isn’t even remotely close to being true. #AnythingForClicks #Merry Christmas”

Sellers has been one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in college football the past two seasons, combining on 5,915 total yards and 43 touchdowns as South Carolina’s starter in 2024-25. That included more than 2,700 yards and 18 touchdowns in a difficult 2025 season that saw Beamer part ways with offensive coordinator Mike Shula in early November. Beamer has since hired former Arkansas, FSU and TCU offensive coordinator Kendal Briles as the Gamecocks’ new OC ahead of Sellers’ third season as QB1.

“He’ll be the first to tell you he needs to play better, and we’ve got to coach him better,” Beamer said earlier this month, according to On3’s Gamecock Central. “We’ve got to be better around him, and we all have to be accountable. He understands that. … (And) all indications I’ve had from LaNorris are that he wants to be here. … He knows that the job is not finished, and there’s a lot of excitement about ’26, and he and a lot of our other players that are returning feel that same way.”

Meanwhile, the 6-foot-5 and 250-pound Stewart has totaled six forced fumbles, 11 sacks, 22.5 tackles for loss and 56 total tackles in 24 career games across his first two seasons in Columbia. Stewart is a former Five-Star Plus+ signee in the 2024 recruiting class as the nation’s No. 3 EDGE rusher and No. 17 overall player, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking.

“They’re extremely excited about what this team could be in 2026, and they’re a big part of that. There’s no question,” Beamer said on National Signing Day earlier this month. “I know there’s no sense of, ‘I’m not really sure South Carolina’s where I want to be.’ It’s them making the best decisions for them and their families and their futures.”

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Alabama football: Parker Brailsford spreads cheer, DeBoer talks Indiana

Published

3 hours ago

December 25, 2025

Your Sports Nation

DeBoer spent one year as Tom Allen’s offensive coordinator, helping Indiana reach its first Florida-based January bowl game (at a time when that still carried greater meaning) in 2019.

And Cignetti spent four years as part of Nick Saban’s first Alabama staff, coaching wide receivers and coordinating recruiting for the program Cignetti eventually helped win a national championship.

But they’ve both distinguished themselves in their profession through their willingness to climb the coaching pyramid: From outside Division I, through lower levels as either a head coach or coordinator, all the way up to the sport’s biggest stage.

“Knowing coach Cignetti and — you referred to it — his path, nothing but respect for how he’s done it, how he’s gotten to this spot,” DeBoer said.

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Surprising List Of Colorado Buffaloes’ Biggest NIL Valuations

Published

4 hours ago

December 25, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The Colorado Buffaloes are facing a mass exodus through the NCAA Transfer Portal. One reason that players enter the portal in the current college football landscape is due to Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals.

The current Colorado Buffaloes players with the highest NIL Valuation according to On3 are notable when evaluating who will be on the team next season.

Colorado Buffaloes NIL Julian Lewis Jordan Seaton Tawfiq Byard Deion Sanders Coach Prime Transfer Portal College Football — Oct 7, 2023; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders walks the sidelines as his team takes on the ASU Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

Colorado Players With Highest NIL Valuation

Jordan Seaton: $1.7M
Julian Lewis: $1.1M
Omarion Miller: $570K
Jehiem Oatis: $390K
Tawfiq Byard: $358K
Dre’lon Miller: $321K
Noah King: $315K
Christian Hudson: $312K
Carde Smith: $311K
Zarian McGill: $119K

NIL valuations are not how much players are earning, but On3’s way of measuring a player’s projected annual value. It combines roster value and NIL value.

One of the most significant aspects of the top 10 Colorado players is that only two are set to return to the team in 2026: offensive tackle Jordan Seaton and quarterback Julian Lewis. Offensive lineman Zarian McGill is also in the top 10, but is headed to the NFL in 2026.

The remainder of the top 10 in NIL valuation have announced their intention to enter the portal. With the number of players set to leave the team, the Buffaloes will lose several highly valued players.

MORE: Deion Sanders Reportedly Hires Familiar Name As Colorado Running Backs Coach

MORE: Why Shedeur Sanders Will Bounce Back From Late-Season Struggles

MORE: Insider Reveals Biggest Reason Behind Colorado’s Transfer Portal Mass Exodus

Jordan Seaton Highest NIL Valuation On Colorado

Seaton has the highest NIL valuation and is one of the most critical players on the Buffaloes. Seaton has been with the program for two years, both of which have been dominant. He missed three games due to a foot injury, but allowed just two sacks and five quarterback hurries over 328 pass protection snaps.

Seaton will be entering his third year with the program, which will likely be his last, as he could declare for the NFL draft after the 2026 season.

After a 3-9 season, it was possible Seaton would enter the portal, but he is expected to return to the Buffaloes in 2026. Seaton will play a prominent role in Colorado’s offense next season, with Lewis set to be the team’s week 1 starter. As Colorado looks to take a step forward, having an elite player on the offensive line who is also a veteran on the team will be crucial.

Julian Lewis Ready To Lead The Buffaloes

Lewis is preparing for a big year with the Buffaloes after developing throughout the 2025 season. He was a big pickup in the 2025 recruiting class, initially committed to the USC Trojans before flipping to Colorado.

Lewis started in three games this season, his first being against the West Virginia Mountaineers on Nov. 8. Colorado coach Deion Sanders decided to redshirt Lewis, which meant the quarterback did not play in the final game of the season.

“I’ve made a decision that JuJu is going to redshirt,” Sanders told the media when announcing the decision. “That’s my decision. I want what’s best for the kid, what’s best for his family, what’s best for this wonderful university that has given me the tremendous opportunity and given him the opportunity. I think for the program, it’s best for everyone, but mainly it’s great for him.”

Lewis passed for 589 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions. The Buffaloes hired offensive coordinator Brennan Marion, who helped turn programs around by fixing the offense. With Marion and Seaton’s return, Lewis is set up for success in 2026 and beyond.

Though four games are a small sample size, the young quarterback has a high ceiling. He made some big throws, and with Marion, Lewis has the chance to take off in 2026.

Biff Poggi should no longer be considered for Michigan’s HC job

Published

5 hours ago

December 25, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Michigan will play in one final football game in 2025, as the Wolverines will take on the Texas Longhorns in the Citrus Bowl on New Year’s Eve (3 p.m., ABC).

The team will be without at least three players, as Derrick Moore, Jaishawn Barham and Giovanni El-Hadi are all skipping the game to prepare for the NFL Draft. Speaking to the media on Monday, interim head coach Biff Poggi didn’t think anyone else on the team would opt out of the game. However, his tune changed quite a bit just two days later, as he speculated on a Texas-based podcast called “The Stampede” that he may be down even more guys than that.

Players on the team were sent home to be with family for Christmas earlier this week, but Poggi doesn’t know how many of those players will come back on Friday when the team is slated to leave for Orlando.

“I think there’s a really good chance that we’re going to have many more opt outs for the game, unfortunately, because we’re in such a stat of flux,” Poggi said. “And when they get to the business side of it, they think, ‘Well, we don’t have a coach,’ or, ‘We’ve had this situation with our former coach, there’s investigations and all these things, I don’t know who’s going to coach me. Why do I want to play in that game?’ So I can see some of that happening, too. And I would tell you on (December) 26th, we’re probably going to have a significantly different roster than we had yesterday when we sent them home.”

Poggi also mentioned how he thinks “most of the guys opting out need to play … they need the film, and they need to play well,” and that “team the way you and I knew it is gone now. And now it is strictly a financial and a business decision, and the head coach and the position coaches really are not players in that discussion.”

In other words, the decisions the players are making are based on what their families and agent are telling them, and they are not consulting with their coaches one bit. And in other words — players are doing what’s in their best interest.

As a former hedge fund manager, Poggi should understand risk management and trying to generate the best returns possible. That’s why Poggi said he doesn’t want to “be the guy that talks them into (playing a bowl game), and then something happens.” So while he understands why the players are doing what they are doing, he isn’t exactly onboard with how the decisions are being made.

There’s a lot to digest in this podcast, and I think the main takeaway for me is that Poggi is not made to be a head coach in college football. And that’s fine — he’s been very successful and has made a lot of money doing other things. And if he wants to continue making an impact in the lives of young adults, he can still do that, but he should by no means be doing that in the position of head coach at the University of Michigan.

And if you need one more quote as far as why Poggi should not be considered any longer for this position — and this is a real quote, by the way — here you go:

“I would ask one thing, and I’m being very serious — you need to pray for us,” Poggi said. “Because we are going through things that no young kid should have to go through … just when you hit your knees tonight, you don’t have to pray that we win, I know that ain’t gonna happen, just pray that the good lord will give me the right wisdom to do this the way it needs to be done.”

Update: Some people are interpreting this as Biff saying he knows the Texas podcasters wouldn’t pray for Michigan since they’re playing in the bowl game, while others are interpreting it as Biff saying they won’t win the game. If he meant the former, I do sincerely apologize, but the way I initially interpreted it while listening to the podcast, it sounded like he was saying the latter, especially given other comments he’s made about how he was hoping to not play against Texas because they’re a good team.

With it being the holiday season, Coach Poggi, I will give you what you are requesting and I will pray for you and the players to get through this. You’re right — no young person should have to endure the things that they have endured over the last couple weeks. I can’t imagine being in college and having all that happen at once.

However, to go on an opponent’s podcast and air Michigan’s dirty laundry publicly is not something an interim head coach should be doing. Whether you realize it or not, you have given the players that are on the fence a reason to not come back for the bowl game (and beyond that).

If this podcast appearance didn’t eliminate Biff from consideration, I don’t know what will. But under no circumstances should he be legitimately be considered for this job any longer.

Merry Christmas, and thank God for Dusty May, Kim Barnes Arico and Brandon Naurato.

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