It’s never too early to start looking ahead!
Check below for our list of 20 under-the-radar transfers for the 2024-25 college basketball season.
In no particular order:
Milos Uzan, Houston (Oklahoma): Jamal Shead is an irreplaceable piece at point guard for the Cougars, but Uzan is going to attempt to fill the void as well as he can. A steady hand at the most important position on the floor, Uzan’s development and production level will go a long way in determining Houston’s ceiling during the 2024-25 season.
Malik Mack, Georgetown (Harvard): The Hoyas only won nine games last season in their first year under Ed Cooley and how big of a jump they make in Year Two will depend on how quickly Mack adjusts to the Big East. The dynamic floor general averaged 17.2 points, 4.8 assists, and 4.0 rebounds last season as a freshman at Harvard.
Terrence Edwards, Louisville (James Madison): The 6-6 Edwards averaged 17.2 points and was a major part of James Madison’s run to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season. He’ll now become a major part of Pat Kelsey’s attempt to rebuild Louisville’s program. Edwards’ production level will be critical if the Cards are going to work their way into the middle of ACC standings.
PJ Haggerty, Memphis (Tulsa): People from the periphery may not know about Haggerty, but the true college basketball junkies are more than well aware. A walking bucket, the 6-3 guard averaged 21.2 points and 5.5 rebounds last season and had 10 games where he tallied 25 points or more. This is the unsung presence in Memphis’ loaded transfer class.
Dain Dainja, Memphis (Illinois): Despite standing 6-9 and weighing 270 pounds, Dainja has never truly been featured on offense during his college career. That could change this year on Beale Street. Dainja only attempted 10 or more shots four times last season at Illinois. His averages during that span? 17.3 points and 7.3 rebounds.
Tyler Bilodeau, UCLA (Oregon State): Is Bilodeau the sleeper in the Bruins’ six-man recruiting class? It’s very possible. Mick Cronin is bullish on this 6-9 forward, who can pulverize opponents both inside and out. Remember: Bilodeau averaged 17.8 points and 5.9 rebounds over the final eight games of last season.
William Kyle, UCLA (South Dakota State): Highly spaced spies in Westwood are high on Kyle, who many believe is similar to former Bruins big man Adem Bona. An elite rim runner and defensive presence, the 6-9 Kyle may have the inside track to be UCLA’s starting center during the 2024-25 season.
Basheer Jihad, Arizona State (Ball State): The Sun Devils’ freshmen class has made major headlines this offseason, but Bobby Hurley also added multiple key transfers. That includes Jihad, who should be a starter up front after averaging 18.6 points and 9.0 rebounds last season at Ball State. Remember the name.
Tony Perkins, Missouri (Iowa): An 0-18 finish last season in SEC play left Dennis Gates searching for an on-court leader. He should get that in Perkins. The broad shouldered point guard is a sturdy veteran who has played in multiple NCAA Tournaments. He’ll instantly give Missouri a presence at the point of attack.
Sean Pedulla, Ole Miss (Virginia Tech): Chris Beard privately believes that the team he has this season in Oxford could be similar to some of the great squads he coached when he was at Texas Tech. A big reason for that is the addition of Pedulla. A multi-year starter in Blacksburg, Pedulla — who averaged 15.7 points, 4.2 assists, and 3.95 rebounds over the past two seasons — is the type of seasoned floor general that Beard desires to run his offense. This was a terrific addition for the Rebels.
JT Toppin, Texas Tech (New Mexico): Let’s make this real simple: New Mexico’s loss is Texas Tech’s gain. The 6-9 Toppin looked like a power conference big man last season in the Mountain West and had an uncanny ability to rebound the basketball as a freshman. In five postseason games last spring, Toppin averaged 10.8 rebounds.
Elijah Hawkins, Texas Tech (Minnesota): A fourth-year point guard who gained NCAA Tournament experience two years ago at Howard, Hawkins averaged a career-high 7.5 assists last season at Minnesota. He’ll get the keys to the car in Lubbock as he aims to lead the Red Raiders to their second-straight NCAA Tournament appearance under Grant McCasland.
Brandon Angel, Oregon (Stanford): Dana Altman’s best teams at Oregon have always featured skilled options at power forward (Dillon Brooks, Louis King) who were mismatches on offense. Angel could be next in line. The 6-8 forward played in somewhat obscurity over the past four years in Palo Alto, but had his best season in college a year ago where he averaged 13 points and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 44.7 percent from three-point range. This could be the key to the Ducks’ ceiling in their first season in the Big Ten.
Aaron Scott, St. John’s (North Texas): The 6-7 Scott has quickly become a favorite of the St. John’s coaching staff. Capable of guarding four positions on defense while making shots on offense (37 percent from three-point range in 2023-24), Scott is the heavy favorite to start for the Red Storm at power forward.
Quadir Copeland, McNeese (Syracuse): Copeland looked like he was ready for a breakout year in the ACC before he decided to enter the transfer portal. He now looks primed to be the type of mid-major star that helps the Cowboys advance in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. The 6-6 Copeland is expected to be McNeese’s starting point guard after averaging 9.6 points and 4.6 rebounds last season at Syracuse.
Alijah Martin, Florida (Florida Atlantic): Todd Golden has quickly gained a reputation for his innovative offensive style and that should be tailor made for Martin’s skill set. A multi-year starter who was an integral part of the Owls’ run to the 2023 Final Four, Martin should fit in seamlessly on the Gators’ perimeter in between Walter Clayton Jr. and Will Richard.
Ven Lubin, North Carolina (Vanderbilt): North Carolina’s uncertainty up front is its major question entering the 2024-25 season. Lubin could be a big part of the answer. Undersized yet effective at 6-8, Lubin is the favorite to start up front for the Tar Heels and could ultimately be the X-Factor in Chapel Hill. He averaged 12.3 points and 6.3 rebounds last season at Vanderbilt.
Philip Russell, VCU (UTA): Russell gained NCAA Tournament experience two years ago at SEMO and averaged 14.9 points last season at UTA. He’ll be a quality addition to Ryan Odom’s already established backcourt of Max Shulga, Joe Bamisile, and Zeb Jackson.
Derek Simpson, St. Joe’s (Rutgers): Billy Lange has quietly assembled one of the best non-power conference perimeters in the sport and Simpson is a major part of that equation. With he, Xzayvier Brown, and Erik Reynolds, Lange has a perimeter troika that many power conference programs would trade for. Simpson averaged 7.7 points in two years at Rutgers prior to transferring.
Dillon Mitchell, Cincinnati (Texas): Mitchell’s decision to join the Bearcats felt like a perfect fit as soon as he announced his commitment. A utility forward at 6-8, Mitchell’s hard-playing, relentless style should immediately endear himself to a fanbase that’s starving to again have a winner. He’ll be a fan favorite at Fifth Third Arena by Thanksgiving.
Lassina Traore, Xavier (Long Beach State): Prior to this season, Sean Miller has only coached two players as an assistant or head coach — DeAndre Ayton and Ryan Anderson — who have averaged 10 or more rebounds in a season. Traore now joins that list. The 6-10 big man averaged a double-double last year — 11.9 points and 10.3 rebounds — on a team at Long Beach State that reached the NCAA Tournament. He’s the favorite to start at center for the Musketeers in 2024-25.
