A team’s entire season outlook can change in the transfer portal. Who just became men’s college basketball national championship contenders because of it?
Dusty May asserted himself as the portal king as he built a championship-winning roster last season, and he found the right pieces going into next season that sets Michigan up to defend its crown.
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While everyone will be chasing the Wolverines, there are a few programs that look like they aced the portal, building a roster of experienced players that not only should be successful, but has what it needs to reach the 2027 Final Four, and possibly be cutting down the nets inside Ford Field.
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Louisville proved its all-in and is ready to get back in the national title conversation.
Louisville secured the top transfer in Flory Bidunga (Kansas), an absolute defensive monster that changes games. Plus, Louisville added Alvaro Folgueiras (Iowa) after he became a March hero for the Hawkeyes.
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Other additions include big names the Cardinals are hoping can bounce back after injury-riddled campaigns. Jackson Shelstad (Oregon) spent two seasons dropping all sorts of points for the Ducks before he was limited to just 12 games last season, and Karter Knox (Arkansas) can rebound from a meniscus injury. There’s also De’Shayne Montgomery (Dayton) and Gabe Dynes (USC).
On paper, this should be a Final Four contender. Pat Kelsey has all the pieces to have one of the most lethal offenses in the country. If Louisville lives up to expectations, the Cardinals will be heading to Detroit.
Duke
Duke is always going to be a title contender because, well, it’s Duke. But Jon Scheyer has learned it takes a lot more than elite freshmen to succeed in March, and this could finally be the right recipe.
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The Blue Devils got a premier scorer in John Blackwell (Wisconsin), one of the best shooters available in the country after he scored at least 20 points in nearly half of his games this past season. He can command the offense and kickstart runs that put teams away. Duke also got Drew Scharnowski (Belmont), a mid-major star that will be a force in the interior with all-ACC capabilities, which could make the Duke frontcourt one of the most feared in the sport. There’s also the intrigue of Jacob Theodosiou (Loyola-Md.), a guard that could lead the second unit off the bench.
It’s been 11 years since Duke last won a national title, the longest drought since it captured its first championship in 1991. It also hasn’t won one since Mike Krzyzewski retired. The pressure is on to stop falling short in March, and the amount of experience coming in with the freshmen sensations could finally get Scheyer over the hump and restore order in Durham.
Sean Miller somewhat surprised in his first season, going from First Four to the only double-digit seed to reach the Sweet 16. It was still a talented roster and has followed it up by assembling a squad for his second season that will be expected to reach the second weekend of the tournament.
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The Longhorns got two of the best players from its old conference in the Big 12, bringing in Isaiah Johnson (Colorado) and David Punch (TCU). Johnson made a name for himself right away when he put up 24 points in his college debut, and he ended up leading the Buffaloes in about every statistical category. He quietly was one of the best freshmen in the country, while Punch took a big leap in his second season, comfortably become an effective post player. There’s also guys ready to take that next step in Elyjah Freeman (Auburn), Mikey Lewis (Saint Mary’s) and Amari Evans (Tennessee).
In total, all five of Texas’ transfers ranked in the top 100 available players, according to 247Sports, meaning they’re all capable of making big contributions alongside a formidable freshmen class. The Longhorns are shaping up to show last season was just the start of a successful tenure for Miller.
Tennessee
Wake Forest Demon Deacons forward Juke Harris (2) brings the ball up court during the first half against the Syracuse Orange at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Rocky Top is still searching for that first Final Four appearance after falling just short in the past three seasons. Rick Barnes has gotten Tennessee to the doorstep by building up transfers, but this time, he’s got some already solidified ballers that can bring the Volunteers to the promise land.
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Tennessee addressed the roster depletion by making additions to every single position. It starts with Juke Harris (Wake Forest), who was one of the top 15 scorers in the country (21.4 ppg) last season and turned it up against quality opponents. The backcourt is loaded, from Dai Dai Ames (Cal) and his clutch gene to Missouri Valley Conference player of the year Tyler Lundblade (Belmont) and his remarkable shooting figures (93.4% free throw percentage, 1st in Division I). Then there’s Terrence Hill Jr. (VCU) who became a star in the NCAA Tournament, an all-around wing player in Jalen Haralson (Notre Dame) and exceptional defenders in Braedan Lue (Kennesaw State) and Miles Rubin (Loyola Chicago).
This is shaping up to be an elite offense, as Tennessee is bringing in players that combined for an average of 107.3 points per game. Of course, not everyone will produce the numbers at their previous stops, but it makes for a team that has several guys that can be plugged in and cause headaches for opponents, with the potential to take reign in the SEC.
UConn just played in its third championship game in four seasons — winning two of them — and Dan Hurley smartly maneuvered to keep the Huskies one of the top dogs.
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His two biggest needs were replacing Alex Karaban and Tarris Reed Jr., and while you can’t get exact 2.0 versions of them, Hurley found Nikolas Khamenia (Duke) and Najai Hines (Seton Hall) to fill those roles. Khamenia was a five-star recruit out of high school that didn’t play much due to Duke’s loaded roster, but in those few minutes proved to be a quality shooter while gritty in crashing the boards. Hines was another highly touted freshman that showed off strength near the basket, swatting shot attempts and generating second-chance opportunities. He has the physicality Hurley will love.
The approach to find the right pieces instead of going after best talent will benefit Hurley, especially knowing he’s got key contributors back and intriguing freshmen also coming in. Don’t get tired of seeing UConn playing for championships just yet.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Transfer portal moves that changed college basketball title picture
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