NBA Draft: Two players that could see their stock soar after transferring down a level

Most of the time, you see players hit the transfer portal trying to move up in level. A player has success at the mid-major level and wants to try their hand in a high-major situation. Last year, however, we saw Brandin Podziemski do things differently. The 2023 first-round NBA Draft pick transferred down a level from Illinois to Santa Clara and saw his stock soar. 

Many times, a player’s boost in stock has to do with program fit. At Santa Clara, Podziemski had the ball put in his hands, and he was able to make plays. At Illinois, he played 4.3 minutes per game as a freshman. 

I wanted to go through the 2023 transfer portal cycle to see which players could follow a similar path; players who transferred down a level and could find NBA Draft, stock-rising success. 

SF Mike Sharavjamts, San Francisco

Mike Sharavjamts enrolled at Dayton as On3’s No. 46 player in the 2022 class. The 6-foot-8 guard started 20 games and played 23.1 minutes per game for the Flyers. Originally from Mongolia, Sharavjamts has an interesting skill set with his length, burst, and ability to pass and shoot. 

At Dayton, he was thrust into an unnatural role too soon. Early in the season, Dayton lost their first and second-string point guards to injury. Sharavjamts, an excellent passer with some ball skills, started as the lead guard. He got invaluable experience, but he may not have been ready for that role at that time. 

Sharavjamts joins a San Francisco team with upside. Malik Thomas, a transfer from USC, and Stefan Todorovic, from SMU, join Sharavjamts from the transfer portal. He is a secondary ball handler with quick processing ability and range that extends well beyond the arc. There are tools that will pique the interest of NBA scouts if the production can match. Keep an eye out to see what role Sharavjamts carves out. 

PF Yohan Traore, UC Santa Barbara

Yohan Traore arrived at Auburn as a highly-touted recruit, ranked No. 23 overall in the 2022 On3 Industry Ranking. The 6-foot-10 power forward played in 25 games, averaging 9.9 minutes and 2.1 points per game. 

Fast-forward to the summer, Traore enters the transfer portal. Traore is a good athlete and is very fluid, with the ability to slide his feet as well as play vertically around the rim. He will need to continue taking steps with the processing aspect of the game. There is upside with his three-point touch as well as his rebounding and play around the basket. 

Traore was a little more raw than expected coming into college. However, at 6-foot-10, he has the ability to switch on defense and a natural touch he has on his jump shot. With time, there is a real pathway to an archetype that is coveted by the NBA. Will he be able to find confidence in his role at his new stop?