SEC Transfer Portal Tracker: Version 2.0

It is absolutely fair to say that the transfer portal has changed college basketball. The numbers are truly staggering. In 2021, 1,687 Division I men’s basketball players entered the portal. Then, in 2022, 1,649 elected to transfer. This season, we have already surpassed 1,400 entrants. To put those numbers in perspective, over 20% of all Division I scholarship players have entered the transfer portal this season.

There is more talent than ever seeking a change of scenery this offseason. Hunter Dickinson is a former All-American leaving Michigan. Max Abmas scored over 2,500 points in his four-year career at Oral Roberts. There are former McDonald’s All-Americans, conference players of the year, and national champions in the transfer portal. As we hit the midpoint of April there are still, likely, plenty of more names to come. Last year, several of the best players didn’t enter the portal until late April or even early May. Patience can pay off, but other programs have been busy reaching out to dozens of prospects.

Keeping up with the entrants, exits, and commitments with the transfer portal is a nearly impossible task to conquer. Here at Kentucky Sports Radio, we’ve done the legwork for you. This will serve as a live document providing a weekly update on all the transfer portal news as it pertains to the Southeastern Conference. For those looking for an even broader view, our friends at On3 have a complete list of the top players in the portal. Let’s dive into version 2.0 of the SEC Transfer Portal Tracker. If you want to look back and see what has changed from version 1.0 you can do that here as well.

Alabama

Incoming: Aaron Estrada (Hofstra)

Outgoing: Jaden Bradley (Undecided), Nimari Burnett (Michigan), Jaden Quinerly (Undecided)

The biggest recent development to the Crimson Tide’s activity in the transfer portal was cutting loose Jaykwon Walton from Wichita State. The athletic 6’7″ wing that made 42 of 105 three-point attempts as a junior would have fit into Coach Oats’ style of play perfectly. However, he was recently arrested for marijuana possession and had a firearm at the time of the arrest.

Coach Oats hit a home run landing Hofstra point guard Aaron Estrada. The two-time CAA Player of the Year averaged 20.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.4 assists as a senior while developing into a very good shooter. He will likely take the keys to the Crimson Tide’s offense next season.

Arkansas

Incoming: Khalif Battle (Temple), Jeremiah Davenport (Cincinnati), El Ellis (Louisville), Tramon Mark (Houston), Keyon Menifield (Washington)

Outgoing: Barry Dunning (Undecided), Mahkel Mitchell (Undecided)

The story of the transfer portal in Razorback country isn’t about who they’ve gotten, it is about the sheer number of contact they have made. Essentially every decent player who hits the portal gets some sort of contact from Coach Musselman and the Arkansas staff. They are nearing 100 players at this point. However, fun little marketing ploys aside, Coach Musselman is once again doing really good things in the transfer market. Tramon Mark fits their aggressive style of play perfectly. He is an athletic, physical 6’5″ wing used to playing a defensive-minded game at Houston. He averaged 10.1 points and 4.9 rebounds as a starter this season. As for Menifield, he is a jitterbug point guard that averaged 10.0 points per game for the Huskies. He was the leading scorer on the Nike EYBL Circuit in 2021 so he knows how to put the ball in the basket.

On April 12th and April 13th, the Razorbacks landed back-to-back commitments from Khalif Battle and Jeremiah Davenport. Both are athletic wings that bring some needed shooting to the Arkansas roster. Battle averaged 17.9 points per game at Temple as a senior while shooting 35% from deep on over eight attempts per game. As for Davenport, he averaged 9.1 points while shooting 33% on over six attempts per game. Coach Musselman is once again a major winner in the transfer portal.

The rich got richer on April 17th as the Razorbacks landed another coveted transfer portal piece in Louisville’s El Ellis. A dynamic 6’3″ guard, Ellis averaged 17.7 points and 4.4 assists per game. He should fit in perfectly to Coach Musselman’s fast-paced scheme.

Auburn

Incoming: Denver Jones (Florida International), Chancy Johnson (Alabama-Huntsville)

Outgoing: Yohan Traore (UC-Santa Barbara), Chance Westry (Syracuse)

Coach Bruce Pearl likes having guards that can put the ball in the basket. Few in the transfer portal embody that skill better than Denver Jones. After averaging 12.5 points per game as a freshman at Florida International, the 6’4″ exploded to 20.1 points per game this season. He also shot 37.1% from beyond the arc while making over two three-pointers per game. He will fit in nicely alongside 5-star incoming freshman Aden Holloway.

As a former national champion head coach at the Division II level for the University of Southern Indiana, Coach Pearl knows the talent at the top of DII hoops. He went out and got one of the best in the country in Chaney Johnson from Alabama-Huntsville. The 6’6″ wing averaged 15.9 points and 6.6 rebounds per game for the Chargers. He is a very good shooter with great size on the wing.

Florida

Incoming: Walter Clayton Jr. (Iona), Micah Handlogten (Marshall), EJ Jarvis (Yale), Tyrese Samuel (Seton Hall)

Outgoing: Trey Bonham (Undecided), CJ Felder (Undecided), Jason Jitoboh (Tennessee State), Niels Lane (Undecided), Kowacie Reeves (Georgia Tech)

It was an up-and-down first season in Gainesville for Coach Todd Golden. However, his first full offseason has certainly gone well. The Gators have been one of the winners of the transfer portal so far landing three very talented players. Clayton Jr. was the MAAC Player of the Year averaging 16.8 points per game while shooting 43.1% from three for the Gaels. Handlogten, a 7’1″ center, averaged 7.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game on his way to being named Sun Belt Freshman of the Year. Finally, Jarvis earned Second Team All-Ivy League honors after averaging 11.3 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. It is a talented group of transfer portal additions in Gainesville.

Since our first transfer portal tracker went out, the Gators did more work adding Seton Hall’s Tyrese Samuel. The 6’10” forward averaged 11.0 points and 5.9 rebounds per game as a senior. He joins a talented incoming frontcourt alongside Handlogten and Jarvis.

Georgia

Incoming: Jalen Deloach (VCU), RJ Melendez (Illinois)

Outgoing: KyeRon Lindsay (Texas Tech), Kario Oquendo (Oregon)

The primary note of Georgia’s offseason, especially as it pertains to Kentucky fans, is their involvement with potentially bringing back two-time SEC assists leader Sahvir Wheeler, who ultimately landed with Washington. Until then, it has obviously been a net loss for the Bulldogs. Oquendo was one of their most talented players and Lindsay showed real upside in the 10 games he played in.

Coach Mike White got active since the first edition of this tracker. The ‘Dawgs recently added a pair of forwards in Jalen Deloach from VCU and RJ Melendez from Illinois. Deloach, a 6’9″ athlete, has the ability to be an elite defender in the Southeastern Conference and is a proven offensive rebounding threat. As for Melendez, he was a rotation piece for the Illini as a sophomore flashing some ability to stretch the floor, but he must still improve in that area.

Kentucky

Incoming: None

Outgoing: Daimion Collins (Undecided) CJ Fredrick (Cincinnati), Sahvir Wheeler (Washington)

With five high-level high school prospects coming to Lexington, the Wildcats don’t have a whole lot of need in the transfer portal. Their biggest offseason win so far was 6’11” center Ugonna Onyenso withdrawing from the portal and announcing his return to Kentucky. However, Coach Calipari is still waiting on several stay-or-go NBA decisions that will likely shape how he and the staff attack the portal.

LSU

Incoming: Will Baker (Nevada), Jalen Cook (Tulane), Carlos Stewart (Santa Clara), Jordan Wright (LSU)

Outgoing: Kendal Coleman (California Baptist), Cam Hayes (East Carolina), Justice Hill (Loyola Marymount), Adam Miller (Arizona State), Shawn Phillips (Arizona State), Corneilous Williams (Western Carolina), Justice Williams (Robert Morris)

In his first season at LSU, Coach Todd McMahon had to essentially build his roster from scratch after coming from Murray State. That offseason turnover led to a last-place finish in the Southeastern Conference. Now, the Tigers are facing a less extreme version of the same turnover. Six players entered the portal, but they’ve also landed two very talented incoming guys. Jalen Cook from Tulane is one of the more talented pure scorers in the country. The 6’0″ guard began his career at LSU before averaging 18.0 and 19.9 points per game the last two seasons for the Green Wave. He has developed into an excellent shooter making 36.6% over the last two seasons on six attempts per game. Jordan Wright is no stranger to the SEC either having scored 1,183 points in his four-year career at Vanderbilt.

The Tigers made another transfer portal splash on Friday, April 14th landing Nevada’s Will Baker. The 6’11” former 4-star recruit averaged 13.6 points and 5.2 rebounds per game for the Wolf Pack as a junior. He has the ability to stretch the floor out to three-point range where he has made 48 of 128 attempts over the last two seasons. LSU continued their busy offseason by adding Santa Clara standout Carlos Stewart on April 18th. The 6’1″ guard averaged 15.2 points per game as a sophomore and shot over 40% from three-point range.

Mississippi State

Incoming: None

Outgoing: Kimani Hamilton (Undecided)

Missouri

Incoming: Tamar Bates (Missouri), Caleb Grill (Iowa State), John Tonje (Colorado State)

Outgoing: Mohamed Diarra (North Carolina State), Ronnie DeGray (Undecided)

John Tonje was a four-year contributor at Colorado State and really blossomed into a big-time player as a senior. The strong 6’5″ guard scored 14.6 points per game while shooting 38.9% from beyond the arc this past season. He scored 1,051 career points in his four seasons for the Rams. Tamar Bates has been a solid contributor off of the bench at Indiana for the last two seasons. He vastly improved as a three-point shooter as a sophomore making 37.4% of his 99 attempts. The 6’5″ athletic lefty should fit in well with Coach Dennis Gates’ up-tempo style.

The only news in the last two weeks in CoMO has been the addition of Iowa State’s Caleb Grill. A 6’3″ veteran sharp-shooter, Grill has made 55, 57, and 53 three-pointers respectively in the last three seasons.

Ole Miss

Incoming: Brandon Murray (Georgetown), Austin Nunez (Arizona State), Jamarion Sharpe (Western Kentucky)

Outgoing: Amaree Abram (Georgia Tech), Robert Allen (Undecided), Malique Ewin (Undecided), Daeshun Ruffin (Jackson State), James White (UAB)

The Rebels have some solid contributors heading out the door, but newly hired head coach Chris Beard landed a really good incomer with Georgetown’s Brandon Murray. After averaging 10.0 points per game as a freshman at LSU, the 6’5″ guard stepped up to 13.7 points per game as a sophomore at Georgetown.

Things have started to heat up in Rebel Country since the first edition of this transfer portal tracker. Coach Beard added Austin Nunez from Arizona State and Jamarion Sharpe from Western Kentucky to pair with Murray. Nunez showed potential off of the bench as a shooter for the Sun Devils as a freshman while the 7’5″ Sharpe brings immediate elite rim protection.

South Carolina

Incoming: Stephen Clark (Citadel), Ta’Lon Cooper (Minnesota), Myles Stute (Vanderbilt)

Outgoing: Ja’Von Benson (Undecided), Chicago Carter (DePaul), Ford Cooper Jr. (Undecided), Daniel Hankins-Sanford (Undecided), Tre-Vaughn Minott (Undecided)

Stephen Clark isn’t much of a shooter, but the 6’8″ forward is very efficient around the basket. The creative scorer averaged 16.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game at The Citadel as a senior and will now try his hand at the high-major level. As for Cooper, after three years in the Morehead State backcourt, he moved on to Minnesota with averages of 9.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game. He will give the Gamecocks a veteran playmaking presence.

The Gamecocks recently got another nice transfer portal win, adding Myles Stute from Vanderbilt on April 17th. A 6’7″ pick-and-pop 4-man, Stute has made 79 and 74 three-pointers in the last two seasons respectively. His obvious experience in the Southeastern Conference should allow him to step in right away as a go-to guy for South Carolina.

Tennessee

Incoming: Jordan Gainey (South Carolina Upstate), Dalton Knecht (Northern Colorado), Chris Ledlum (Harvard)

Outgoing: Kidd Brizek (Undecided), Kent Gilbert (Undecided), Alec Kegler (Undecided), Olivier Nkamhoua (Undecided)

The only real piece of news here for the Vols is the departure of Olivier Nkamhoua after a career-best season. The versatile 6’8″ senior averaged 10.8 points and 5.0 rebounds per game as a starter for Tennessee. Michigan is the likely leader at this point to land his services.

Things have really heated up recently for the Tennessee Volunteers. Since April 18th they’ve landed three quality pieces from the transfer portal headlined by Northern Colorado’s Dalton Knecht. The 6’6″ shooter is fresh off averaging 20.2 points per game while knocking in 77 three-pointers at a 38.1% clip. Jordan Gainey, 15.2 points per game, and Chris Ledlum, 18.8 points per game, come in as very productive scorers as well. Coach Rick Barnes has quietly done an excellent job in the month of April adding quality talent to the Vols roster.

Texas A&M

Incoming: Jace Carter (Illinois-Chicago)

Outgoing: Javonte Brown-Ferguson (Undecided), Erik Pratt (Undecided), KK Robinson (Undecided)

The Aggies landed their lone transfer portal commitment so far from Jace Carter on April 19th. An Illinois-Chicago standout, Carter averaged 16.6 points and 7.0 rebounds per game as a sophomore. He is a bigger, physical wing at 6’6″ that knows how to put the ball in the basket.

Vanderbilt

Incoming: None

Outgoing: Malik Dia (Belmont), Quentin Millora-Brown (Undecided), Noah Shelby (Undecided), Myles Stute (South Carolina), Trey Thomas (Undecided), Jordan Wright (LSU)

It has not been a good offseason for Coach Jerry Stackhouse despite coming off of his best season at Vanderbilt. Four primary rotation players have hit the transfer portal along with a pair of promising freshmen. It’ll be back to the drawing board in year five for Coach Stack.