The countdown to college basketball is under 20 days, and an offseason loaded with transfer activity is set to play out on the floor as teams all over the country prepare for their openers. This week in I Got Five on it, Rivals recruiting director Rob Cassidy has a look at five transfers that will do the most to shape the upcoming season.
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MORE: Four 2024 prospects who could boost their stock this winter | Four seniors that could boost their stock this winter
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1. TYRESE HUNTER
Transferred from: Iowa State
Now at: Texas
Why he’s important: We here at I Got Five On It are messy dudes that live for drama, and Hunter’s transfer will add just that to Texas-Iowa State games this season. The reigning Big 12 Freshman of the Year packed his bags and transferred in-conference following a season that saw him average 11 points and nearly five assists per game as a Cyclone.
Hunter will immediately provide the Longhorns with a versatile offensive threat but also with a true star on the defensive end of the court, where Hunter absolutely shined for Iowa State a season ago. He also brings this sort of athleticism to a team that didn’t lack elite athletes before his arrival.
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2. TERRENCE SHANNON JR.
Transferred from: Texas Tech
Now at: Illinois
Why he’s important: You need pros to win at the highest level of college basketball, and Shannon provides the Illini with one of those. The senior standout started 21 games for a Texas Tech team that made a run to the Sweet 16 a season ago, and he will slide into the Illini starting lineup this year.
He provides Brad Underwood with an efficient offensive weapon capable of blowing by defenders and finishing at the rack but also with a steadying, veteran presence, as Shannon is used to being on the big stage, having already played in five NCAA Tournament games. Illinois returns zero starters from last year’s 23-win team, so the Illini will look to Shannon for not just leadership but also versatility as he could be asked to play multiple positions, including some point guard.
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3. BAYLOR SCHEIERMAN
Transferred from: South Dakota State
Now at: Creighton
Why he’s important: Everyone loves a scorer, and Scheierman is certainly that. Last we saw the sharp-shooting lefty, he was pouring in 18 points and grabbing 10 rebounds for South Dakota State against Providence in an NCAA Tournament game. Now he’ll showcase his craft for the No. 9-ranked Bluejays, who were picked as the favorite to win the Big East by the league’s coaches.
Creighton views the 6-foot-6 wing as a piece that could put the loaded Bluejays squarely in the hunt for a national title, as Scheierman was a double-double machine for South Dakota a year ago. Of course, his calling card is his work behind the three-point line, where he shot nearly 47%, but his rebounding ability will also have an impact on Creighton’s year.
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4. KYLE LOFTON
Transferred from: St. Bonaventure
Now at: Florida
Why he’s important: It’s hard to bounce back from a coaching change these days because of how quickly a roster can vanish, but Todd Golden used the transfer portal to guard against disaster. Nobody is counting on a deep tournament run for the Gators in year one of a new regime, but the addition of Lofton, who will be fully healed from a minor groin injury when the season tips, makes the squad miles more interesting as a bubble team than it would have been had it not landed the 1,600-point scorer this offseason.
Lofton will provide UF with a true playmaker at the point guard spot. And while he won’t often be looked to as a primary scoring option despite his improvement as a shooter, adding the floor general to a mix headlined by potential stars Kowacie Reeves Jr. and Colin Castleton makes UF an NCAA Tournament hopeful, and that makes Lofton one of the more important transfers in the country.
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5. KENDRIC DAVIS
Transferred from: SMU
Now at: Memphis
Why he’s important: Memphis lost Jalen Duren to the NBA Draft, but this year’s team is still expected to be in the mix for an AAC title. If the Tigers are to do so, Davis will play a major role. The 6-foot guard is the reigning AAC Player of the Year and will provide Penny Hardaway with the kind of experienced, reliable point guard he lacked when Alex Lomax went down with an injury.
Davis will likely be the Tigers’ primary point guard this season and, along with Lomax, will create depth at a position that lacked it last season. One of the most in-demand transfers of the offseason, Davis averaged 19.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists for SMU last season. This Memphis squad will be, to a certain extent, built around Davis and his play will go a long way in determining how far the Tigers go.
