I've Got Five On It: Transfers who will be great fits
With the transfer portal’s biggest names starting to find new homes, it’s a solid time to start reflecting on how the familiar faces that have found homes fit in with their new surroundings. This week in “I've Got Five On It,” Rivals.com's Rob Cassidy takes a look at five of the best fits the transfer season has produced thus far.
*****
MORE: Tennessee gets a steal in Quentin Diboundje Eyobo | Illinois lands Brandin Podziemski
2021 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2022 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2023 Rankings: Top 30
*****
QUDUS WAHAB TO MARYLAND
Maryland needed size, and the 6-foot-11 Wahab certainly addresses that. The Georgetown transfer is more than just a big body, however. The former four-star center was a critical element to Georgetown’s late-season success and its run to a Big East Tournament title.
He averaged 12.7 points and 8.2 rebounds per game last season, but managed 15 and 8.4 in the Hoyas’ final eight games. The fit here seems obvious, and Maryland gets the inside presence it was obviously lacking this year. Wahab could well become a national award candidate in his new home if he continues to develop.
*****
KELLAN GRADY TO KENTUCKY
Leave it to John Calipari to casually grab a 2,000-point scorer from the transfer portal. The Wildcats' backcourt needed an overhaul following a 9-16 season that featured erratic guard play, and Grady can help do just that. The 6-foot-5 Grady averaged 17.1 points and 4.6 rebounds for Davidson last season and was one of the most coveted transfer portal prizes of the cycle.
There’s an argument to be made that this is the cycle’s most important transfer and whether or not the Wildcats have a bounce-back season will hinge heavily on how Grady performs in his new home. That said, Kentucky has done yeoman's work in the portal already and may not be done yet.
*****
WALKER KESSLER TO AUBURN
Kessler is a bet on upside, sure. He didn’t exactly stuff the box score during his one season at North Carolina, but he certainly showed flashes and appeared to find a groove near the end of the season.
The touted freshman averaged 8.2 points and 5.3 rebounds in his final 10 games, which included a 16 and 12 effort against Notre Dame and a 20 and 8 outing against Florida State. Bruce Pearl will pair Kessler with prized five-star recruit Jabari Smith in the frontcourt next season, and that’s enough to have the Tigers looking like a team ready to bounce back from a sub-.500 record.
*****
NOAH LOCKE TO LOUISVILLE
Yes, the transfer portal is crowded. Yes, there are plenty of players available, but finding a proven high-major commodity is still no easy task. The Cardinals did just that when they landed former Florida standout Noah Locke, who averaged 10.6 points per game for the Gators last season. More importantly for Louisville, however, is the fact that Locke is a proven and consistent 3-point shooter (40.4% last season).
The Cardinals struggled from long range during last year’s 13-7 campaign, so Locke’s appearance on this list is as much about fit as it is talent. The former four-star recruit has the ability to change the look of Chris Mack’s roster exponentially because he helps patch one of the program’s biggest holes.
*****
STANLEY UMUDE TO ARKANSAS
A 6-foot-6, 210-pound prospect that comes equipped with endless positional versatility, Umede averaged 21.6 points and seven rebounds per game at South Dakota last season. And while he may not post some of the gaudy 30- or 40-point games he did in the Summit League against SEC competition next year, there’s no doubt that he has the skill set to impact games significantly in the scoring column and on the glass.
Head coach Eric Mussleman’s track record with transfers is well publicized, and Umude seems like the next man up.