There were tons of transfer decisions made in the past week, and several impactful high school prospects also chose their future schools. In this week’s McDonald’s Nuggets column, Dan McDonald takes a look at the 10 most significant decisions in the past seven days.
*****
RELATED: Biggest headlines of the past week
2021 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2022 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2023 Rankings: Top 30
*****
1. Chet Holmgren to Gonzaga
When the No. 1 prospect in the senior class makes his decision, it’s a huge deal for the school that lands him. Even though it’s been expected for some time that Gonzaga would get Holmgren done, it’s still a huge addition for Mark Few’s team next season and a huge statement in the recruiting world that he can land that caliber of prospect.
*****
2. Tamar Bates to Indiana
It hasn’t taken long for new Indiana coach Mike Woodson to squash any doubts people might have had about his ability and willingness to recruit. In Bates, the Hoosiers are getting one of the top scorers in the 2021 class in the former Texas commit and a prospect they can build around as Woodson rebuilds a program that hasn’t been up to its own high standards in recent years.
*****
3. Christian Bishop to Texas
Bishop had a terrific three-year run at Creighton on one of the top teams in the Big East, but now he heads to Austin to help Chris Beard try to build a powerhouse at Texas. The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 11.0 points and 6.4 rebounds per game this past season and he has steadily improved in the last few years. Look for the former Rivals150 prospect to make another big step next season.
*****
4. Dylan Andrews to UCLA
Coming off a Final Four run, UCLA looks like it’s getting ready to return to national powerhouse status under Mick Cronin. Already with a commitment from five-star guard Amari Bailey, the Bruins landed another talented prospect in the 2022 class this week from Andrews, a four-star point guard. UCLA beat out several top programs to secure the commitment from the West Coast floor general.
*****
5. Brady Manek to North Carolina
North Carolina’s frontcourt has taken a big hit this offseason, but Hubert Davis made a big step in filling that void by landing Manek. He’s averaged in double digits all four of his college seasons and should do the same next season for the Tar Heels.
*****
6. Theo John to Duke
It just seems right for Duke to have a big, strong fifth-year senior enforcer in the paint like John. The former Marquette big man is coming off a season in which he averaged 8.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game shooting while nearly 60% from the field. He’ll make an impact at Duke this season.
7. Mason Faulkner to Colorado
Colorado is losing one of the top guards in the history of the program in McKinley Wright, so the addition of Faulkner is an important one. The former Western Carolina guard has averaged right around 17 points per game the last two seasons while also averaging around 6 assists and 5 rebounds per game. It’s obviously a step up from the Southern Conference, but expect him to help the Buffaloes.
*****
8. Eli King to Iowa State
Less than a week after adding his first 2022 commitment, Iowa State head coach TJ Otzelberger is back on the board with another commitment from four-star guard Eli King. The Minnesota native also had offers from Iowa, Marquette, Minnesota and Stanford before making his decision.
9. Miller Kopp to Indiana
Kopp is another strong addition for the Hoosiers under Mike Woodson, one that gives Indiana a legitimate threat from three-point range. Kopp has been averaged in the double digits the last two seasons at Northwestern and has connected on 36% of his three-point attempts in his college career.
*****
10. Jaemyn Brakefield to Ole Miss
The former top- 50 recruit didn’t see a ton of playing time as a freshman this year at Duke, but that doesn’t mean that talent level isn’t still there. Look for Ole Miss coach Kermit Davis to get the best out of him in his return to his home state. Don’t be surprised if we look back at this list a year from now and this ranking is way too low for Brakefield.
