Rivals Roundtable: All eyes on the transfer portal

The start of transfer portal season runs congruent with the start of the NCAA tournament … for some reason, So while most fans are glued to the action on the floor, next season is starting to take shape.

Today, we take a peek into the portal as Rivals analysts Rob Cassidy, Jason Jordan and Jacey Zembal discuss the early comings and goings of transfer season in roundtable fashion.

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TRANSFER PORTAL: Latest news | Transfer search | Transfer tracker/player ranking (football) | Transfer team ranking (football) | Transfer tracker/player ranking (basketball) | Transfer team ranking (basketball) | Rivals Portal Twitter

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Cassidy: I obviously understand why Kanaan Carlyle chose Stanford originally, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited to see what the former four-star guard is capable of with a better supporting cast around him. It appears I’m going to get my chance to see it now, as the Atlanta-born standout has hit the portal. The fact that he averaged 11.9 points as a freshman for Stanford this season is encouraging, but the versatile Carlyle has the tools to play either guard spot and profiles as a game-changer for a number of high-major programs in need of backcourt help. Auburn, Baylor, Florida, Kansas and Tennessee were all involved in Carlyle’s original recruitment, so we’ll see how those programs play it the second time around.

Jordan: I’ll say Detroit Mercy transfer Jayden Stone, because he was such a dynamic scorer, but really just a productive player period this season, averaging 20.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.5 steals a game. Obviously, the Titans were horrendous this season with just one win, but that’s more of the reason as to why I want to follow his progress. What will he do in a better system with more talent? I’m intrigued.

Zembal: I’ll go with a deep cut, sophomore post player Sam Alexis of Tennessee-Chattanooga. At 6-9 and 230 pounds from Apopka, Fla., he did well against both Auburn and Louisville, and is long and bouncy. He averaged 10.8 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game, but he seems to be just touching his potential. He even made 14 three-pointers.

He hit a wall in February, but if he can get consistency, he could be a future all-conference player one day. He’s a different kind of player, but his path seems similar to Auburn post Johni Broome, who is from Plant City, Fla. He played two years at Morehead State and left after averaging 16.8 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.9 blocks per game in 2021-22. His game translated well to the SEC.

Cassidy: This feels like an absolutely massive portal season for Mike Woodson at Indiana. Things have gone poorly for him in the last calendar year, as the Hoosiers not only missed the NCAA tournament but have also seen a recruiting cycle that once felt so promising absolutely implode. Woodson narrowly missed out on five-star priority targets Boogie Fland and Derik Queen. He then saw the one five-star he did manage to land have a last-minute change of heart, when Liam McNeeley decided to reopen his recruitment a few weeks back. The fans are getting impatient in Bloomington and Woodson probably needs a bounce-back season to save his job. How he reshapes his roster in the month ahead will go a long way in determining the path of one of the next season’s biggest storylines.

Jordan: Georgia Tech mostly because of the buzz surrounding Damon Stoudamire’s first season. After knocking off Duke and North Carolina in the same season he’ll be able to sell the foundational message that could potentially lure thoroughbreds to Atlanta. The Jackets have already lost Amaree Abram and will be looking to add experience and depth. I really want to see how he can capitalize off of the momentum to potentially build a more consistent team next season.

Zembal: Some great answers to this, from coaches who are about to be hired at Louisville, Stanford or Washington, to coaches on the hot seat. Texas could be full of change coming up and has really relied on the portal the last few years. Texas going 20-12 overall and 9-9 in the Big 12 was unexpected and the move to the SEC will be interesting coming up. By my math, it will lose point guard Max Abmas, center Dylan Disu, power forward Brock Cunningham and wing Ithiel Horton. Kadin Shedrick should have a COVID year after redshirting at Virginia, but also could play overseas.

Texas will be a good case study moving forward in the portal. The state produces so many players for smaller schools and after they develop and become quality players, the Longhorns could come calling, and that would be difficult for in-state players to turn down

Cassidy: I was a massive Kam Craft fan back when he was in high school and still think he can thrive as a college player. He battled injuries during most of his time at Xavier and didn’t really manage to carve out a significant role even when healthy. That said, he did manage to shoot 50 percent from the floor and 35 percent from 3-point range during extremely limited playing time, so it’s not as though the narrative on his talent has been changed. Craft should have plenty of options to continue his career, and I remain a believer in his ability to be an all-conference guy at the right school based on his length, shooting ability and knack for impacting games on the defensive end.

Jordan: Definitely think a change would serve Dennis Evans well after playing just seven games at Louisville this season then getting injured. There was so much built around Kenny Payne and their fall from grace this season, which was draining in itself but to add injury to the mix just put it over the top. Evans is a former five-star with all the tools, and now he’s medically cleared to play. Fresh start is just what the doctor ordered for him.

Zembal: For some players, a change in scenery will really show just how good they are. For instance, point guard Carlik Jones went from Radford to Louisville in 2020-21 and was immediately among the top players in the ACC. Along those lines, Ken Evans Jr. of Jackson State seems to check a lot of boxes and was the SWAC Player of the Year.

Evans averaged 18.8 points and 5.4 rebounds per game and looked good doing it. He also shot 39.2 percent on three-pointers. Hopefully, he picks the right college and people will learn how good he is. He’s already put up solid numbers against Memphis, Missouri, Georgetown, Gonzaga and Northwestern, with Houston and Tulsa slowing him down. Tai’Reon Joseph of Southern and Kylen Milton of Arkansas-Pine Bluff are other SWAC guards of note in the portal.