College basketball transfer portal rankings for 11 best men’s players still available The transfer portal has completely changed men’s college basketball, essentially making every player a free agent at the end of each season. Regulation is probably coming down the pipeline, but it’s not here yet, and prices are reportedly skyrocketing 65 percent from this time last year.
Michigan won the national championship this past season off the backs of four key transfers after landing Yaxel Lendeborg from UAB, Morez Johnson from Illinois, Aday Mara from UCLA, and Elliot Cadeau from North Carolina. I wrote that Michigan had the country’s best transfer portal haul this time last year, so I nailed that one. Unfortunately, I praised the portal hauls from programs like Creighton, Georgetown, and Washington in the same column, and none of those teams even made the 2026 NCAA tournament.
Teams need to hunt for talent that fits their system in the portal to really see big results — or maybe it’s more important that they tailor the system to the talent they can get. There’s still a long way to go before the portal closes on April 21, and that’s only the deadline to enter, not commit. The race for transfers is already on, and some of the best ones have already committed. Here are the best players still available in the portal.
Former school: Penn State
Mingo’s younger brother Dylan has a case as the best available player in college basketball right now after the 5-star incoming freshman decommitted from North Carolina last week. Could the Mingo brothers be a packaged deal at their next home? Their games are pretty similar as big point guards who can’t shoot, so it might not be the best idea. Kayden Mingo had a nice freshman season at Penn State where he established himself as a quality playmaker (27 percent assist rate and +2.1 assist-to-turnover ratio), a defensive terror (3.8 percent steal rate), and a promising on-ball creator. Mingo made nearly 62 percent of his rim looks with only 20 percent of those being assisted, and he also showed off a nice self-created mid-range game. Dylan Mingo has a chance to be a top-5 pick in the 2027 NBA Draft, but Kayden is a good player and a real catch in the portal in his own right.
Scharnowski’s per-game numbers (10.7 points, six rebounds) don’t do him justice. The 6’9 big man was one of the most efficient players in the country at Belmont this past season, and he has real two-way utility. Scharnowski was a super efficient scorer (68.3 effective field goal percentage), a great rebounder on both ends, and a fearsome rim protector with an eight percent block rate. He finishes everything inside with 75 percent shooting at the rim buoyed by 44 dunks in 30 games, and he’s also a good passer. There’s a ton of green flags in his profile, but his 43.6 percent free throw stroke is a big red flag. Improving his free throw shooting over the offseason would take Scharnowski’s game to the next level.
McNeil is one of the best shooters in the country combining deadly accuracy with super high volume. He hit 42.7 percent of his threes on 14.6 attempts from deep per 100 possessions this past season at NC State. McNeil isn’t just a spot-up shooter, he can dart off screens and hit shots from tough angles with deep range. He doesn’t have much creation ability and he’s not much of a playmaker, but his turnover avoidance and elite shooting should draw plenty of interest in the portal.
Wright left Baylor for BYU for a huge bag last year, and now he’s about to get paid again with Kentucky and BYU reportedly vying for him. The 6’1 guard is a speedy ball handler who can generate paint touches while also hitting 41 percent of his threes. He has a good mid-range game (41.4 percent on non-rim twos) even if he struggles to finish when he gets all the way to the rim. He’s a dependable floor general, too, posting a 24 percent assist rate and a +2.1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Every team wants a trusty veteran point guard, and Wright might be the best one on the market right now.
I named Hill one of the 50 best players in the 2026 NCAA tournament despite coming off the bench all year for VCU. He rewarded my faith by hitting the game-winner in their first-round upset against North Carolina, and now he’s ready for an even bigger role. Hill is a walking bucket at his best with self-creation ability, high-volume three-point shooting (37 percent from deep), and a very good mid-range game. Hill is also a solid passer who avoids turnovers, making him a perfect secondary creator. He’s not a plus defender, but a scorer this talented will be in demand on the market.
Freeman was a McDonald’s All-American out of high school who has battled foot injuries in both of his college seasons. If he can stay healthy, Freeman has a desirable skill set as a 6’9 forward who can launch threes with volume while also crushing the defensive glass. Part of this ranking is believing that Freeman is a better shooter than he’s shown so far after making 30.2 percent of his threes on 86 attempts in 23 games last season. He’s a career 77.5 percent free throw shooter and has shown good touch from mid-range (44.4 percent), so I think a leap is coming. Freeman also finishes well at the rim and holds his own on defense. I predict a breakout junior season if he lands in the right spot.
Blackwell scores points in bunches without sacrificing efficiency. The 6’4 guard was part of dynamic duos at Wisconsin the last two seasons, and his shooting touch combined with on/off ball versatility will make him arguably the most coveted guard in the portal this year. Blackwell averaged 19 points per game on 59.3 percent true shooting by ripping the nets from deep (39 percent from three on 247 attempts) and showing off a skilled mid-range game. He’s more of a combo guard than a pure point, but his ability to create good looks for himself allows him to play on or off the ball. Duke and Illinois are believed to be the frontrunners.
Former school: Wake Forest
Harris also declared for the NBA Draft when he announced he was leaving Marquette, but he will likely get a lot more money in the transfer portal for next season as a projected early second round pick. The 6’7 wing is bristling with upside with three-level scoring touch, some self-creation ability, and a knack for getting points at the foul line. He’s an excellent mid-range scorer who made nearly 48 percent on non-rim twos with more than 90 percent of them being unassisted. He should be a better outside shooter than his 33 percent three-point stroke indicates. It feels like Harris will be a solid first-round pick in the 2027 NBA Draft if he chooses the right school. Will he go for the biggest bag in the portal this year, or prioritize the place that could make him the most money long-term?
Former school: Arizona State
College basketball is a big man’s game once again, and there’s few players bigger than Diop. Listed at 7’1, 230 pounds with a 7’4 wingspan, the native of Senegal proved he could score efficiently inside, protect the rim, and make enough of his free throws (71.5 percent) to not be a total liability at the end of games. Diop crushed 53 dunks last season, which helped him shoot above 71 percent at the rim. He’s a legitimate defensive anchor with a nearly eight percent block rate, but would benefit from being paired with better rebounders. Given the race for size throughout the sport, Diop should be highly sought after coming off a good freshman year at Arizona State.
Former school: Iowa State
There might not be a better shooter in college basketball than Momcilovic. The Iowa State forward made 48.7 percent of his threes on 14.4 attempts per 100 possessions from deep last season at Iowa State. He’s also declared for the draft, but his athletic limitations likely make him a second rounder, which means the money will be better in college. While his outside shooting gets all the attention, Momcilovic is also incredible from midrange, making 47 percent of his looks with nearly three-quarters of them being unassisted. All the heavy hitters in the sport could use a shooter like this.
Former school: Santa Clara
No one knew who Graves was coming into the season, and now he’s either going to be a first-round NBA draft pick or the most coveted player in the transfer portal after a breakout redshirt freshman year at Santa Clara. Graves should have been a March Madness hero, but his go-ahead three-pointer against Kentucky was quickly wiped away with Otega Oweh’s deep buzzer-beater. The 6’9 forward is a hyper-aggressive defender who simply rips the ball away from opponents. His defensive playmaking is second-to-none with a five percent block rate and 4.9 percent steal rate, and he also uses his great hands and keen instincts to corral rebounds at an elite rate on both ends. Graves also hit 40.7 percent of his threes on 91 attempts, mostly on pick-and-pops and catch-and-shoot attempts. The size, motor, feel, and efficiency are there. He’s projected to be a first-round pick in our latest NBA mock draft, but the money in college might be too good to pass up if the bluebloods get involved.
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The transfer portal has completely changed men’s college basketball, essentially making every player a free agent at the end of each season. Regulation is probably coming down the pipeline, but it’s not here yet, and prices are reportedly skyrocketing 65 percent from this time last year.
Michigan won the national championship this past season off the backs of four key transfers after landing Yaxel Lendeborg from UAB, Morez Johnson from Illinois, Aday Mara from UCLA, and Elliot Cadeau from North Carolina. I wrote that Michigan had the country’s best transfer portal haul this time last year, so I nailed that one. Unfortunately, I praised the portal hauls from programs like Creighton, Georgetown, and Washington in the same column, and none of those teams even made the 2026 NCAA tournament.
Teams need to hunt for talent that fits their system in the portal to really see big results — or maybe it’s more important that they tailor the system to the talent they can get. There’s still a long way to go before the portal closes on April 21, and that’s only the deadline to enter, not commit. The race for transfers is already on, and some of the best ones have already committed. Here are the best players still available in the portal.
Former school: Penn State
Mingo’s younger brother Dylan has a case as the best available player in college basketball right now after the 5-star incoming freshman decommitted from North Carolina last week. Could the Mingo brothers be a packaged deal at their next home? Their games are pretty similar as big point guards who can’t shoot, so it might not be the best idea. Kayden Mingo had a nice freshman season at Penn State where he established himself as a quality playmaker (27 percent assist rate and +2.1 assist-to-turnover ratio), a defensive terror (3.8 percent steal rate), and a promising on-ball creator. Mingo made nearly 62 percent of his rim looks with only 20 percent of those being assisted, and he also showed off a nice self-created mid-range game. Dylan Mingo has a chance to be a top-5 pick in the 2027 NBA Draft, but Kayden is a good player and a real catch in the portal in his own right.
Scharnowski’s per-game numbers (10.7 points, six rebounds) don’t do him justice. The 6’9 big man was one of the most efficient players in the country at Belmont this past season, and he has real two-way utility. Scharnowski was a super efficient scorer (68.3 effective field goal percentage), a great rebounder on both ends, and a fearsome rim protector with an eight percent block rate. He finishes everything inside with 75 percent shooting at the rim buoyed by 44 dunks in 30 games, and he’s also a good passer. There’s a ton of green flags in his profile, but his 43.6 percent free throw stroke is a big red flag. Improving his free throw shooting over the offseason would take Scharnowski’s game to the next level.
McNeil is one of the best shooters in the country combining deadly accuracy with super high volume. He hit 42.7 percent of his threes on 14.6 attempts from deep per 100 possessions this past season at NC State. McNeil isn’t just a spot-up shooter, he can dart off screens and hit shots from tough angles with deep range. He doesn’t have much creation ability and he’s not much of a playmaker, but his turnover avoidance and elite shooting should draw plenty of interest in the portal.
Wright left Baylor for BYU for a huge bag last year, and now he’s about to get paid again with Kentucky and BYU reportedly vying for him. The 6’1 guard is a speedy ball handler who can generate paint touches while also hitting 41 percent of his threes. He has a good mid-range game (41.4 percent on non-rim twos) even if he struggles to finish when he gets all the way to the rim. He’s a dependable floor general, too, posting a 24 percent assist rate and a +2.1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Every team wants a trusty veteran point guard, and Wright might be the best one on the market right now.
I named Hill one of the 50 best players in the 2026 NCAA tournament despite coming off the bench all year for VCU. He rewarded my faith by hitting the game-winner in their first-round upset against North Carolina, and now he’s ready for an even bigger role. Hill is a walking bucket at his best with self-creation ability, high-volume three-point shooting (37 percent from deep), and a very good mid-range game. Hill is also a solid passer who avoids turnovers, making him a perfect secondary creator. He’s not a plus defender, but a scorer this talented will be in demand on the market.
Freeman was a McDonald’s All-American out of high school who has battled foot injuries in both of his college seasons. If he can stay healthy, Freeman has a desirable skill set as a 6’9 forward who can launch threes with volume while also crushing the defensive glass. Part of this ranking is believing that Freeman is a better shooter than he’s shown so far after making 30.2 percent of his threes on 86 attempts in 23 games last season. He’s a career 77.5 percent free throw shooter and has shown good touch from mid-range (44.4 percent), so I think a leap is coming. Freeman also finishes well at the rim and holds his own on defense. I predict a breakout junior season if he lands in the right spot.
Blackwell scores points in bunches without sacrificing efficiency. The 6’4 guard was part of dynamic duos at Wisconsin the last two seasons, and his shooting touch combined with on/off ball versatility will make him arguably the most coveted guard in the portal this year. Blackwell averaged 19 points per game on 59.3 percent true shooting by ripping the nets from deep (39 percent from three on 247 attempts) and showing off a skilled mid-range game. He’s more of a combo guard than a pure point, but his ability to create good looks for himself allows him to play on or off the ball. Duke and Illinois are believed to be the frontrunners.
Former school: Wake Forest
Harris also declared for the NBA Draft when he announced he was leaving Marquette, but he will likely get a lot more money in the transfer portal for next season as a projected early second round pick. The 6’7 wing is bristling with upside with three-level scoring touch, some self-creation ability, and a knack for getting points at the foul line. He’s an excellent mid-range scorer who made nearly 48 percent on non-rim twos with more than 90 percent of them being unassisted. He should be a better outside shooter than his 33 percent three-point stroke indicates. It feels like Harris will be a solid first-round pick in the 2027 NBA Draft if he chooses the right school. Will he go for the biggest bag in the portal this year, or prioritize the place that could make him the most money long-term?
Former school: Arizona State
College basketball is a big man’s game once again, and there’s few players bigger than Diop. Listed at 7’1, 230 pounds with a 7’4 wingspan, the native of Senegal proved he could score efficiently inside, protect the rim, and make enough of his free throws (71.5 percent) to not be a total liability at the end of games. Diop crushed 53 dunks last season, which helped him shoot above 71 percent at the rim. He’s a legitimate defensive anchor with a nearly eight percent block rate, but would benefit from being paired with better rebounders. Given the race for size throughout the sport, Diop should be highly sought after coming off a good freshman year at Arizona State.
Former school: Iowa State
There might not be a better shooter in college basketball than Momcilovic. The Iowa State forward made 48.7 percent of his threes on 14.4 attempts per 100 possessions from deep last season at Iowa State. He’s also declared for the draft, but his athletic limitations likely make him a second rounder, which means the money will be better in college. While his outside shooting gets all the attention, Momcilovic is also incredible from midrange, making 47 percent of his looks with nearly three-quarters of them being unassisted. All the heavy hitters in the sport could use a shooter like this.
Former school: Santa Clara
No one knew who Graves was coming into the season, and now he’s either going to be a first-round NBA draft pick or the most coveted player in the transfer portal after a breakout redshirt freshman year at Santa Clara. Graves should have been a March Madness hero, but his go-ahead three-pointer against Kentucky was quickly wiped away with Otega Oweh’s deep buzzer-beater. The 6’9 forward is a hyper-aggressive defender who simply rips the ball away from opponents. His defensive playmaking is second-to-none with a five percent block rate and 4.9 percent steal rate, and he also uses his great hands and keen instincts to corral rebounds at an elite rate on both ends. Graves also hit 40.7 percent of his threes on 91 attempts, mostly on pick-and-pops and catch-and-shoot attempts. The size, motor, feel, and efficiency are there. He’s projected to be a first-round pick in our latest NBA mock draft, but the money in college might be too good to pass up if the bluebloods get involved.
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