NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Analyzing guard Jose Perez 10 transfer options

BYU Cougars

After missing out on several transfers already, the Cougars got good news with the pickup of grad transfer big man Matt Haarms from Purdue. Their frontcourt is set but the primary roster questions are coming from the perimeter, with the team having to replace All-WCC performers TJ Haws and Jake Toolson.

Assuming that Perez has to sit out a year, BYU will also have to replace Alex Barcello, who’ll graduate after next season. That leaves wing Connor Harding, Jesse Wade, who missed all of last season with knee issues and JUCO transfer Spence Johnson. 2020 commits Richie Saunders and Dallin Hall won’t be around for two years, each planning on taking LDS Missions. Perez will have plenty of available playing time and could be the lead guard on the 2021-22 Cougars squad.

DePaul Blue Demons

Jalen Coleman-Lands elected to leave DePaul as a grad transfer, along with Devin Gage. The team will be fine on the perimeter at least next season, with leading scorer and passer Charlie Moore coming back for his senior season. That leaves Markese Jacobs, who averaged 3.2 ppg in less than 10 mpg off the bench as a freshman.

The Blue Demons could absolutely use Perez as a lead guard and likely won’t find any better options from either high school or in the transfer portal. But the dismal last-place finish in the Big East destroyed any momentum the program was getting under head coach Dave Leitao. And even though he recently received an extension, I’m not so sure he’ll survive another last-place spot, something they’re projected to do in 2021.