Brandon Averette is a double-digit scorer out on the NCAA Basketball grad transfer market. Which teams should make a run at him?
The latest addition to the NCAA Basketball transfer portal this past week is Brandon Averette, a 5’11 guard from Richardson, Texas who originally was part of Oklahoma State’s 2016 recruiting class as a three-star prospect. He was a solid player off the bench for the Cowboys in the two seasons he was with the program, averaging around five points a game in double figures of playing time.
Averette then made the decision to transfer, looking for a place with more playing opportunities. He landed at Utah Valley and Mark Pope, where he had to sit out a season due to NCAA transfer rules. But circumstances changed for the guard when Coach Pope made the move to join BYU last offseason, with Los Angeles assistant Mark Madsen named as the replacement.
To a big credit for Averette, he elected to stay with the Wolverines. He started this past season, averaging 12.8 ppg and 3.0 apg, both good for second on the team. The WAC first-team newcomer reached double figures in 20 of the 30 games, including a career-high 23 points in a win over Grand Canyon. He may not be the biggest guard in the world but is fast and quick, while also being a capable ball-handler and facilitator.
As a grad transfer with official eligibility to play in the 2020-21 season, Averette can be a solid late pickup for teams who could use some guard depth. He’s probably not going to be in play for the top teams in the country but for mid-majors and lower-tier power conference programs, look for them to make a run at the UVU guard. Here are eight specific programs where he’d be a nice fit.