NCAA Basketball: Top 25 high-major Junior College transfers for 2021-22 season
12. C Sydney Curry – Louisville Cardinals
Junior College: John A. Logan
Curry has long been considered as one of the best big men in the 2021 JUCO class. At 6’8 and at least 250 pounds, the big man is a tremendous athlete that is quick for his size while also being a much better interior defender than his height would suggest. Curry’s a good offensive player that can score down low and could be a versatile frontcourt option depending on the opposing power forward options. Besides also being a good defender and rebounder, the big man is an underrated passer as well, which bodes well for the newcomer guards.
After originally committing to Kansas, Curry switched over to Louisville, where there’s a clearer pathway for minutes. In fact, if the health of center Malik Williams and lack of experience of top-100 freshman Roosevelt Wheeler is a concern, don’t be surprised if Curry finds a way to start for the Cardinals this upcoming season. There’s a lot of overall talent on the roster but no true stars so if Curry’s all-around skillset can be of help, he could end up as one of the more impactful newcomers in all of the ACC.
11. F Alonzo Gaffney – Arizona State Sun Devils
Junior College: Northwest Florida State
A former top-50 prospect out of high school, Gaffney went JUCO after a season at Ohio State where he didn’t get much playing time. Considering that there is a negative thought that Junior College is a “step down”, it’s impressive to note that the forward had no issue going there to develop his game. And while he didn’t put up a ton of stats last season (8.4 ppg and 5.3 rpg), Gaffney improved his all-around game and is a good individual defender.
Now at Arizona State, he’ll be an impact newcomer alongside Kimani Lawerence, Jalen Graham, and Enoch Boakye in the frontcourt. If his offensive shows and becomes a double-digit producer, that could push the team into NCAA Tournament range.
10. Wing Philmon Gebrewhit – DePaul Blue Demons
Junior College: South Plains
A 6’7 wing that was third on the team in scoring (11.6 ppg), Gebrewhit has great potential to be a “3 and D” player at DePaul. He shot over 41% from three-point range and had 14 games of at least two shots made from deep. His size and athleticism give him an advantage over most guards and his consistency is a great sign that it’ll translate at the power conference level.
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It’ll be interesting to see who wins the battle between Gebrewhit and Tyon Grant-Foster, one of the top JUCO transfers from last year’s class that was previously at Kansas. He had some injuries and was behind in the depth chart but both are 6’7 wings that the Blue Demons need to perform well. Look for both to get minutes but Gebrewhit may have a higher ceiling between the two.