As we approach the 2021-22 college basketball season, there are not many conferences that have been in the news more recently than AAC Basketball.
The AAC as a whole had success during both the 2020-21 regular season and postseason. After Wichita State took home the regular-season crown with an 11-2 record in conference play, the postseason was dominated by the Houston Cougars who won the 2021 AAC Tournament and rode that success all the way to the Final Four.
Fast forward to the offseason, and while multiple teams saw some roster turnover due to players leaving for the NBA and transfers, the news has been dominated recently by Memphis. Not only did the Tigers have success in the Transfer Portal, but they’ve obviously dominated college basketball news recently with the additions of top-rated freshmen Emoni Bates and Jalen Duren.
When it comes to solely the incoming transfers for the conference, was Memphis still the clear winner? As you’ll see, multiple AAC teams had success in the Transfer Portal this offseason and may be some of the favorites to challenge the Tigers for the 2021-22 AAC Basketball crown.
As we inch closer to tip-off for the 2021-22 season, here are the top 10 AAC Basketball transfers of the offseason, starting with a few honorable mentions.
HM. F Taze Moore – Houston Cougars
A four-year player at Cal-State Bakersfield, Moore enjoyed a breakout season a year ago averaging 12/4/2 on 48.8%/51.4%/82.8% shooting.
HM. G Javon Greene – South Florida Bulls
Spending four seasons at George Mason, Greene has averaged 10+ PPG and 5+ RPG the past two seasons.
HM. G Sam Griffin – Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Griffin has started in 31 of 58 games the previous two seasons at UT-Arlington where he has averaged a combined 11.2 PPG.
HM. G Tyler Harris – Memphis Tigers
A career 9.2 PPG scorer, Harris returns to Memphis where he spent the first two seasons of his collegiate career after transferring to Iowa State a year ago.
HM. F Vance Jackson – East Carolina Pirates
Despite averaging only 3.8 PPG a year ago at Arkansas, Jackson is an experienced post-player who spent time in the AAC with UConn in 2016-17, as well as New Mexico in 2018-19 and 2019-20.
HM. F Josh Carlton – Houston Cougars
A four-year player at UConn, Carlton has started in 82 of his 115 career games where he has averaged a combined 6.5 PPG and 5.1 RPG for his career.
HM. F Tristan Clark – SMU Mustangs
Clark spent the first three seasons of his career at Baylor where he had success averaging 14.6 PPG during the 2018-19 season, but did not play a year ago after suffering a knee injury during the 2019-20 season.
Other Notables:
- G Jake Boggs – South Florida Bulls
- F Sam Hines – South Florida Bulls
- F Ody Oguama – Cincinnati Bearcats
- F Jalyn McCreary – South Florida Bulls
- G John Newman III – Cincinatti Bearcats
- F Chandler Lawson – Memphis Tigers
10. F Cheikh Mbacke Diong – UCF Knights
Previous School: UNLV
We begin with Diong, a four-year player at UNLV, as well as a three-year starter. For his collegiate career with the Rebels, the 6’11 forward has averaged 6.4 PPG and 6.2 RPG with a career 57.7 FG%.
While not necessarily the biggest offensive threat, Diong should step in as the Knights starting center from day one as one of the top defensive big men in the AAC. While this might not have been the most eye-popping move of the offseason, this was an experienced addition to a position that UCF needed, and one that will benefit them this season.
9. F Jeriah Horne – Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Previous School: Colorado
Horne returns to Tulsa after transferring to Colorado last season where his 10.8 PPG ranked second for the Buffaloes, while also leading the team with 5.8 RPG. Now a grad student, Horne previously spent the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons with the Golden Hurricane (redshirted at Tulsa in 2017-18) where he averaged a combined 10.6 PPG and 5 RPG across 63 games played.
At 6’7, Horne is a solid interior presence who has a proven record of grabbing rebounds on a consistent basis, as well as a player who can step out and shoot the three. Also an excellent free throw shooter (90.6% a year ago), Horne will be a featured player for Tulsa this season for a team tasked with replacing top two leading scorers Brandon Rachal and Elijah Joiner.
8. F Abdul Ado – Cincinnati Bearcats
Previous School: Mississippi State
Ado is one of the most experienced transfers entering the AAC this season as he was a four-year starter at Mississippi State drawing a start in 130 of 131 career games, the most in Bulldogs program history. While not necessarily the biggest scoring threat, Ado has the potential to be a difference-maker for the Bearcats in another area this season.
The 6’11 forward is a strong shot-blocker having averaged 1.9 per game during his career and is a strong interior defensive presence, in particular at protecting the rim and grabbing rebounds. Selected to one SEC All-Defensive team during his collegiate career, Ado should start from day one for the Bearcats and should be one of the best interior defenders in the AAC this season.
7. G Kyler Edwards – Houston Cougars
Previous School: Texas Tech
After spending three successful seasons in Lubbock, Edwards transfers across the state of Texas to join Houston as an immediate impact guard. The now-senior started all but three games the last two seasons at Texas Tech averaging at least 10/4/2 in both.
Edwards will likely step into a starting role from day one with the Cougars, and alongside Marcus Sasser will create one of the more exciting guard combos in the AAC. A proven guard capable of creating shots for himself and others, Edwards will be a key player for the Cougars in 2021-22 as Houston has to replace Quentin Grimes and others of last season’s Final Four team.
6. G Wynston Tabbs – East Carolina Pirates
Previous School: Boston College
Despite spending three seasons at Boston College, Tabbs has only appeared in 27 games (23 of which he started), partly due to a medical redshirt during the 2019-20 season. While it may be a fairly limited sample size for the redshirt sophomore, Tabbs has performed when on the court averaging 13.7 PPG, 3.4 RPG, and 2.3 APG during his collegiate career.
The Pirates brought in multiple transfers this offseason, and you could certainly make the argument that Tabbs will provide the biggest immediate impact this season. Tabbs will instantly be an impact scoring guard from day one for an East Carolina team tasked with replacing leading scorer Jayden Gardner from a year ago.
5. G DeVon Baker – Tulane Green Wave
Previous School: UNC-Asheville
Tulane brings in multiple impact transfers this season with none bigger than Baker, a former Second-Team All-Big South selection during the 2019-20 campaign, as well as the 2018-19 Big South All-Freshman Team. Spending three seasons at UNC-Asheville, Baker started in all 62 games during his first two seasons averaging 16+ PPG in both, before only playing eight games a year ago.
Baker comes to Tulane as a talented scorer who eclipsed the 1,000-point mark during his sophomore season and should play a similar role scoring the ball once again this season. For a Green Wave team that already returns leading scorer Jaylen Forbes, a duo of Forbes and Baker could give Tulane one of the top guard scoring duos in the AAC.
4. G Michael Weathers – SMU Mustangs
Previous School: Texas Southern
SMU brought in arguably the most impactful transfers of any AAC team this offseason headlined by the Weathers’ twins with Michael the first on this list. After beginning his career at Miami (OH) for his freshman season back in 2016-17 averaging 16.7 PPG while winning the MAC Freshman of the Year, Weathers has since spent time at both Oklahoma State and Texas Southern last season where he averaged 16/5/3/2.
When looking back at last season alone, Weathers shined at Texas Southern leading the Tigers to an NCAA Tournament appearance while receiving numerous accolades including First-Team All-SWAC, as well as SWAC Newcomer of the Year. The experienced guard should play a massive role for the Mustangs this season as both a scorer and rebounder and could be higher on this list should he show improvement in his three-point shot.
3. F Earl Timberlake – Memphis Tigers
Previous School: Miami (FL)
The by-far biggest winners of the AAC offseason were the Tigers with the biggest transfer addition being Timberlake. A former four-star recruit, Timberlake spent his freshman season a year ago at Miami (FL) where he averaged 9.3 PPG, 5 RPG, and 2.4 APG in only seven games played, three of which were starts.
Memphis should be considered as the favorites as we enter the 2021-22 AAC season, and while other players may garner the most attention, Timberlake is a player who can be a difference-maker for the Tigers off the bench. While there is a chance he could see a starting role at some point depending on how the Tigers use other players, Timberlake likely becomes the top bench option in the AAC.
2. F Marcus Weathers – SMU Mustangs
Previous School: Duquesne
The other Weathers twin, Marcus comes to SMU after a strong three seasons at Duquesne. Similar to his brother Michael previously, Weathers spent his freshman season at Miami (OH) in 2016-17 before transferring to Duquesne where he has spent the past three seasons being named Second-Team All-A-10 the previous two seasons.
Marcus is similar to his brother Michael through the fact that he won’t necessarily beat you with a three-point shot, but will score primarily in the paint, as well as a better rebounder averaging 6.9 for his collegiate career. Weathers should see significant minutes for SMU this season, while also a likely candidate to lead the Mustangs in rebounds.
1. G Zach Nutall – SMU Mustangs
Previous School: Sam Houston State
The top incoming transfer in the AAC for the 2021-22 season is Nutall, the 2020-21 Southland Player of the Year. A three-year player at Sam Houston State, Nutall has started every game the previous two seasons in which he has averaged 15/4/2 and 19/5/2 respectively, with each season resulting in a First-Team All-Southland selection.
Nutall comes into the 2021-22 season as the most accomplished transfer in the AAC, and should be a primary scoring target for the Mustangs this season as one of the most talented offensive players in the conference. With the combination of Nutall, Weathers, and returning leading scorer Kendric Davis, does SMU have the most talented and experienced backcourt in the AAC?
When it comes to the overall winner of the AAC Basketball offseason based solely on transfers, SMU is by-far the biggest winner. Will the trio of Nutall and the Weathers’ twins make the Mustangs a potential favorite alongside Memphis in the AAC this season?