NCAA Basketball: Top 50 impact transfers for 2021-22 season
20. G Kyler Edwards – Houston Cougars
2020-21 stats: 10.1 ppg and 4.8 rpg at Texas Tech
The 6’4 guard is one of the better individual perimeter defenders in the country, while also more than capable of running the offense at the point too. Edwards also is a consistent double-digit scorer and shot 42% from three-point range last season, considered to be his biggest weakness coming into last season.
Edwards is a smaller version of Dejon Jarreau, Houston’s point guard and AAC Defensive Player of the Year. The former Red Raider has the potential to do those things and will have a large role on the Cougars’ offense alongside Tramon Mark and Marcus Sasser in the backcourt.
19. G Malik Curry – West Virginia Mountaineers
2020-21 stats: 15.7 ppg and 3.6 apg at Old Dominion
The 6’1 playmaker was All-CUSA last season, scoring in double figures in all but one game and going or 20+ on six different occasions. Curry is great below the arc and is a good free throw shooter on offense while being a very good defender as well.
Three-point shooting isn’t his specialty but Curry will have talented scorers, Taz Sherman and Sean McNeil to work with in the backcourt. His defense fits Coach Bob Huggins’ system on offense and while he isn’t as good an individual scorer as Miles McBride, Curry will fit right into the lineup as the starting point guard.
18. G Noah Locke – Louisville Cardinals
2020-21 stats: 10.6 ppg and 2.4 rpg at Florida
The 6’3 guard was a three-year starter with the Gators and is one of the better three-point shooters in the country, averaging over 40% for his career. There are games where Locke disappears and isn’t part of the offense, his spacing, and spot-up shooting will be needed for a rebuild Cardinals team that lacks shooting on paper.
Louisville has a number of newcomer guards on the roster, including Jarrod West, El Ellis, and Mason Faulkner that are all capable of creating their own offense and others. That’ll be very key for Locke this season and while he won’t have the biggest numbers may end up having the biggest impact among the newcomers.
17. G Justin Powell – Tennessee Volunteers
2020-21 stats: 11.7 ppg and 4.7 apg at Auburn
A concussion and other injuries limited the freshman guard to just 10 games last season but when he was healthy, Powell was a star in the making. He had back-to-back games of 26 points against South Alabama and Memphis, while also being close on several occasions of getting double-digit rebounds and assists in the other games too. Powell also shot 44% from three-point range, making him an elite all-around offensive threat.
The Volunteers have five-star freshman guard Kennedy Chandler on the roster and he and Powell fit very well together since both can play on and off the ball. Powell’s versatility will be a big asset for a Tennessee squad that tended to be very stagnant on offense last season, which limited their ceiling. A healthy Powell could be the all-around stat stuffer that also makes everyone else better too.
16. F Earl Timberlake – Memphis Tigers
2020-21 stats: 9.3 ppg and 5.0 rpg at Miami
The former top-30 prospect was limited to just seven games last season but showed his all-around versatility, including being able to run an offense. The 6’6 playmaker is a good scorer but needs work on his perimeter game but is a triple-double threat in any game.
While the Tigers have a number of capable ball-handlers on the roster, including five-star freshman Emoni Bates, Timberlake has the highest ceiling of the potential point guards. And since he’s not much of a three-point shooter, the 6’6 guard can play point and not disrupt the team’s offensive spacing. He’d also be a great defender at that position too due to his size and wingspan.