NCAA Basketball: 3x MAAC Defensive POY KC Ndefo enters transfer portal
By Shea Irish
Five potential destinations for Ndefo
Seton Hall
Although none of the other former Peacocks have followed Holloway over, Ndefo could be the first as he has the most potential at the high major level. His defensive skillset will benefit any program in the country, and Seton Hall is losing starting big men Alexis Yetna and Ike Obiagu.
Ndefo fits that mold of toughness associated with Big East basketball, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him follow his former coach Shaheen Holloway to Seton Hall. The move makes sense from many standpoints, including the geographical side to it. The Pirates play their games just 5.7 miles from Saint Peter’s campus, making it a seamless transition.
North Texas
What an incredible fit it would be for one of the best defenders in the game to play for the top defensive unit in the country. Last season, North Texas gave up just 55.7 PPG, the lowest total for any team in the nation.
The Mean Green remarkably accomplished that feat without even having a true rim protector. In fact, Ndefo blocked more shots last season (96) than the entire Mean Green roster combined (82). Adding the elite shot-blocker would ascend one of the most successful mid-major programs in recent seasons to another level.
Rutgers
If Ndefo decides he wants to transfer to another local school, why not just take the 45-minute ride down the Jersey Turnpike to play for the Scarlet Knights. He would be able to play in the deepest conference in the country and showcase his defensive skillset against some of the best scorers in the country.
Head Coach Steve Pikiell is also very familiar with the Long Island area, which is where Ndefo is from. Pikiell coached at Stony Brook for 11 years, which was less than an hour away from his hometown of Elmont, NY.
Ndefo would embody the same Rutgers culture and identity that led to the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in Caleb McConnell last season. With Clifford Omoruyi at the 5 and Ndefo at the 4, good luck to opposing Big Ten teams trying to score in the paint against the Scarlet Knights.
Texas Tech
The Red Raiders know a thing or two about bringing mid-major talent to Lubbock through the transfer portal. Last offseason, first-year coach Mark Adams added transfer Kevin Obanor, a breakout star on Oral Robert’s 2021 Cinderella Sweet 16 team. Maybe he strikes again in year two by bringing in a star from the most recent Cinderella team.
Texas Tech is a program that prides itself on defense, finishing last season tied with Texas as the stingiest defense in the Big 12, allowing just 60.6 PPG. Starting a hybrid lineup of five players ranging between 6’5″ and 6’8″ last season, they were able to switch on screens and cause havoc at all times. Ndefo would adapt perfectly into that scheme and even upgrade the vaunted Red Raiders defense with his shot-blocking ability.
West Virginia
Bob Huggins is notorious for having under-recruited, high motored, tough-nosed players, come to Morgantown. Ndefo exemplifies all of those characteristics, and would immediately help the Mountaineers replace forwards Jalen Bridges and Gabe Osabuohien.
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West Virginia is usually one of the better defensive teams in the Big 12, but that wasn’t the case in 2021-22. They gave up the most points per game in the conference, leading to the worst season in Huggins’ 15 years at the helm. If the Mountaineers want to return to the top of the Big 12 standings, there’s no better way to start than by adding Ndefo to the roster.