NCAA Basketball: Ranking the 6 finalists for VCU transfer Jalen Deloach

ALBANY, NEW YORK - MARCH 17: Jalen DeLoach #4 of the Virginia Commonwealth Rams prepares to shoot a foul shot in the second half against the St. Mary's Gaels during the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at MVP Arena on March 17, 2023 in Albany, New York. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

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NCAA Basketball Utah State Aggies head coach Ryan Odom Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports /

The NCAA Basketball coaching carousel affects many teams and players, with the VCU Rams being one of them. After Mike Rhoades left for Penn State, many players for VCU opted to enter the transfer portal, including starting forward, Jalen Deloach.

After coming off the bench as a freshman, Deloach became the starting forward. He averaged 9.7 ppg and 6.9 rpg in 25 mpg, along with 1.4 blocks a game. The 6’9 big man had five double-doubles, including a pair of 19-point efforts. He’s one of the better frontcourt defenders in the transfer portal and will have a nice impact somewhere next season.

Deloach is down to just six options, one that includes a potential return to VCU. Here’s how I would rank each of the contenders in terms of fit, playing time, and ability to win next season.

https://twitter.com/JalenDeloach/status/1643296028076957696

6. VCU Rams

VCU found a new head coach in Ryan Odom, who was at Utah State and led them to the NCAA Tournament. They had one of the top offenses in the country and would be a near 180 from what the Rams have looked like from a style standpoint. He may not be able to bring too many of his former players to VCU so he’ll need someone like Deloach to come in and give them a competitive roster.

Unless he truly just loves the school or is able to bring most of his teammates back, it’s hard to see the upside for Deloach to stay here. He may not fit with Coach Odom and the roster has plenty of work to do to get back to the top tier of the Atlantic 10 next season. And considering the other options available, it’s just too easy to see him elsewhere.

5. Penn State Nittany Lions

Unless Deloach really wants to play with Coach Rhoades, this could be a tough sell too. The benefit is that Penn State’s roster is starting over completely so the big man would start there without question. And maybe the other Rams would join him there too.

But can what’s left of the former VCU roster be able to compete in the Big Ten? It’s a big leap from the A-10 and the Nittany Lions could struggle out the gate. The new-look VCU would be more likely to compete since it’s in a league that’s rebuilding overall.

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