NCAA Basketball: Caleb Love, Josh Cohen among top 20 tranfer pickups of the week
10. Steele Venters – Eastern Washington to Gonzaga
2022-23 season stats: 15.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 1.5 apg
Venters actually had bigger stats as a redshirt sophomore but after his efforts leading EWU to a regular-season title, was named Big Sky Player of the Year. He’s a career 40% three-point shooter, including making 4 three-points in 5 of the last seven games. The 6’7 wing had eight games with at least 20 points, including 33 against North Dakota State on 14/19 shooting.
Venters joins one of the top NCAA Basketball in Gonzaga and assuming that Julian Strawther enters the NBA Draft, could easily be the next starter on the wing. With Drew Timme and Rasir Bolton among the current offseason departures, the team needs both scoring and shooting, something Venters provides.
9. Fardaws Aimaq – Texas Tech to Cal
2022-23 season stats (11 games): 11.1 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 1.5 apg
An injury limited the former WAC Player of the Year (Utah Valley) to just games in Big 12 play but Aimaq showed that he can play at the power conference level. He had a pair of 19-point games against Oklahoma and TCU while pulling down 18 rebounds (7 offensive) versus Kansas.
Aimaq joins Mark Madsen at Cal, which was one of the worst teams in NCAA Basketball this past season. He gives the team a legit frontcourt player to work with and the first solid pickup of the offseason. Look for him to be a focal point of the offense and an impact player in the Pac-12.