NCAA Basketball: 10 teams that still need some help in 2023 transfer portal

UCLA Bruins

I may be premature to list the Bruins here because there is a scenario where they might not even need a transfer. However, there’s a chance that they could need several transfers just to be ranked next season. It comes down to what you believe each starter will do.

Leading scorer Jaime Jaquez is widely expected to stay in the draft, along with senior point guard, Tyger Campbell. Freshman guard Amari Bailey had a great final month of the season and could be a “one and done”, while big man Adem Bona is not only in the NBA Draft process as well but also is a rumored transfer portal candidate if he returns. Then there’s Jaylen Clark, who is the best pro prospect of all of them but due to an injury, will be out of commission for the next several months.

There’s not much depth outside of those five, even with the reclassification of five-star guard, Ilane Fibleuil. They added Utah bench guard Lazar Stefanović for added shooting but depending on what happens in the coming weeks, the Bruins may need a point guard, power forward, and even a center.

It’s a tricky tightrope that head coach Mick Cronin will have to deal with in the next month and his next moves could decide how viable they are for the 2023-24 NCAA Basketball season. They’ll need to venture more into the portal for at least a Plan B or C situation or risk being left behind if most of these starters truly don’t come back.