NCAA Basketball: Analyzing 8 teams after NC State transfer Isaiah Miranda
UCF Knights
The Knights are heading to the Big 12 and will need to replace its entire frontcourt, as Michael Durr ran out of eligibility and star forward Taylor Hendricks is a projected top-10 pick in the NBA Draft. They landed Omar Payne and Ibrahima Diallo, two frontcourt players from mid-major schools that should serve as depth.
Even after landing Diallo on Thursday, there’s still room in the frontcourt for Miranda to come in and have a large role. In fact, on paper, he’d be the most talented player inside for them. They have a bunch of shooters on the perimeter and with another roster addition could be a sneaky team in the Big 12 next season.
Villanova Wildcats
Villanova has lacked depth in the frontcourt the past couple of years. But they have forward Eric Dixon coming back, along with adding Richmond wing transfer, Tyler Burton. The team also added Lance Ware, a transfer from Kentucky. There’s still Trey Patterson and Nnanna Njoku on the roster but they aren’t proven.
With Burton now on the roster and Maryland transfer Hakim Hart can play some at the four-spot. So realistically, there isn’t a lot of playing time available for Miranda. But if he’s willing to wait a year with a limited role and see Dixon and others move on, he then could have a sizeable role with the Wildcats for 2024-25.