NCAA Basketball: Ranking the 10 contenders for Rutgers transfer Paul Mulcahy
The top perimeter transfer left in the NCAA Basketball transfer portal is Paul Mulcahy, a graduate transfer from Rutgers. He’s one of the best pure passers from the Big Ten, averaging 8.3 ppg and 4.9 apg this past season as a senior. He’s led the Scarlets Knights to rare NCAA Tournament appearances and is known for being a good defender as well thanks to his 6’6 frame.
After entering the portal, a number of programs have reached out. And according to Basketball Insider Adam Zagoria, the list is up to 10 teams, now that UCLA reportedly is in the mix as well. There very well could be newcomers that get involved later but it’s a good list of groups for Mulcahy to consider.
UCLA is the latest school to reach out to @RutgersMBB transfer Paul Mulcahy https://t.co/F1Z9iK8p1M
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) June 13, 2023
Here’s a look at how I would rank each of the teams involved for his services in terms of best potential fit.
10. Washington Huskies
It’s understandable that the program is looking to add as much talent as possible in order to finish in the top half of the Pac-12. Coach Mike Hopkins knows he’s on the hot seat and unless top-40 shooting guard Wesley Yates doesn’t have a big year, they could be in trouble no matter what.
There’s also the fact that the team already landed Sahvir Wheeler, another guard that’s pass-first and doesn’t score. Mulcahy would start over him but it’s hard to see them being successful on the floor together. And even with this transfer, Washington probably isn’t an NCAA Tournament team anyways.
9. Kansas Jayhawks
The Jayhawks have arguably won the offseason transfer portal contest, landing Michigan center Hunter Dickinson, along with Towson shooter Nicolas Timberlake and former Texas guard and five-star prospect, Arterior Morris. And in this scenario, a backcourt of Mulcahy, Dajuan Harris, and Kevin McCullar would be the best defensive group of perimeter players in all of NCAA Basketball.
The problem is that Harris and Mulcahy are redundant “pass first” guards and Harris would still run the offense, making it a problematic backcourt on offense. And there’s a possibility that either Morris or Timberlake could re-enter the portal if their role reduces. He’d be on the preseason No. 1 team if he picked Kansas but I don’t see Mulcahy taking a potentially reduced role.