Busting Brackets
Fansided

Big 12 Basketball: Each team’s best acquisition out of 2023 transfer portal

By Jerran Anderson

Michigan center Hunter Dickinson (1) dunks against Toledo forward AJ Edu (15) during the second half of the first round of the NIT at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Tuesday, March 14, 2023.
Michigan center Hunter Dickinson (1) dunks against Toledo forward AJ Edu (15) during the second half of the first round of the NIT at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Tuesday, March 14, 2023. /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
9 of 15
Next
Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports /

Jesse Edwards – 6’11 Forward – West Virginia Mountaineers

Jesse Edwards jumps from one power conference to another as he enters the 2023-24 season. He joins the West Virginia Mountaineers in the Big 12 after four seasons in the ACC with the Syracuse Orange. He’s a sizeable name to get to know for the Mountaineers given his ability to play around the rim on both ends of the floor.

Edwards led the ACC in a number of categories this past season in taking home third-team All-ACC honors along with ACC-All Defensive team honors. He led the conference in blocks (87), field goal percentage (59.2 percent) and PER (27.7) while also finishing third in rebounds (330), eighth in offensive rating (121.3) and ninth in defensive rating (98.1).

Edwards poured in 27 points (career-high) and 20 rebounds back on March 4 in a 72-63 victory over Wake Forest. His career high in blocks sits at seven while his career high in rebounds sits at 21. He recorded a career-high 14 double-doubles in 2022-23.

He’s active two-way presence in the frontcourt that should replace the loss of Tre Mitchell without missing a beat given their gritty style of play. Edwards is a fast-starter on the defensive end of the floor that isn’t afraid to block shots. He produced 2.7 bpg this past season, a career-high, along with 14.5 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 1.6 apg and 1.4 spg for the Orange.

Edwards is another high-profile name to keep an eye on in the paint this season in the Big 12. Despite goings on off the court, the Mountaineers have still managed well with acquisitions out of the transfer portal.

They’ll add former Manhattan leading scorer Jose Perez, former Arizona playmaker Kerr Kriisa, emerging shooter Quinn Slazinski (Iona) and RaeQuan Battle (Montana State) on top of Edwards on the interior as they look to bounce back from an eighth-place finish in the conference this past season.

Home/Big 12