NCAA Basketball: Top 25 offseason team winners from 2023 transfer portal

17. LSU Tigers

Incoming transfers: Jalen Cook, Jordan Wright, Carlos Stewart, Will Baker, Hunter Dean, Daimion Collins

LSU finished dead last in Coach Matt McMahon’s first season, so a roster overall was set in the works. And with Trae Hannibal and Derek Fountain as the top returning scorers on the roster, expect this group of transfers to have a big impact on the team.

It starts with Cook, who actually started his NCAA Basketball career at LSU. After limited production, he went to Tulane where he became a star. He produced 19.9 ppg and 4.9 apg last season in another all-conference campaign. He’ll replace Adam Miller as the go-to option in the backcourt.

When it comes to players and whether or not their production will transfer to the SEC level, LSU fans won’t have to worry about that with Wright, who was a key playing at Vanderbilt. The versatile 6’5 guard averaged 10.6 ppg and 5.1 rpg and will be a starter. Stewart, who is coming home, is another backcourt addition after averaging 15.0 ppg at Santa Clara.

The Tigers’ hopes may come down to how the frontcourt looks without KJ Williams. Baker is the top addition, averaging 13.6 ppg and 5.2 rpg at Nevada, and is a former top-40 prospect back in his days at Texas. Both Dean and Collins project as depth but they’ll need as much of it as possible to make the jump of the SEC ladder.