The transfer portal is not for the weary. It never sleeps, with new additions seemingly every minute. However, if you step back and evaluate, the portal has slowed down, at least for a bit. That was always going to be the plan with the NCAA Tournament resuming.
Even with the portal slowing down, day 3 of the transfer portal still saw many talent changing schools and likely hoping for a bigger NIL payday. As we remember, day 2 of the transfer portal was one of the biggest portal days the sport has ever seen. Talent was everywhere, including the best player to ever enter the portal in the NIL era, Donovan Dent.
It was much easier to pick out the 10 best players who entered the transfer portal on day 3 than the previous two days. However, there are still 27 more days for players to join and try to find a new school. If your team hasn't made a move yet, wait. Now is the time to be patient and let the coaches work.
Day 1 and day 2 both had superstars enter the portal. Day 3 didn't have many standout performers, but it did feature many players who will make solid role players wherever they land. Each of these athletes is experienced and has been playing college basketball for an extended period. All of them will provide immediate help to the teams they decide to transfer to. Here are the 10 best transfers from day 3 of the transfer portal.
No. 10 Jaylen Curry - UMass Minutemen
13.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists
Fans should note that UMass has been a lovely breeding ground for future stars. Head coach Frank Martin can spot talent and knows how to coach it; the only problem is that he can not keep it around long enough for it to matter. Curry is the next player in line at UMass to take his talents to a new school and become a star.
The point guard will have many suitors as he is fresh off a breakout campaign. The 6'0" tall point guard improved in every facet of the game, but his most significant jump came in his ability to shoot the ball from deep. He improved his three-point percentage by 10 points from the previous season. He was already an excellent passer and a great rebounder for his size. The point guard has all the makings of a power conference starter.
No. 9 Daryl Simmons - Gardner Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs
17.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists
The Big South conference consistently churns out good players with big-time numbers. Simmons appears poised to become the next one of the group. Gardner-Webb wasn't great this season, but the guard was good enough to be recognized on the first-team all-conference and used that to push himself into the transfer portal to try and get himself to a better team and make a push towards the NCAA tournament.
The sophomore was one of the best shooters in America this year, shooting 40% from deep on well over 200 attempts. It was the first authentic look the country got of Simmons because he hardly played his first year and tripled his minutes as a sophomore. Simmons is a role player who is going to come and shoot threes. He will thrive in that role.
No. 8 Marquel Sutton - Omaha Mavericks
18.9 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists
The Summit League Player of the Year was a big reason that Omaha could run away with the Summit League and make their first NCAA tournament appearance. He will likely have a long list of suitors like his former teammate Frankie Fidler in the transfer portal last season. Everyone will look for an athletic wing who can score from all over the floor.
Sutton fits the description perfectly. He is an elite finisher in the paint who gets fouled a lot. Sutton took 222 free throws this year and made them at a 74% clip. The one thing his following coaching staff will likely change is his penchant for shooting threes. He takes many of them and has made them under 30% in his career.
No. 7 JJ White - Omaha Mavericks
13.7 points, 2.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists
Point guards are the most critical position on the floor, and having a capable point guard is imperative to playing postseason basketball. White is one of the better point guards in the portal. He ran a high-powered offense at Omaha, where he showcased his passing and shooting abilities.
White does more than just shoot. He is a sharpshooter. He shot over 44% with over 150 attempts from deep. That type of shooting will play anywhere. Another thing that sets White apart from the rest of the field is his ability to run an offense while rarely turning the ball over. He averages less than two turnovers per night. It's hard to say where White ends up, but the list of landing spots will be extensive.
No. 6 Jeremiah Williams - Rutgers Scarlet Knights
7.0 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists
Williams was the captain and leader of the Scarlet Knights. He has been around college basketball for a long time and has played many games. This season was the guard's worst statistical year of his career, but it wasn't because of something he changed; it was something he did for the team's good. He took a backseat so the two lottery picks at Rutgers could shine.
There are many teammates and leaders like Williams. He doesn't shoot the ball overly well or shoot a high percentage from the floor, but he doesn't defend, and he has a presence about him that all winning teams need. Rutgers didn't win much during his time there, but it wasn't because of Williams.
No. 5 Myles Rice - Indiana Hoosiers
10.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists
Rice transferred to Indiana from Washington State, and when he left Washington State, he was considered one of the best guards in the country. He single-handedly got the Cougars into the tournament in 2024. However, his year at Indiana was marked by inconsistency. He looked like the player from Wazzu in one game, and in the next game, he wouldn't score at all.
Rice's upside is far more significant than his downside. When he is right, he can be one of the most prolific scorers in the game, and very few teams would turn that down. Rice is from Columbia, South Carolina, so seeing him end up in the SEC wouldn't surprise me. Even with his inconsistent play, he is still a high-major player.
No. 4 Jaylen Carey - Vanderbilt Commodores
8.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, .8 assists
The forward will be in his third school in three years, but it will only be the second coach that he has played for. Carey followed his coach, Mark Byington, to Vanderbilt and left James Madison. That also means it is 2 for 2 for the NCAA tournament for Carey. I know this seems trivial, but finding players who played in the NCAA tournament is crucial for a team hoping to make it to the tournament the following season. It is an invaluable experience.
Carey is a big guy who doesn't look like he'll do much on the basketball floor. Then you watch him play and realize he is an athletic forward who will clog up the lane, rebound, and get easy baskets inside. He likely won't start wherever he goes, but he will play and give good, hard minutes for his playing time. He's a great glue guy.
No. 3 Pop Isaacs - Creighton Bluejays
16.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists
Isaacs's recruitment will be engaging. The former Bluejay has excessive baggage that will follow him wherever he goes. He was also injured. The guard only played eight games in Omaha before he needed season-ending hip surgery. He then decided to transfer to his third school in four seasons.
Isaacs was off to a roaring start at Creighton and was shooting the ball like never before. It would have been interesting to see where the Bluejays ended up had he played the whole season. I know this sounds wild, but the baggage may become an issue and not be very well. The right school won't care and will want to get an elite scorer who can change your offense.
No 2. Adrian Wooley - Kennesaw State Owls
18.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists
Some players have it factor, and Wooley has it. He is arguably the best player the Owls have had in their Division 1 era. He was named the Conference USA Freshman of the Year, a first-team all-conference selection, and a member of the conference tournament team. The point guard put himself on the map and had to see what else was out there.
His recruitment shouldn't take long. Wooley is from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and will lose its starting point guard. Alabama needs one who can run Nate Oats' offense. Wooley is a great passer, shot over 40 % from deep, and gets to the line. He does turn the ball over a lot, but that will get cleaned up as he gets older. Wooley is going to be on an All-America list before he graduates.
No. 1 Dylan Andrews - UCLA Bruins
6.9 points, 1.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists
Ignore the numbers this year when looking at Andrews and trying to figure out why he is the best transfer on day 3. It all goes to his defense and ability to take an opponent out of a game. The point guard committed and played for Mick Cronin, one of the sport's best defensive minds.
Surprisingly, Andrews doesn't score more or shoot a higher percentage from the floor. Most of his baskets are getting to the rim or out in transition, a UCLA staple. Andrews isn't flashy, but he plays hard. He is a guy many coaches will want, and he will do what they can to secure their next starting point guard.
Day 4 of the portal starts now. The NCAA basketball tournament is resuming, so expect it to quiet down a little. There will likely be some massive entries, and I will be back tomorrow to tell you about the ten best transfers.