The transfer portal has been both a gift and a curse for many mid-major college basketball teams. Many stars with eligibility tend to leave small schools for the high-major ranks. On the other hand, those schools benefit from players transferring down and having a massive impact on their respective teams. Some examples from this past season include Kam Woods (Robert Morris), Jahvon Garcia (McNeese State), and Barry Evans (Bryant), among many others from last and previous years.
Over 1,000 players have picked different landing spots, so some mid-major programs have already done very well in the transfer portal. Here are five early winners.
Bethune-Cookman Wildcats (SWAC)
Key incoming transfers
- Jakobi Heady - 15 ppg and 6.5 rpg at Central Michigan
- Doctor Bradley - 19.6 ppg and 9.5 rpg at Arkansas-Pine Bluff
- Reggie Bass - 12.2 ppg and 3.0 rpg at Lindenwood
The Wildcats have yet to make the NCAA Tournament at the D-I level but appear to be going all-in, landing several big names. Bradley is already an all-league SWAC performer, while both Heady and Zion Harmon return to Bethune-Cookman after putting up big numbers in the year prior. From a talent standpoint, this is the best group they’ve had yet.
Murray State Racers (MVC)
- Javon Jackson - 11.6 ppg and 2.7 apg at Illinois-Chicago
- Layne Taylor - 17.4 ppg and 3.7 apg at Central Arkansas
- Dylan Anderson - 3.5 ppg and 1.7 rpg at Boise State
With Drake and others losing talent, the MVC could be wide-open next year. Murray State, still a newcomer to the conference, added some quality guards, including Taylor, one of the top freshmen scorers out of the Southland. Plus, Jackson is already a proven MVC guard, coming over from UIC. They also added multiple frontcourt players, including Anderson, a true center from Boise State who’ll anchor the defense.
Grand Canyon Antelopes (WAC)
- Kaleb Smith - 11 ppg and 4.5 rpg at UC Riverside
- Dusty Stromer - 4.3 ppg and 2.1 rpg at Gonzaga
- Jaden Henley - 12.5 ppg and 4.2 rpg at UNLV
After losing most of their key pieces from last season, GCU added some notable backcourt names, including former top-60 prospect Stromer. Henley was a quality scorer at UNLV who’ll have an even larger role in the WAC, making them, on paper, a favorite once again.
High Point Panthers (Big South)
- Rob Martin - 14.8 ppg and 4.5 apg at Southeast Missouri State
- Scotty Washington - 14.6 ppg and 3.2 rpg at Cal State Northridge
- Vincent Brady II - 13.5 ppg and 4.3 rpg at Missouri State
After winning the Big South, High Point has loaded up again with multiple all-league caliber players. Martin and Washington will be a top backcourt in the conference, with Brady a potential POY candidate to watch. Other teams, such as Radford, have also done well in the Big South, but it’ll be the Panthers to lose once again.
UC-Santa Barbara Gauchos (Big West)
- Marvin McGhee - 10 ppg and 3.7 rpg at Cal State Bakersfield
- Aidan Mahaney - 4.5 ppg and 1.3 apg at UConn
- Miro Little - 5.3 ppg and 2.9 apg at Utah
The Gauchos have been a consistent contender in the Big West and have swung for the fences with potentially the best backcourt for next season. Little is a former top-40 prospect who has shown flashes at the Big 12 level, while Mahaney was an all-league performer at Saint Mary’s, who took a major step back after transferring up to UConn. If he looks like he did two seasons ago, Mahaney could lead UC-Santa Barbara to a conference title.