12. Silas Demary Jr., UConn
Silas Demary Jr. was a force to be reckoned with at Georgia last season, averaging 13.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG and 3.1 APG. Helping the Bulldogs reach their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2015, the 6-foot-5 guard shot 40% from the field and 37.4% from three.
Now off to UConn, this feels like a perfect fit for both parties. Demary Jr. will be paired alongside returnee Solo Ball, Malachi Smith (Dayton) and five-star freshman Braylon Mullins in the backcourt, making a lethal, championship-level three-guard punch in Storrs.
While the offense speaks for itself, perhaps the most important attribute is his defense. There’s no question that UConn’s defense took a major step backward last season. Demary Jr. -- who was often tasked with guarding the point guard last season -- has averaged over two steals per game through the past two seasons. He’s a locked-in defender, something that will go a long way next season at UConn.
11. Ryan Conwell, Louisville
At last, the final piece to Louisville's impressive transfer portal class: Xavier transfer Ryan Conwell. Last season with the Musketeers, the 6-foot-4 shooting guard averaged 16.5 PPG, 2.7 RPG and 2.5 APG, helping guide Xavier back into the NCAA Tournament in 2025.
Conwell has shown he just may be one of the top shooters in college basketball next season, shooting 41.3% from behind the arc in over seven FGA per game in 2024-25. Conwell had a true shooting percentage of nearly 62%, which placed third in the entire Big East last season.
There’s no question his three-point shooting prowess is his calling card -- and will continue to be throughout the 2025-26 season. But he also adds a neat wrinkle to the Cardinal’s backcourt: physicality. That’s something that’s needed defensively after the Cardinals lost one of the top on-ball defenders in college basketball in Chucky Hepburn.
10. Oscar Cluff, Purdue
Oscar Cluff made one of the biggest -- if not the biggest -- jumps in NCAA basketball last season, averaging a whopping 17.6 PPG, 12.3 RPG, 2.8 APG, all while shooting 63.3% from two at South Dakota State in 2024-25
The 6-foot-11 big man was a monster on the boards, dotting the highest defensive-rebounding percentage (32.2) and the fifth-highest offensive-rebounding percentage (17.2) in college basketball last season.
Offensively, Cluff has shown he’s got great footwork and feel around the basket with a dominating post-up game. He also posted a 22% assist rate, showing he’s more than just a low-post scorer. While not a true rim protector, there’s plenty of optimism that he may be among the top bigs in the Big Ten next season.
We all know why he’s the perfect fit at Purdue -- a program that continuously searches for post-ups in the halfcourt and always seems to have a never-ending list of bigs in the frontcourt. Cluff, by all means, is a picture-perfect fit in West Lafayette. Expect him to flourish in his final season at Purdue.
9. Ian Jackson, St. John’s
When Ian Jackson is in the zone, there’s no going back. He can rack up points in a hurry.
Just a freshman at North Carolina last season, the former five-star prospect averaged 11.9 PPG and 2.7 RPG, shooting 39.5% from three. While there were some legitimate consistency concerns, just take a look at this seven-game stretch last season: 22.7 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 54% shooting from the field.
Jackson thrives as a go-to scorer -- especially in the open court -- and was among the top explosive athletes in his class. While his freshman season was underwhelming relative to preseason expectations, the upside in the 6-foot-4 guard cannot be ignored. With Kadary Richmond and Deivon Smith departing in the backcourt, the ball is now in his court to make an impact for the Red Storm in 2025-26.