8. Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Tennessee
No Zakai Zeigler? No problem. Rick Barnes has his replacement in the backcourt: Maryland transfer Ja’Kobi Gillespie. Last season with the Terrapins, Gillespie averaged 14.7 PPG, 2.8 APG and 4.8 RPG, knocking down an impressive 40.7% clip from three.
Now back in his home state, expect Gillespie to pick up right where he left off.
Despite being undersized, Gillespie showed he was among the top guards in college basketball last season as an excellent shot-maker, crafty finisher and distributor. According to Adam Finkelstein, Gillespie was just one of four high-major players in the country to make at least 80 three pointers and post an assist rate that’s above 27.0.
Yeah, that shall play in the SEC next season.
7. Jayden Quaintance, Kentucky
Jayden Quaintance is a star in the making. Last offseason, the former five-star forward reclassified to join the Arizona State Sun Devils at just 17 years old, averaging 9.4 PPG, 8.0 RPG and 2.6 BPG, shooting 52.5% from the field. He was among the top shot-blockers in NCAA basketball last season.
Quaintance, who suffered a season-ending ACL injury in late February, has reportedly shown significant progress this summer, “inching closer and closer to actual availability,” said Jack Pilgrim of Kentucky Sports Radio.
If healthy by the start of the season, Quaintance can be the ultimate difference-maker for the Wildcats next season, especially on the defensive end. Evanmiya.com agrees, ranking Quaintance as the No. 1 transfer in terms of defensive impact. With a 7-foot-5 wingspan, shot-blocking prowess and defensive versatility -- the sky is the limit for Quaintance in Lexington next season.
6. Darrion Williams, NC State
Will Wade may have hit the jackpot in this year’s transfer portal cycle.
A big reason why is the addition of Texas Tech do-it-all transfer Darrion Williams, who averaged 15.1 PPG, 5.5 RPG and 3.6 APG last season. During Texas Tech’s run to the Elite Eight, Williams was nothing shy of sensational, averaging 21.0 PPG and 7.3 RPG.
What makes Williams such an intriguing addition to the Wolfpack is that there really is no glaring weakness to his game.
He can shoot. He can score on all three levels. He can rebound. He can pass. He can do anything -- even post-ups. Defensively, Williams’ versatility to a.) defend quicker guards or b.) defend bigs in the paint without fouling, making him worthy of a top-tier transfer portal addition entering the 2025-2026 season.
5. Donovan Dent, UCLA
Donovan Dent blossomed into one of the top players in college basketball last season, averaging 20.4 PPG, 2.3 RPG and 6.4 APG, earning MWC POY honors at New Mexico.
Now off to UCLA, the 6-foot-2 guard is a bursty high-level playmaker, netting a 36% assist rate last season. He puts constant pressure on the defense thanks to his high-flying speed and ability to change tempos in the halfcourt and in transition. Put simply, he can get buckets.
While he shot nearly 41% from three last season, he wasn't necessarily a high-volume three-point shooter, shooting less than two three-point attempts per game. It remains TBD if that will change or not. Despite this, I believe Dent is worthy of being a top-five transfer entering the 2025-26 season.