4. Bennett Stirtz, Iowa
Bennett Stirtz follows his head coach, Ben McCollum, to Iowa City -- and immediately expects to be one of the best players in the Big Ten next season.
Last season at Drake, Stirtz was among the top mid-major players in the country, averaging 19.2 PPG, 4.3 RPG and 5.7 APG on a Drake squad that won 31 games, including a Round of 64 upset over Missouri. According to BartTorvik, Stirtz led all of college basketball in points over replacement (commonly titled as PRPG!) at 6.4 and shot almost 40% from three.
But where Stirtz truly shines is in the pick-and-roll. At times, it almost feels methodical given how patient, poised and crafty he is in these situations. With such a smooth handle and 34% assist rate, it’s almost a guarantee that Stirtz will make a play, one way or another, with the ball in his hands. Good things happen when Stirtz is on the floor. And he doesn’t come off the floor much. The Iowa Hawkeyes will be a dangerous team in 2025-26 with Stirtz leading the charge.
3. PJ Haggerty, Kansas State
It was a lengthy recruitment in the transfer portal with plenty of twists and turns; however, PJ Haggerty found his new home: Kansas State, a program that hasn’t been immune to splashy additions in the transfer portal era.
Last season at Memphis, Haggerty -- a second-team All-American and the reigning AAC Player of the Year -- was among the top scorers in NCAA basketball, averaging 21.7 PPG, 5.8 RPG and 3.7 APG alongside nearly 2.0 SPG.At Tulsa, Haggerty shot just 28.9% from three in 2023-24. Last season, he improved that number to 36.4%.
The 6-foot-3 guard plays an aggressive, physical style and can get to the FT line with ease. He’s a rebounding guard (a rare feat) and is disruptive in the passing lanes. Pairing the high-scoring Haggerty alongside Akron transfer Nate Johnson and CJ Jones in the backcourt feels like a much better fit compared to what transpired last season.
I debated if I should put Haggerty at No. 1. That’s just how good he is, and how good he expects to be in the Little Apple next season.
2. Boogie Fland, Florida
Boogie Fland was a late entry into the transfer portal, later opting to withdraw from the 2025 NBA Draft in mid-May, immediately making the former five-star guard among the top available transfers this offseason.
Despite missing nearly two months of the 2024-25 season after a UCL injury, Fland even exceeded his lofty preseason expectations, averaging 13.5 PPG, 3.2 RPG and 5.1 APG for the Razorbacks last season.
Now off to Florida, Fland is poised to be a major force in the SEC come November. The lightning-quick 6-foot-2 guard is a tough shot-maker -- a true three-level scorer -- and can create plays for not only himself, but for his teammates as well. He’s quite the tenacious on-ball defender, too, something that further proves why Fland is worthy of a top-two transfer entering the 2025-26 season.
1. Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan
It’s a new era of college basketball where a projected first-round pick in the NBA Draft opts to return to college hoops. And that’s precisely what happened with Michigan transfer Yaxel Lendeborg, who takes home the top transfer entering the 2025-26 season.
Last season at UAB, Lendeborg -- a.k.a the “double-double machine” -- averaged 17.7 PPG, 11.4 RPG, 4.2 RPG and 1.8 BPG. He was among the more polarizing two-way players in the entire country.
The 6-foot-9, 240-pound versatile big converted on a 67% clip at the rim. He posted a 2:1 assist-to-turnover rate. With a 7-foot-3 wingspan, Lendeborg was third nationally in rebounds per game and ranked inside the top 10 in offensive rebounds per game. He's a stat stuffer -- and expects to be, once again, in a dynamic Michigan frontcourt this season.