NCAA Basketball: Ranking of top 100 impact transfers for 2024-25 season
30. Wooga Poplar - Villanova Wildcats
2023-24 season stats (at Miami): 13.1 ppg and 4.8 rpg
Poplar has started in the last two years at Miami, shooting 38% from deep. The 6’5 guard had 10 games with at least 15 points, including 25 points versus La Salle. He’s the one power conference transfer joining the Wildcats, arguably an upgrade over Brendan Hausen on the wing.
29. Sion James - Duke Blue Devils
2023-24 season stats (at Tulane): 14.0 ppg and 5.4 rpg
The 6’5 guard started 107 career games in four seasons at Tulane, producing career-high scoring numbers. He shot 38% from deep and had six games with at least 20 points, including 28 points and 10 rebounds against North Texas. James gives both experience and spacing on the perimeter for Duke, possibly starting alongside Tyrese Proctor or being the 6th Man off the bench.
28. Khalif Battle - Gonzaga Bulldogs
2023-24 season stats (at Arkansas): 14.8 ppg and 3.3 rpg
Between his time at both Arkansas and Temple, Battle averaged 18 ppg in the last four years. Last season alone, Battle had arguably the biggest bunch of scoring outings not named Zach Edey, averaging around 27 ppg in the final seven games, including a 42-point outing versus Missouri. Battle has been a 6th Man his entire career and could do the same for Gonzaga but more importantly, takes pressure off Nolan Hickman and Ryan Nembhard to be a go-to scoring option.
27. Roddy Gayle - Michigan Wolverines
2023-24 season stats (at Ohio State): 13.5 ppg and 3.1 apg
As a sophomore, Gayle had a breakout year as a starter, shooting 45% from the field and having four games with at least 20 points, including 32 versus West Virginia in OT. After sharing the backcourt with Bruce Thornton at OSU, Gayle moves to rival Michigan as the clear lead guard on offense and likely will have the ball in his hands even more as a facilitator.
26. Jordan Pope - Texas Longhorns
2023-24 season stats (at Oregon State): 17.6 ppg and 3.4 apg
Even on a poor Oregon State squad, Pope was one of the top Pac-12 players in the last two years, including shooting 37% from three-point range. He had seven games of at least 25 points last season alone, including 30 on the road at Stanford. Pope is the natural replacement for Max Abmas and Tyrese Hunter in the backcourt for the Longhorns as they move to the SEC.