25 college basketball transfers to watch in 2023-24

One of the finest scorers in the game at the moment. Since the start of the 2020-21 season, no active player has averaged more points than Abmas' 23.0. That was with Oral Roberts, but Abmas will face a step-up in competition. So, it will be interesting to see how it's handled by Abmas, who has made 420 3-pointers and shoots nearly 39 percent from beyond the arc. Paired with the explosive Tyrese Hunter, that should be a fun backcourt to watch for the Longhorns, who expect to challenge for a Big 12 title.

Ashworth is an intriguing addition to a Creighton squad that already has three of the Big East's top players: Ryan Kalkbrenner, Trey Alexander, and Baylor Scheierman. Ashworth comes to Creighton from Utah State, where he enjoyed a career season by averaging 16.2 points while shooting 45.8 percent overall and 43.4 percent from 3-point range, and 4.5 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.2 steals. The All-Mountain West performer gives the Bluejays a seasoned option at the point, with the ability to star off the ball.

Baldwin follows coach Mike Rhoades to Penn State after both found success at VCU. That should help the transition for Rhoades, who can count on Baldwin's stellar defensive ability (2.3 career steals per game) to potentially help the Nittany Lions build on a 23-win effort from last season. A former Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year, Baldwin can also contribute on the offensive end of the floor after averaging a career-high 12.7 points and shooting 34.2 percent from 3-point range last season.

By our count, this is four teams in five seasons of action for the 6-foot-11 Brown. Nevada, Arizona, and Louisiana — for those keeping score at home. There have been various reasons why Brown can't stay in one spot for too long, but the fact remains that his big-man potential remains too good to pass up, especially for a team like Memphis that is aching for a dominant post presence. Last season at Louisiana, Brown averaged career highs of 19.3 points on 57.1-percent shooting, 1.8 steals, and 1.2 blocks while pulling down 8.6 boards per contest. He was named Lou Henson Player of the Year, honoring the nation's top mid-major performer.

Cleveland opted to stay in the state of Florida but switched allegiances after two seasons at Florida State. As a sophomore, Cleveland truly shined while averaging 13.8 points and 7.4 rebounds in 2022-23. At one point from December into January of last season, the 6-foot-7 Cleveland recorded eight consecutive double-doubles, averaging 17.5 points and 11.9 rebounds during that stretch. Cleveland is a career 45-percent shooter and has a chance to seriously fill the Hurricanes void left by the exciting Jordan Miller.

Cryer didn't move very far for a change of basketball scenery, staying in Texas while going from Baylor to Houston. Looking to help the Cougars make another deep NCAA Tournament run, Cryer averaged 13.5 points during a breakout sophomore season for the Bears in 2021-22, then set a personal best scoring 15 per game last season. However, Cryer has also shown his worth in making big shots from a distance. He's shooting 43.4 percent from beyond the 3-point arc and should fit in quite well with Houston's explosive athletes.

The 7-foot-2 Dickinson was the prize of this season's transfer market and is a major reason Kansas opens the season No. 1 in The Associated Press Poll. During his three seasons with Michigan, Dickinson solidified himself as one of the game's best players while averaging 17.2 points — more than 18 in each of the last two — and 8.4 rebounds. He also shot 42.1 percent from 3-point range in 2022-23. That said, it will be interesting to see if Dickinson can handle the pressure of playing for an iconic college basketball program where no less than a national championship is usually a disappointment.

West Virginia is hoping gains made through the transfer portal will lead to the program's first 20-win season since 2019-20. Edwards expects to be a big part of that quest. The 6-11 Edwards certainly became a solid performer during his four seasons at Syracuse. Last season, Edwards was a complete stud while averaging 14.5 points on 59.2 percent shooting and 10.3 rebounds and starting all 32 games he played. If Edwards comes close to putting up similar numbers for the Mountaineers, that would be a huge boost for a program that might be at a crossroads.

The Tigers are getting one of the game's best better 3-point shooters in Girard. During his four seasons at Syracuse, Girard was streaky when it came to his shooting, but he seems at his best the further out he takes aim. Girard has averaged 13.2 points for his college career and is just a 37.7-percent lifetime overall shooter. However, he's made 36.3 percent of his 3-point attempts and is three shy of 300 made 3s. If Girard can stay hot from a distance, the Tigers are capable of making noise in the ACC.

The key for Ike remains his health. The 6-9, 240-pound former Wyoming star missed all last season due to a leg injury and is reportedly dealing with an issue to the same leg entering his first with Gonzaga. When healthy, Ike enjoyed a strong 2021-22 season for the Cowboys, averaging 19.5, 9.6 rebounds, and 1.3 steals while starting all 33 games he played. We'll wait to see if Ike's current injury is anything serious because the Zags could use his services to make another serious national championship run.

At 6-7, Ingram can play power forward but could also be quite lethal on the wing if Tar Heels coach Hubert Davis is confident in his shot, which hit on just 40 percent of attempts in two seasons at Stanford. Ingram's forward versatility is an asset to North Carolina, which can use a frontcourt complement to star Armando Bacot. Ingram averaged 10.5 points in each of his two seasons with the Cardinal and a combined 6.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists, spanning 65 games. If there is one player on this list with the most upside, it could be Ingram.

There's genuine excitement about Jones' presence with the Tigers. Following a solid two seasons at Florida International, where he averaged 20.1 points on 47.8 percent shooting, 3.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.8 steals last season, Jones could end up being one of the most successful transfers in the nation for 2023-24. Jones is also a career 36 percent 3-point shooter, which should only enhance the cause for the Tigers, who are somewhat of an unknown quantity going into this season. Jones, however, has the potential to be something special if he can handle the rigors of SEC competition.

Kaluma put up some pretty good numbers during his two seasons at Creighton, where he started 67 of the 68 games played. During that time, Kaluma averaged 11.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.5 assists for one of the nation's top programs. He also had to share the spotlight with big names like Ryan Kalkbrenner, Trey Alexander, and Baylor Scheierman. Now, Kansas State has plenty of talent to challenge for a Big 12 title this season, but Kaluma could find himself in a position to stand out for the Wildcats.

The Mountaineers need to wait before the former Arizona guard, who made 177 3-pointers over the past three seasons, takes the court. Word came down in late October that Kriisa was suspended nine games after he admitted to taking impermissible benefits during his time at Arizona. That makes Kriisa's debut even more intriguing as to whether it will hamper his new start at West Virginia, which has not reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament since 2018. Without Kriisa fully focused and contributing, just getting to the Big Dance will be a chore for these Mountaineers. 

It's been quite the journey for Love since leaving North Carolina after three seasons. Love, who averaged a career-high and team-leading 16.7 points last season for the Tar Heels, appeared ready to play at Michigan before the school didn't admit him. Arizona and coach Tommy Lloyd were waiting with open arms and hoped Love could fill an offensive void left following the departure of star Ben Mathurin. Love is a clutch player but also has no problem with shooting from anywhere at any time, even if the results aren't that great (career 36.0 field-goal percentage).

Mark brings his history of winning to the Razorbacks, who hope to have a say in how the SEC plays out this season. Though his play was inconsistent during his two-plus seasons at Houston, Mark helped the Cougars reach the Final Four as a freshman, overcame a shoulder injury the next, and averaged 10.1 points and 4.9 rebounds in 2022-23 when they reached the Sweet 16. The Razorbacks hope that success rubs off on Mark's new teammates. Mark totaled 15 points, six rebounds, four assists, and two blocks in 36 minutes during a recent exhibition versus Purdue.

A fourth school in five seasons for Mitchell, which comes to Kentucky after he averaged 11.7 points and 5.5 rebounds for West Virginia last season. However, in Mitchell's case, it's his overall defensive play that should have Wildcats fans excited. Kentucky has some promising big men in Ugonna Onyenso, Aaron Bradshaw, and Zvonimir Ivisic. However, the first two have been hobbled, and it's uncertain if the NCAA will give the go-ahead for the latter to play. That leaves the 6-9 Mitchell to hold down the fort in the paint and even lead the Wildcats this season.

The Crimson Tide might not be immediate national title contenders after failing to get the job done last season and losing star Brandon Miller. Nelson, though, gives Alabama an opportunity to compete for an SEC title and should be the offensive focal point. The 6-11 Nelson got better in each of his three seasons at North Dakota State, capped off in 2022-23 when he averaged 17.9 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.7 blocks. Now, it might be hard for Nelson to put up similar numbers against the high level of competition he'll face consistently. 

If the last name sounds familiar to fans of the Zags, it should. His brother, Andrew, recently starred for Gonzaga. Ryan comes over from Creighton to give the Zags a point guard they desperately need. Sure, expectations for a national title are not particularly high for this Gonzaga group, but Nembhard is certainly an upgrade at the position and provides backcourt experience. A solid facilitator, Nembhard averaged 4.6 assists and 11.8 points during his two seasons with the Bluejays. 

Another impressive transfer get for coach Jerome Tang. In addition to being one fine basketball player, the 5-11 Perry is a proven winner. In two seasons starring for North Texas, Perry averaged 15.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.3 steals. Oh yeah, the 2023 Conference Player of the Year also helped the Mean Green record 56 wins, including a school-record 31 last season, when they won the postseason NIT. Perry's step up in competition could pose a challenge, but this big-time player is ready to shine on a brighter stage.

This will be the third collegiate stop for Quinerly, who joins the aforementioned Jordan Brown at Memphis after suiting up for Villanova and Alabama. Quinerly, who has totaled 381 assists in 123 games (but only 40 starts) for those schools, will be counted on to run the point for the Tigers, though he has been dealing with a knee issue. It's uncertain if that will linger. The often disjointed Quinerly needs to be consistent if Memphis will seriously make a deep NCAA Tournament run this spring.

With Jordan Hawkins gone, the reigning national champion Huskies needed some shooting help. Enter Spencer, who shot 46.2 percent from the field, including 40.5 percent from 3-point range, in four seasons spanning Loyola-Maryland and Rutgers. Last season, during his only one with the Scarlet Knights, Spencer averaged 13.2 points — making 43.4 percent of his 3s — and 38 rebounds with 3.1 assists, plus 2.0 steals, against some of the best competition in the country. The spotlight should be even brighter at UConn, where the idea of a repeat is taken seriously.

Mike Brey's decision to leave Notre Dame and the Irish's expected struggles during Micah Strewsberry's transition season opened the door for the highly talented Starling to take his game elsewhere. A highly-touted recruit, Starling averaged 11.2 points but shot just 30 percent from 3-point range for an Irish squad that won just 11 games last season. His decision to leave South Bend was hardly a surprise, and Starling, who hails from Baldwinsville, N.Y., some 20 minutes away from Syracuse, gets a new lease on his basketball life in a more comfortable environment.

It's been about potential with the 7-foot Ware, who was considered to have underachieved during his one season at Oregon. He started just four of the 35 games played for the Ducks as a freshman, averaging a modest 6.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks while getting roughly 16 minutes per game. Ware shot just 45.7 percent and was sometimes dogged for his lack of intensity and interest. The hope is that he's matured and ready for a fresh start at Indiana, which certainly needs his ability to come through consistently if it's to be dancing come March.

Perhaps a third time is the charm for Wheeler, who could not find consistent success or comfort at Georgia and Kentucky. The talented point guard takes his act to the Pacific Northwest. Thus far, the early reviews seem pretty good for Wheeler, who averaged 10.3 points and 6.1 assists in 108 games at his previous two stops. At Washington, Wheeler is the Huskies' undisputed floor leader and hopes to bring some success to a program that has yet to win 20 games or be to the NCAA Tournament since 2018-19.