There are always some departures that catch you off guard and that was the case with C.J. Wilcher leaving Nebraska basketball to enter the transfer portal.
Wilcher is the fourth Nebraska basketball player to enter the transfer portal, joining Eli Rice, Ramel Lloyd, and also Blaise Keita. He might be the most surprising though as he was the longest-tenured player on the team.
He’s also coming off what I would say is his best season. Wilcher averaged 7.7 points per night in 17 minutes. He also made 39 percent of his 3-point attempts and averaged 1.6 per game. His best outing was a 22-point effort against Wisconsin that included five 3-pointers. He triggered a second-half rally and the Huskers beat a second top-5 team.
Wilcher had 17 games this season with multiple makes from beyond the arc, but just one in the last 11 games. There are rumors about the New Jersey native heading to Rutgers or St. John’s.
It’s tough to lose him because he’s a great shooter but if he can start somewhere else, I can’t blame him. I wish him the best, as all Nebraska basketball fans should.
Nebraska hosting in-state transfer Frankie Fidler
The Huskers have five spots to fill with Wilcher out the door and one of those scholarships could go to Frankie Fidler, who entered the transfer portal from Omaha.
The First-Team All-Summit player averaged 20.1 points per game last season to go along with 6.3 rebounds, and 2.6 assists. Fidler, a 6-foot-7 forward, also connected on 35 percent of his 3-point attempts and made 1.6 per game from beyond the arc.
I worry about the role and how he would fit. I’m not sure he would be willing to come off the bench and maybe he wouldn’t have to, but if Brice Williams and Juwan Gary come back, Nebraska could be looking at another big lineup with Brice as the two-guard.
With a true point guard, that could work. Jamarques Lawrence could also vie for a starting job, plus Sam Hoiberg can see minutes at both guard spots. Lawrence too. Still, that’s my question about Fidler.
Otherwise, he would be a great fit. He can shoot the heck out of it and is a solid playmaker too. He’s another in-state transfer to monitor, although I’d prioritize William Kyle. Yet, if we’re being honest, based on the scholarships, there is plenty of room and minutes for both.
Rim protection, 3-point shooting, and a point guard. That’s what Nebraska needs. It also needs five bodies and we’ll see if the Huskers have a complete 13-man roster in 2024-25.
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