Transfers in/out 2025-2026

[Its DJOver]

Boeheim certainly didn't just help keep any pieces from leaving Cuse. 24/7 says that we offered Donnie Freeman originally. Don't know if it's accurate but if there's an existing relationship there It'd be worth pursuing IMO. 6'-9" wing that regressed as a Sophomore but was still a better rebounder than anyone currently on the roster.  Would a former top 15 recruit just be chasing the biggest bag though?

[rgoode57]

It is, in fact, true that finding better players than Gold and Ross in the portal will be a real challenge. At the same time, I am amazed at how some coaches find players at D2 or at smaller D1 schools that come in and play really well. Obviously, Shaka has to find a big guy who can defend, rebound, and score a little bit. But, there are a lot of other coaches looking for that guy too.

[wadesworld]

Boeheim certainly didn't just help keep any pieces from leaving Cuse. 24/7 says that we offered Donnie Freeman originally. Don't know if it's accurate but if there's an existing relationship there It'd be worth pursuing IMO. 6'-9" wing that regressed as a Sophomore but was still a better rebounder than anyone currently on the roster.  Would a former top 15 recruit just be chasing the biggest bag though?

We definitely recruited him.  He'll have a lot of options.

[onepost]

I just watched the presser. I agree with your comments but where did you see Stevens say he'll be back? The presser was only Shaka and Royce

https://x.com/jackalbrightmu/status/2031915970294435980?s=42

[Vander Blue Man Group]

I said "what makes you think they will go 3/3" with their transfers.

And you omitted the last transfer they took in.

I did not list Wrightsil because the context of his addition was completely different than it was for the other guys I mentioned.  He was joining a fully-formed team and then he got hurt. 

Also, you mentioning recruiting failures in regards to transfers is completely irrelevant.  The hit rate on transfers should be higher because you have a much bigger sample size of how these guys have performed at the D1 level. 

Now guys moving from a mid-major to a high-major do require that analysis of how their game might translate but that's much different than evaluating a high school player succeeding at the D1 level.

[jfp61]

I did not list Wrightsil because the context of his addition was completely different than it was for the other guys I mentioned. 

Lol..

I just don't want to go 17-15 next year watching Damarius playing 25 minutes per game.

There are better ways to do this.

Scrapping the backhalf of this to ensure you get 3 guys who can play at this level is significantly smarter than what this staff will end up doing.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

It is, in fact, true that finding better players than Gold and Ross in the portal will be a real challenge. At the same time, I am amazed at how some coaches find players at D2 or at smaller D1 schools that come in and play really well. Obviously, Shaka has to find a big guy who can defend, rebound, and score a little bit. But, there are a lot of other coaches looking for that guy too.

I don't think this is apples-to-apples.  They need to find better fits for what this team will be lacking next season.  Wing defense, shot-blocking, rebounding.   

And ideally, the guys they add will be more efficient offensively.  Ben averaged 8/6 this year but only shot 41% from the field, 26% from 3, and had 0.5 BPG. 

You add a 5 that averages 8/6 but shoots 60% from the field with 2 BPG and that's a completely different impact for next year's team.  Context matters. 

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Lol..

I just don't want to go 17-15 next year watching Damarius playing 25 minutes per game.

There are better ways to do this.

Scrapping the backhalf of this to ensure you get 3 guys who can play at this level is significantly smarter than what this staff will end up doing.

I'm right. And you have no idea what this staff will end up doing.

[jfp61]

If Marquette takes another NAIA transfer, then I will be concerned.

What's hilarious funny is

that same NAIA team had a contributor on it who went to Ole Miss.

[Shooter McGavin]

Correct, but very unpopular take around here.

Tiers of hard to replace players during the Shaka era.

1) Kolek, Kam, Oso, Omax, Lewis

2) Joplin, Stevie

3) Chase, Ben

By the time their careers are over James, Stevens and Parham will be in tier one or two most likely.
 
Chase and Ben have experience in Shaka's system that will be hard to replace.  They are good/great at their role.  We currently do not have a replacement for either on the roster but MU is not looking to replace borderline NBA players.  We will see Wisblue is right but I don't think this is an insurmountable problem with the portal. 

[jfp61]

Tiers of hard to replace players during the Shaka era.

1) Kolek, Kam, Oso, Omax, Lewis

2) Joplin, Stevie

3) Chase, Ben

By the time their careers are over James, Stevens and Parham will be in tier one or two most likely.
 
Chase and Ben have experience in Shaka's system that will be hard to replace.  They are good/great at their role.  We currently do not have a replacement for either on the roster but MU is not looking to replace borderline NBA players.  We will see Wisblue is right but I don't think this is an insurmountable problem with the portal. 

Chase and Joplin are Equal. Probably both tier 3.

Omax and Lewis are probably tier 2.

Stevie is CLEARLY Tier 1.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Tiers of hard to replace players during the Shaka era.

1) Kolek, Kam, Oso, Omax, Lewis

2) Joplin, Stevie

3) Chase, Ben

By the time their careers are over James, Stevens and Parham will be in tier one or two most likely.
 
Chase and Ben have experience in Shaka's system that will be hard to replace.  They are good/great at their role.  We currently do not have a replacement for either on the roster but MU is not looking to replace borderline NBA players.  We will see Wisblue is right but I don't think this is an insurmountable problem with the portal. 

They were good at their roles until this year when more was asked of them. 

[Zog from Margo]

Chase and Joplin are Equal. Probably both tier 3.

Omax and Lewis are probably tier 2.

Stevie is CLEARLY Tier 1.

Stevie harder to replace than OMax? Not in my book.

[jfp61]

Stevie harder to replace than OMax? Not in my book.

Steive was worse than Omax when they were on the same roster together. But Junior and senior year Stevie is a better college basketball player than the best Omax year we got.

Doesn't turn it over. Generates turnovers by himself.

Just because Omax has more NBA potential doesn't make him better for college teams.

[Zog from Margo]

Steive was worse than Omax when they were on the same roster together. But Junior and senior year Stevie is a better college basketball player than the best Omax year we got.

Doesn't turn it over. Generates turnovers by himself.

Just because Omax has more NBA potential doesn't make him better for college teams.

I disagree. Finding a player who can switch and defend 1-5 at a high level is more difficult than finding a high level perimeter defender. There's a reason OMax was a better pro prospect. OMax also hit the 3 well enough that the defense needed to contest it. Defenses left Stevie alone. I like Stevie as a player and a team leader but, IMO, OMax is a more unique player physically and harder to replace.

[Galway Eagle]

We lost OMax and got a the same 2 seed with no transfers. I am going to go out on a limb and say he's not tier 1 due to losing him bringing in nobody and having the same results. Replacing Lewis needed a massive jump from TKO Oso & Kam (and OMax & Jop), that's Tier 1, dropping from a 2 seed to a 7 seed despite return 3/5 of the starters one of whom is pegged to be an all American, and top two bench guys is tier 1. Kam's insane splits on/off last year is tier 1.

Argue about Stevie, Omax, Darryl, Jop, Chase etc but to me...

tier 1 is clearly only TKO Kam Oso Lewis

[BM1090]

We lost OMax and got a the same 2 seed with no transfers. I am going to go out on a limb and say he's not tier 1 due to losing him bringing in nobody and having the same results. Replacing Lewis needed a massive jump from TKO Oso & Kam (and OMax & Jop), that's Tier 1, dropping from a 2 seed to a 7 seed despite return 3/5 of the starters one of whom is pegged to be an all American, and top two bench guys is tier 1. Kam's insane splits on/off last year is tier 1.

Argue about Stevie, Omax, Darryl, Jop, Chase etc but to me...

tier 1 is clearly only TKO Kam Oso Lewis

O Max was Tier 1. We just had three other NBA quality upperclassmen the next year.

I'd argue O Max was harder to replace than Justin because of his versatility. Behind the other three, though.

[Elonsmusk]

What's hilarious funny is

that same NAIA team had a contributor on it who went to Ole Miss.

So that kind of shoots a hole in your whole point - like Shaka whiffed on Wrightsill - the NAIA Player of the Year - and thus better than his teammate who went on to be a contributor at Ole Miss. Wrightsill got hurt/physically unable to perform. 

[Galway Eagle]

O Max was Tier 1. We just had three other NBA quality upperclassmen the next year.

I'd argue O Max was harder to replace than Justin because of his versatility. Behind the other three, though.

Without Omax:

TKO upped his ppg 2pts same assists roughly same efficiency

Oso upped his ppg 2pts, 1 more rebound, roughly same efficiency.

Kam upped his ppg 2pts.

TKO without Justin had to score 6ppg and 2apg

Oso without Justin had to score 6ppg more, and 3rpg

Kam without Justin had to score 7ppg more, also upped his rebounds by 2per game.

To me. It seems a bigger step up for the guys to replace Justin (not even including Omax himself or Jop who was 6 MOTY) than the small increases in replacing Omax that lead to essentially the same results.

[#UnleashThePortal]

Chase and Joplin are Equal. Probably both tier 3.

Omax and Lewis are probably tier 2.

Stevie is CLEARLY Tier 1.

Ummmmm... listing Stevie over Omax and Lewis is well.... ok?

[Jay Bee]

^^^ bizarre "analysis" by Galway

[Galway Eagle]

^^^ bizarre "analysis" by Galway

Can't all be winners, do you have stats that'd refute or prove the Omax loss being bigger than Lewis?

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Can't all be winners, do you have stats that'd refute or prove the Omax loss being bigger than Lewis?

You have to take the context and the baseline from the previous year.

For example, Kolek went from 6.7 PPG to 12.9. Part of that was more opportunity AND significant improvement. 

He would have had to average 19.6 PPG his senior year to match that scoring increase on a team that also had Kam, Oso, Jop and Stevie. He actually had a higher eFG% on one more FGA per game his senior year.

You can't just look at scoring increases year over year without understanding his teammates, how his scoring progressed, etc.