Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks have made key additions in the transfer portal, and Hunter Dickinson’s return makes them the top team in the sport.
Kansas basketball star Hunter Dickinson confirmed on social media Friday he will return to the Jayhawks for the 2024-25 college basketball season, his final year of eligibility.
Dickinson was an All-American second teamer last year after averaging 17.9 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in Lawrence, having spent the previous three seasons at Michigan.
Kansas was bounced prior to the Sweet 16 by Gonzaga in March, but they are now set to return four of their six leading scorers – Dickinson, KJ Adams, Dajuan Harris, and Elmarko Jackson – and have already made major transfer portal additions.
The most notable is Wisconsin guard AJ Storr, a potential All-American brought in to help replace Kevin McCullar Jr, but Bill Self also went out and landed Riley Kugel from Florida, Zeke Mayo from South Dakota State, and most recently Rylan Griffen from Alabama.
The Jayhawks have a fantastic group of talented players on paper, but putting all the pieces together will be Self’s responsibility to ensure this team reaches their full potential – especially with Baylor, Houston, and Iowa State all boasting incredibly talented rosters of their own.
One thing is for sure: Big 12 basketball will once again be the cream of the crop in the 2024-25 season.
The Washington Huskies retained the services of their top commit, four-star point guard and Tacoma native, Zoom Diallo.
The Washington Huskies were able to retain the services of their top signee from the 2024 class, four-star point guard Zoom Diallo, who reaffirmed his commitment to coach Danny Sprinkle earlier this week. The product of Curtis High School in Tacoma, Washington played his senior season at Prolific Prep in Napa, California, and is ranked as the nation’s No. 35 player by 247Sports.
“I was this close to going somewhere else, very close. I just stayed with my gut, stayed with my work, and I just trusted myself,” Diallo told Kim Grinolds of Dawgman.com. “I was going back and forth with Washington and another school but I knew it was going to be Washington three or four days ago.”
Diallo had privately changed his decision on his future school on a few occasions while deciding if staying with Washington after coach Mike Hopkins, whom he had originally committed to, was let go.
On the floor, the 6-foot-4, 190-pound Diallo is a true point guard who can be relied upon as both a passer and consistent scorer. While he’s not a consistent shooter at this point in his development, he will be a focal point of the offense.
“I’m a dude that is going to go out there and go get it,” he said. “I have a winner mentality. Do everything to win. My leadership is going to show to others. I’m going to be a positive spirit and be everything that a point guard is.”
A’ja Wilson is challenging anyone who is a fan of women’s basketball and a fan of Caitlin Clark to continue supporting her and the entire WNBA.
With record-breaking viewership numbers, sold-out games and jersey sales, it feels like everyone is watching women’s sports. A good reason behind that seismic shift is the rise in popularity of women’s basketball and a proverbial comet, Caitlin Clark.
A’ja Wilson, two-time WNBA champion and reigning Defensive Player of the Year — and a new entrant to the Time 100 — hopes that if people come to watch Caitlin Clark’s debut season, they stay for the foreseeable future and support Caitlin and the league.
When recently asked at a Time event what it’s like to watch Caitlin’s rise in real-time, this is the insight Wilson shared (See 2:00 minute mark of the video below.):
“I feel like it’s becoming amazing, actually…because I play it, and I have been in it, and I see everyone else watch it. I’m like, ‘Oh, yeah. It’s about time you guys joined.'”
“I hope this isn’t just a trend. I feel like we see it a lot with young athletes, like, ‘Oh my god. We love her. We want to do this.’ Then, the minute it kind of shifts, or her path is a little rocky, all that goes away. I feel like that’s when it’s needed most. That’s when it’s an investment.”
“Buy that jersey. Go to that game. Take someone else. Put your money where your mouth is and invest in these women.”
UConn alumna Nika Muhl is off to make her mark in the WNBA. On April 15, the Seattle Storm selected Muhl 14th overall. Still, she hasn’t forgotten the people who have helped her arrive at this moment, including UConn head coach Geno Auriemma. Muhl recently paid Auriemma a visit to say goodbye to him, and you might want to grab your tissues.
Geno Auriemma has a different kind of relationship with his players. He’s tough on them but also believes in them so much. That didn’t change when Nika Muhl recently visited Geno. In a newly released video, Nika walks into Geno’s office and immediately calls him “Grampy” — an ode to his notorious old man ways and uncanny ability to resemble the grandfather from Up — before being on the receiving end of him trolling her.
However, before the clip is over, Nika can be heard pouring into Geno and sharing these heartfelt words:
“You changed my life. Your impact — I don’t think you’re aware of it…You’ve impacted so many people around me, including me. There’s never been a single person like you, and there never will be in the world. I hope you know how unique you are, how special you are.”
Talented guard Bryce Lindsay has unsurprisingly entered the transfer portal
The flowers are blooming, the birds are chirping, and college athletes are entering the spring transfer portal. Multiple sources have confirmed that Texas A&M basketball’s reserve guard, Bryce Lindsay, has entered the transfer portal.
Lindsey saw time in eight games early in the season and didn’t play at all in SEC play. With head coach Buzz Williams bringing in guard CJ Wilcher from Nebraska and courting a few other guards, Lindsay will probably move on to find greener pastures. The former top prospect was previously committed to South Carolina before switching his commitment to Texas A&M after the Gamecocks fired Frank Martin.
Note: Forward Tyler Ringgold, who also entered the NCAA portal. Ringgold didn’t log any stats this past season, and with the commitment of former Minnesota forward Pharrel Payne, his time might have stayed limited next season.
Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on Twitter: @whosnextsports1.
Caitlin Clark is a proverbial comet whose galactical skills have captured the attention of fans, the media and, most recently, multi-billion dollar companies, like Nike.
Still, I couldn’t help but wonder: If Clark received this large of a deal before ever playing a minute of professional basketball, was Nike always able to invest this amount of money in other women athletes? Yes, but not in the way we typically think.
The bidding war for Caitlin Clark wasn't even close in the end
• Nike: 8-years/$28 million • Adidas: 4-years/$6 million • Under Armour: 4-years/$16 million • Puma: *dropped out after hearing $3 million*
When it comes to following the “it” athletes, Nike owns that process fairly well. It’s been ahead of the curve several times, including when it partnered with college basketball star turned WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes in 1995 to drop the Air Swoopes. Nike came back to the WNBA well again with Lisa Leslie and her signature shoe — the Total Air 9, which was a whopping $140 in 1998 — and kept going with stars like Dawn Staley, Cynthia Cooper-Dyke, Chamique Holdsclaw and Diana Taurasi.
As with any trend, there are ebbs and flows, and when Nike didn’t see a strong enough return on investment with women’s signature shoes, it paused its production until a new wave of talent could convince it otherwise. Enter Elena Delle Donne and Sabrina Ionescu. Delle Donne received a signature shoe in 2022, and the New York Liberty’s current 3-point specialist, Ionescu, followed suit in 2023 after signing a deal with the brand in 2020 worth $24 million.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 15: The Nike shoes of Sabrina Ionescu #20 of the New York Liberty are seen during the fourth quarter against the Las Vegas Aces in Game Three of the 2023 WNBA Finals at Barclays Center on October 15, 2023 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
That brings us to 2024, when — if it hadn’t already — the design work on Caitlin Clark’s signature will begin. What prompted Nike to jump back into the women’s signature market? Integrated marketing told them to.
No, really. It did.
Integrated marketing is a strategy companies use to align its internal and external marketing channels to promote a product (Caitlin Clark) within the same time frame and typically through some sort of campaign (the women’s college basketball season). The immediate benefit it provides is that it tells the same primary brand story through every possible touchpoint for that company’s target audience.
So, if fans discovered Caitlin Clark through a live TikTok feed and then suddenly visited that company’s website, where there were more videos and additional articles about Caitlin and the feed, fans would have been part of a targeted, holistic brand experience without even knowing it. The company just aligned its message and gave fans a chance to see the same content and storytelling in different formats.
Iowa-Maryland was the most-watched women’s college basketball game in Fox Sports history, averaging 1.58M viewers.
Once those same fans signal back through data that this is the type of content they want to consume, market value is generated, followed by actual return on investment. That’s where Nike saw value in its line of business and decided another signature shoe needed to happen.
What’s fascinating is that the caliber of talent Nike acquired during its pause in signature shoe production didn’t particularly dip. After all, Nike did sign two-time WNBA champion and two-time MVP A’ja Wilson to a contract in 2018. However, Wilson’s tenure might appear different from that of her fellow Nike counterparts because the latter possibly have benefited from the unexpected rise of integrated marketing.
Apr 1, 2024; Albany, NY, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark (22) is interviewed after defeating the LSU Lady Tigers in the finals of the Albany Regional in the 2024 NCAA Tournament at MVP Arena. (Gregory Fisher/USA TODAY Sports)
In simpler terms, the rise in popularity of the WNBA and women’s college basketball has impeccably collided with our “gotta-have-it-at-my fingertips,” social media-influenced society in real-time. While it’s still a bit mystifying that Nike has not signed Wilson or more top women’s basketball athletes to a signature shoe deal, the paper trail has more than suggested that the time to pivot and invest is now, as Sports Business Journal notes.
Investing in women's sports isn't charity—it's a smart business move 👏
Arctos Partners' TJ Adeshola tells brands to take notes and tap into this market, which can drive significant business growth. #WCOS2024pic.twitter.com/x5C9omYkzx
Caitlin Clark created a historical moment for the game, but women’s sports is the movement. Nike has a chance to expand the movement further, starting with the remaining phenomenal athletes of the 2024 WNBA Draft class and even venturing over to the 2025 class, which includes front-runner Paige Bueckers, who already has an NIL deal with the company.
“Women’s sport is exciting; women are exciting to watch. What’s the difference? … I think that even more people watched the college women’s basketball than the men. So I think that people are realizing that is exciting to watch.”
The Washington Huskies solidified their guard depth with Butler transfer DJ Davis, who committed to coach Danny Sprinkle’s team on Wednesday.
The Washington Huskies and coach Danny Sprinkle are starting to get settled in on the recruiting trail, as the team landed its third commitment from a guard this offseason, as Butler’s DJ Davis announced his intentions to join the Huskies on Wednesday.
Sprinkle has a lot of work to do to rebuild Washington’s roster, but adding Davis to a backcourt that already includes Rice transfer Mekhi Mason and four-star recruit Jase Butler gives him some very solid building blocks.
After starting his career at UC Irvine where he averaged 11.4 points and 1.6 assists per game over three seasons, Davis transferred to Butler before his senior year.
Against a higher level of competition in the Big East, Butler was up for the task. He improved on all his numbers from his previous stop, averaging 13.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per contest with the Bulldogs.
Now in his final year of eligibility, Davis should be expected to step in and start for the Huskies, providing veteran leadership and stellar touch from beyond the three-point line. He is a career 36.8 percent shooter from deep and appears to be a seamless fit for the offense that Sprinkle wants to install during his first year at the helm.
The Washington Huskies earned a commitment from a four-star guard who had previously pledged to Illinois.
Coach Danny Sprinkle and the Washington Huskies were in dire need of some good news on the recruiting trail when former Illinois signee Jase Butler announced his decision to flip to join UW.
“From the moment Coach Sprinkle reached out, I immediately knew he was someone that I could see myself playing for,” Butler told 247 Sports’ Travis Branham. “It became clear to me that he is a winner—and winning is my main priority. He understands my game and values what I’m able to bring to the program—versatility, shooting, and playmaking ability as a big guard.”
NEWS: Jase Butler, the No. 97 overall recruit in the 2024 class and former Illinois signee, has committed to Danny Sprinkle and the Washington Huskies, he tells @247Sports.
The long, athletic guard has promising upside with the ability to score from anywhere on the floor and should fit well in Sprinkle’s offense. He projects as a bench piece that can provide instant offense in his first year and should be a reliable option on Montlake for the foreseeable future.
“I look forward to coming in and competing from day one and making my teammates better,” he told Branham. “Washington has a rich history of producing elite guards and winning. I’m humbled and beyond excited for this opportunity to join the Husky family.”
The Washington Huskies have a lot of work to do to rebuild their roster before the start of the 2024 season.
After center Braxton Meah announced his intentions to transfer on Monday evening, the Washington Huskies have lost 8 players from last year’s roster to either the transfer portal or graduation. That puts a very tough task in front of coach Danny Sprinkle in his first year at the helm, but it’s one he can certainly manage.
During his one year at Utah State, Sprinkle didn’t have any returning production from the previous season, but he was able to lead the Aggies to a 28-7 record.
Meah’s loss is a big one for Washington’s frontcourt, as he was an integral piece of the team’s defense under coach Mike Hopkins. Over his two years with the Huskies, he averaged 7 points and 6.2 rebounds per game while also recording 77 blocks.
Sprinkle will be looking for some depth in the frontcourt, but could have a solid pair of starters if he can convince center Franck Kepnang to return for one more season and play alongside Wilhelm Breidenbach. The former Oregon transfer would ease the blow of Meah’s departure and be a strong contributor on both sides of the ball thanks to his long reach and high-energy play style.
After losing several key rotation players to the transfer portal this offseason, the Oregon Ducks have finally made an addition from the portal: Brandon Angel, a fifth-year forward from Stanford, according to a report from 24/7 High School Hoops.
In 2023, Angel averaged 13 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists, per game. From the field last season, Angel shot 56.7% on eight attempts per game and 44.8% from three on 2,5 attempts per game. As a scorer, Angel consistently hits his catch-and-shoot threes and is an excellent finisher.
With the Ducks losing center N’Faly Dante this offseason, the addition of Angel is a big one, and it will give the Ducks multiple big men options next season. At 6’8″ and 210 lbs., Angel can hopefully be an impact player on the defensive side of the floor as well as on offense. His 0.9 defensive win shares last was the second most on the Cardinal.
NEWS: Stanford transfer Brandon Angel has committed to Oregon, @LeagueRDY has learned.
Angel just wrapped up his fourth season at Stanford and had his best season yet. Started 29 of 30 games played this season.
Andrej Stojakovic, one of Angel’s teammates at Stanford last year, is another player in the portal who’s been tied to Oregon. Stojakovic has yet to announce his commitment, but now, coming to the Ducks would offer him the chance to reunite with his former teammate.
