Tag: Basketball Transfer Portal

Star Illinois basketball transfer Coleman Hawkins cancels LSU visit, commits to Kansas State

The Tigers were expected to host the coveted transfer this weekend, but there’s been a change of plans.

LSU was hoping to hold a visit with the top available player in the transfer portal, but it seems that won’t come to pass.

[autotag]Coleman Hawkins[/autotag], a transfer from Illinois who was also testing the NBA draft waters, was slated to take a visit to Baton Rouge following his trip to Kansas State. However, he canceled that trip on Friday, and shortly after, he announced his commitment to the Wildcats.

Hawkins enters his fifth season of college basketball after starting 82 of the 126 games he appeared in during his four seasons at Illinois. This past year, he averaged 12.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists.

The graduate transfer power forward would have been the top transfer addition of the [autotag]Matt McMahon[/autotag] era, but the Tigers will instead rely on their already solid transfer class which is paired with a top-10 high school signing class.

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LSU basketball to host top available transfer portal player

LSU will host the top available transfer on a visit next week.

As LSU basketball continues to ramp up its rebuild under [autotag]Matt McMahon[/autotag], the Tigers are set to host the top available recruit in the transfer portal on June 17, according to On3’s Joe Tipton.

[autotag]Coleman Hawkins[/autotag], originally a three-star recruit in 2019, hit the portal after playing four years at Illinois. He’s coming off a career year where he averaged 12.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game while shooting over 45% from the field. The 6-foot-10 forward was a factor inside but could score it from deep too, averaging 1.4 threes made per game his last two years in Champaign.

Along with LSU, Kansas State is also getting a visit from Hawkins. Louisville was originally a contender, but Hawkins elected to cancel that visit.

Hawkins also tested the NBA draft waters before pulling his name and returning to the college ranks.

“I would go somewhere I can enjoy a football game,” Hawkins quipped last month.

There’s a lot more to his decision than that, but LSU’s athletic tradition across the board can’t hurt.

If McMahon pulls this off, Hawkins would be the fourth member of an already strong transfer class that ranks No. 11 in the country, according to On3.

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Former LSU women’s basketball guard Angelica Velez commits to Syracuse

Angelica Velez has found her new home in the transfer portal.

A former LSU women’s basketball guard has announced her transfer destination.

On Sunday morning, [autotag]Angelica Velez[/autotag] announced on social media that she has committed to continue her career at Syracuse. A true freshman this past season from the Bronx, Velez appeared in 23 games coming off the bench and totaled 111 minutes while averaging 1.2 points with 13 total assists and rebounds.

Though she likely would have seen a much more significant role next season after the departure of [autotag]Hailey Van Lith[/autotag] in the transfer portal, she opted to do the same and now joins a Syracuse team that finished last season 24-8 and reached the second round of the NCAA tournament.

LSU has done a lot of work rebuilding the backcourt this offseason, adding a trio of experienced guard transfers in [autotag]Kailyn Gilbert[/autotag], [autotag]Shayeanne Day-Wilson[/autotag] and [autotag]Mjracle Shepphard[/autotag]. It also signed the top player in Louisiana in guard [autotag]Jada Richard[/autotag].

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LSU men’s basketball lands Richmond guard transfer Dji Bailey

The Tigers landed their third transfer portal commitment on Wednesday.

The LSU men’s basketball team continues to add to its transfer portal class entering Year 3 under coach [autotag]Matt McMahon[/autotag].

On Wednesday, the Tigers landed a commitment from Richmond guard transfer [autotag]Dji Bailey[/autotag], a 6-foot-5 senior from Wilson, North Carolina. Bailey has appeared in 71 games with 31 starts, 24 of which came this past season.

He was named the A-10 Most Improved Player in 2023-24 while averaging 10.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists. He also tallied career highs in points (22) against La Salle and steals (six) against Florida.

Bailey’s career field goal percentage of 56.4% also ranks fourth all-time in Spiders basketball history among players who attempted at least 300 field goals.

Bailey is the third transfer to join the Tigers this offseason, a group that is all guards so far and includes Kansas State’s [autotag]Cam Carter[/autotag] and UT-Martin’s [autotag]Jordan Sears[/autotag].

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LSU transfer Hailey Van Lith refutes reports that she has committed to TCU

Hailey Van Lith told the Associated Press that she has not committed to any program, though she is “close.”

[autotag]Hailey Van Lith[/autotag] opted to move on from LSU women’s basketball after one season, and when reports surfaced last week that Van Lith had committed to TCU, it seemed her recruitment was at an end.

However, the saga has taken another twist. On Tuesday, the Associated Press reported that Van Lith has not committed to TCU or any other program for that matter.

Though she said she’s “close” to a decision in a statement to the news outlet, Van Lith reiterated that she has not signed.

“I did take a visit to TCU and am very interested in them, but I took visits to other schools and was very interested in them, too,” Van Lith said. “I haven’t made an official commitment, but I’m very close. The ink has not touched the paper for any school.”

A highly anticipated transfer addition last offseason from Louisville, Van Lith moved to the point guard role this year at LSU and saw a dip in production, though she still averaged 11.6 points and 3.6 assists.

Tigers coach [autotag]Kim Mulkey[/autotag] said Van Lith was looking to play her final season with a team that would allow her to play her more natural position at the two.

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LSU women’s basketball hosted elite transfer portal guard last week

Kailyn Gilbert averaged 15.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists as a sophomore at Arizona.

After the Tigers’ national title defense season ended in the Elite Eight, they’re likely to hit the transfer portal hard once again after losing starting point guard Hailey Van Lith, who committed to TCU.

The LSU women’s basketball team may have a replacement in mind for the backcourt. It hosted Arizona guard transfer [autotag]Kailyn Gilbert[/autotag] last weekend, and the Tigers could be trending for the premier scorer.

A sophomore from Tampa, Gilbert has appeared in 55 games in her two seasons in Tucson, making 19 starts. This past season, she averaged 15.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists. She led the Wildcats in scoring, and that mark ranked seventh overall in the Pac-12.

LSU has a lot to replace following the departures of Angel Reese to the WNBA draft and Van Lith to the portal. But with a player like Gilbert added to a backcourt that already features [autotag]Flau’Jae Johnson[/autotag] and [autotag]Mikaylah Williams[/autotag], the Tigers could have a much more ferocious offensive attack next season.

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Former LSU point guard Hailey Van Lith commits to TCU

Hailey Van Lith is heading to the Big 12.

After one season in Baton Rouge, former LSU women’s basketball point guard [autotag]Hailey Van Lith[/autotag] will finish out her collegiate career at TCU.

Van Lith committed to the Horned Frogs as a fifth-year transfer on Thursday, as was first reported by Talia Goodman of The Next. Van Lith came to LSU after an All-ACC season at Louisville, but she saw her production drop after moving from the two to the one spot.

She averaged 11.6 points and 3.6 assists this season, and she opted to enter the transfer portal after the Tigers’ Elite Eight loss to Iowa rather than join [autotag]Angel Reese[/autotag] in the 2024 WNBA draft.

Van Lith recently visited conference foe Mississippi State, but she’s instead heading to the Big 12. The Horned Frogs went 21-12 last season in the first campaign under coach Mark Campbell and reached the second round of the WBIT.

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LSU transfer Hailey Van Lith reportedly visited conference rival over the weekend

LSU may not have seen the last of Hailey Van Lith.

Former LSU point guard [autotag]Hailey Van Lith[/autotag] opted to enter the transfer portal after just one season in Baton Rouge. The former All-ACC player at Louisville is back on the market after her production dipped in 2023-24 with a position change.

Van Lith is one of the top available players in the transfer portal, and she could be eying a move to a conference rival. Van Lith was in Starkville over the weekend to take a Saturday visit to Mississippi State, as was first reported by Talia Goodman of The Next.

Van Lith will be a fifth-year senior entering her final season of eligibility with her new team.

Van Lith moved from the shooting guard spot to the point guard position this season, and it resulted in her scoring average dropping from 19.7 to 11.6. Coach [autotag]Kim Mulkey[/autotag] recently said Van Lith chose to transfer in order to finish out her career playing her more natural position at the two.

It remains to be seen how much of an impact that visit with the Bulldogs had, but it’s possible LSU hasn’t seen the last of Van Lith.

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LSU basketball lands UT-Martin point guard transfer Jordan Sears

Jordan Sears was a First Team All-OVC selection in each of his two seasons with the Skyhawks.

Once again, coach [autotag]Matt McMahon[/autotag] has the makings of a promising transfer portal class heading into Year 3.

On Thursday, the Tigers landed their second transfer in the cycle as they received a commitment from former UT-Martin point guard [autotag]Jordan Sears[/autotag].

The Daytona Beach native began his career at Gardner-Webb before joining the Skyhawks in 2022-23. He has been a First Team All-OVC selection in each of the past two seasons.

Sears has played in 64 games with 62 starts over the last two seasons, averaging 21.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists this past season. This will be his fifth and final season of collegiate eligibility.

Sears becomes the second transfer commitment in the cycle, joining Kansas State guard [autotag]Cam Carter[/autotag]. LSU is coming off an improved season in Year 2, but expectations will be high as McMahon enters a crucial Year 3 with another revamped roster.

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LSU guard Carlos Stewart enters the transfer portal

A highly anticipated transfer from Santa Clara, Stewart appeared in 13 games with nine starts before a knee injury ended his season.

LSU’s men’s basketball team has seen another departure via the transfer portal. After just one injury-limited season with the Tigers, [autotag]Carlos Stewart[/autotag] entered the transfer portal on Tuesday night.

Stewart arrived as a highly anticipated transfer last offseason following two years at Santa Clara, where he was a First Team All-WCC selection in 2023 following his first year as a full-time starter.

He began the year in a big role for the Tigers, starting nine of the 13 games he appeared in early in the season before a knee injury ended his campaign. He averaged 19.4 minutes, 4.7 points, 2.2 rebounds and an assist this season.

LSU has now seen two players enter the transfer portal as Stewart joins fellow guard [autotag]Mwani Wilkinson[/autotag]. The Tigers also have a commitment from one incoming transfer in former Kansas State guard [autotag]Cam Carter[/autotag].

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