The transfer portal has, essentially, turned into the free agency of college basketball.
I like the transfer portal because it allows teams to replenish their weakest spots, while giving reserves a chance to find starting minutes elsewhere.
Last offseason was rough for the North Carolina Tar Heels, who lost seven players to the transfer portal, including starting point guard Caleb Love. Six of UNC’s transfers were reserves, highlighted by Puff Johnson. However, seven outgoing players hurts.
North Carolina offset last offseason’s losses with five additions, including starters Cormac Ryan and Harrison Ingram.
With the recent addition of Belmont transfer Cade Tyson and only one loss, James Okonkwo, the Tar Heels were named one of 247Sports’ nine transfer portal winners.
“Hubert Davis has crushed it on the retention front in the 2024 cycle,” 247Sports’ Isaac Trotter wrote. “UNC has had just one player leave via the transfer portal, James Okonkwo, a seldom-used backup big man. Versatile guard and elite defender Seth Trimble entered the transfer portal, but he pivoted and returned to Chapel Hill. That’s like adding a top-100 transfer back to the roster. Even with North Carolina splurging for the top big men in the transfer portal, soon-to-be-junior Jalen Washington did not hit the transfer portal, even though a starting spot isn’t guaranteed. Even after All-American RJ Davis, the reigning ACC Player of the Year, announced his return to UNC for Year 5, soon-to-be-sophomore and former five-star point guard Elliot Cadeau did not hit the transfer portal.”
“Davis is back, Trimble is back and five-star freshman guard Ian Jackson is on the way, but Cadeau still chose to stay, even though he could’ve easily found a cleaner path to a monster role somewhere else.”
The portal is still alive and well for North Carolina, too.
On Thursday, Rutgers big man Cliff Omoruyi landed at RDU Airport. There are no official posts from his social media account, but UNC being Omoruyi’s last visit could be a good sign.
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