Head of the Class

Penn State adds yet another important transfer to an impressive transfer list. But who are the teams nobody's discussing — and should be? Plus, the Big 12 in Mexico, and a much-needed rule change.

Author

Tristan Freeman
June 09, 2023

We’re finally deep enough into the transfer portal that we can start evaluating the winners and losers, the best fits and more for college teams.

Today, we’ll examine the transfer classes that have flown under the radar, though the biggest news from Thursday centered on a program that’s already compiled an impressive class.

1. Penn State’s not Dunn yet

New Penn State coach Mike Rhoades had to completely rebuild his roster the past few months. But you wouldn’t know it with the quality and quantity (eight players) that he added before this week.

And now? He’s up to nine with UNC transfer D’Marco Dunn.

Dunn is a 6-4 guard and a former top-100 prospect with a career 1.9 ppg average in two seasons. He was one of several players stuck to the bench with the Tar Heels, as UNC coach Hubert Davis went with a fairly short rotation.

In limited minutes, he showed a projectable 3-point shot, good athleticism and the ability to get to the rim. With a wide-open roster, Dunn has the chance to break out as a key contributor with the Nittany Lions.

More from the portal:

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2. Don’t overlook these transfer classes

Penn State had a top-10 incoming transfer class even before the Dunn commitment, according to EvanMiya.com. They’re one of several programs with fairly large transfer groups of at least five or more transfers.

But who are the programs that have quietly built transfer classes that should compete for an NCAA Tourney berth next season? Here are five to know.

VCU

  • Jason Nelson (Richmond), 8.0 ppg and 2.0 apg

  • Sean Baristow (Utah State), 10.3 ppg and 5.2 apg

  • Max Shulga (Utah State), 11.0 ppg and 4.0 apg

  • Joe Bamisile (Oklahoma), 4.0 ppg and 2.3 rpg

  • Kuany Kuany (Cal), 9.0 ppg and 3.9 rpg

  • Roosevelt Wheeler (Louisville), 1.2 ppg and 2.0 rpg

New coach Ryan Odom mixed his roster with guys he knows (Bairstow and Wheeler are a pair of quality ball-handlers) and compelling talent. Wheeler is a former top-100 prospect who adds frontcourt depth, and while Bamisile didn’t produce much at Oklahoma, he averaged 16.3 ppg as a George Washington sophomore. In a league that seems wide open at the top, VCU may not take a step back after all with these new pieces.

California

  • Jalen Cone (Northern Arizona), 17.6 ppg and 2.5 apg

  • Mike Meadows (Portland), 11.0 ppg and 2.2 apg

  • Keonte Kennedy (Memphis), 9.2 ppg and 2.6 rpg

  • Jaylon Tyson (Texas Tech), 10.7 ppg and 6.1 rpg

  • Fardaws Aimaq (Texas Tech), 11.1 ppg and 7.9 rpg

It’s safe to say that the Bears should improve on last season’s 3-29 record. New coach Mark Madsen might have assembled enough talent that Cal could compete for a top 4 spot in the Pac-12, depending on Devin Askew’s role. Outside of Meadows, all the newcomers are proven power conference-level talent.

NC State

  • Michael O'Connell (Stanford), 5.2 ppg and 3.1 apg

  • DJ Horne (Arizona State), 12.5 ppg and 2.4 apg

  • Jayden Taylor (Butler), 12.9 ppg and 3.8 rpg

  • MJ Rice (Kansas), 2.2 ppg and 1.0 rpg

  • Mohamed Diarra (Missouri), 3.2 ppg and 3.3 rpg

  • Ben Middlebrooks (Clemson), 3.1 ppg and 2.7 rpg

The Wolfpack has lost a few key pieces but added a lot of depth. So much so that 4-star guard Trey Parker will play at Overtime Elite next season instead of joining the program. While Horne and Taylor are the proven newcomers, Rice will be the key. The former 5-star wing is a breakout candidate. If he has a big year, NC State will be a threat in the ACC.

UCF

  • Jaylin Sellers (Ball State), 13.5 ppg and 3.7 rpg

  • Shemarri Allen (Kansas City), 17.0 ppg and 5.0 rpg

  • Jaykwon Walton (Wichita State), 13.9 ppg and 5.3 rpg

  • Omar Payne (Jacksonville), 4.8 ppg and 3.2 rpg

  • Ibrahima Diallo (San Jose State), 6.0 ppg and 6.0 rpg

There’s a strong possibility that UCF will be the worst team in the Big 12 next season. Yet the offseason pickups give them perimeter depth, especially if Walton is eligible to play. And while both Diallo and Payne haven’t put up big numbers, they are former 4-star prospects who could prove to be capable players.

Santa Clara

  • Jalen Benjamin (Mount St. Mary’s), 16.0 ppg and 3.8 apg

  • Adama Bal (Arizona), 2.5 ppg and 1.0 apg

  • Tyeree Bryan (Charleston Southern), 10.5 ppg and 5.5 rpg

  • Johnny O’Neil (American), 11.3 ppg and 6.6 rpg

  • Francisco Caffaro (Virginia), 2.0 ppg and 1.8 rpg

The top five scorers are gone from last season’s 23-win team, but coach Herb Sandek has a new core that should produce. Benjamin is the standout. Bal is a former top-100 prospect who could follow the path of Jalen Williams and Brandin Podziemski and eventually be a star. And Caffaro has a chance to be a standout rim protector in the WCC.

3. Big 12 goes big with its Mexico City plan

Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark has introduced “Big 12 Mexico,” an international concept to have several notable matchups in an effort to boost the conference’s profile across all sports.

They didn’t mess around with the first basketball game.

Notably, it’s a non-conference game, so it won’t affect the standings once league play starts. But as a marquee matchup during the early months of the season in an exotic location, it should do exactly what the Big 12 wants: Attract attention.

So what other places would we want to see non-conference showdowns?

Paris

Teams have typically played exhibition games in France (five are set to do so this summer). But nobody’s played a regular-season game there. Would it be nice to have Victor Wembanyama playing in it? Sure, but that’s not gonna happen. So why not plan an MTE in Paris? You know the TV networks would love it for the B-roll alone.

Saly, Senegal

Saly is the home of the FIBA Africa Region Youth Camp. Plus, Senegal has been viewed as one of the most successful national programs. The sport has grown in the continent immensely and provided some quality college hoops talent. The logistics might be trickier than in other foreign locations, but it would be a historic moment for Africa and its past and future players.

Tokyo

Gonzaga played Pittsburgh in the 2015 Armed Forces Classic in Okinawa, but the game was called at halftime due to slippery floor conditions. There have been notable Japanese players in college hoops since then, including former Gonzaga forward Rui Hachimura and current Nebraska guard Keisei Tominaga. This would need to be a game with some significant buffers for the teams to adjust to the jet lag.

Sydney

And if we’re going to Tokyo, why not head even farther? The Aussies already send a ton of talent to college hoops; Duke’s Tyrese Proctor and LMU’s Keli Leaupepe are current examples. This would be a terrific spot for a multi-team event — and smart coaches would view it as an ideal recruiting opportunity.

Block/charge call part of approved rule changes

On Thursday, the NCAA panel announced several rule changes set to occur next season. Players can now wear numbers between 0-99, refs can review basket interference calls, and timeouts will be granted when a player is airborne.

But the biggest change will be how the refs call charges.

The new rule states that a defender must “be in position to draw a charge at the time the offensive player plants a foot to go airborne for a shot. If a defender arrives after the player has planted a foot, officials have been instructed to call a block when there’s contact.”

There’s likely going to be an adjustment period during the first few months. But if this is called as described, it’ll be a welcome change to the sport — and potentially limit the number of players sitting on the bench because of a bad rule.

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Links as you try to find a college hoops equivalent to the match OU softball’s run.

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