Big 12 Basketball Transfer Portal Takeaways for April 20
The transfer portal is running full speed in both Big 12 men’s and women’s basketball as the regular signing day period continues into next month.
Each week I’ll have some thoughts on what’s going on in the transfer portal from a Big 12 perspective, at least until things settle down. Which, frankly, could be never.
Mark Kellogg’s Initial Haul
Mark Kellogg took the West Virginia women’s basketball job last week. He didn’t have to look far for transfer talent.
Two of his former players from Stephen F. Austin followed him, and they’re big gets. Guard Jordan Harrison was the WAC Freshman of the Year as she averaged 12.1 points, 5.0 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.1 steals. She can step into the point guard role vacated by Madisen Smith.
Zya Nugent is the other SFA player. She missed last season with an injury but carries career averages of 11.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.6 steals. She was the WAC Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player in 2022. She’s a hard-nosed defensive player, too.
Kellogg also snagged Lauren Fields, a name familiar to Big 12 fans. Before she played for Arizona last season, she was at Oklahoma State, where she averaged 15.4 points in 2021-22.
He could use some height, but when you consider the Mountaineers still have JJ Quinerly, Jayla Hemingway, and Kyah Watson, they look set at guard.
Speaking of Big Gets …
The Kansas State women pulled their first player from the transfer portal on Wednesday and it was a significant get. Guard Zyanna Walker wasn’t able to get on the floor at Louisville, but before he signed with the Cardinals she averaged 25.7 points, 8.4 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 5.1 steals per game for Heights High School in Wichita, Kan.
Walker will play, but she may not even start for this team, at least not right away. Center Ayoka Lee returns. Guards Gabby Gregory, Serena Sundell, Brylee Glenn, and Jaelyn Glenn are back, too. That doesn’t take into account a quality signing class and the depth that coach Jeff Mittie developed this season.
The Wildcats are turning into a team no one should want to mess with.
Kansas Dips its Toe In the Portal
The Kansas Jayhawks snagged its first player from the transfer portal when Towson’s Nicolas Timberlake committed to joining the team earlier this week.
Timberlake gives the Jayhawks some consistent outside shooting. He averaged 17.7 points per game while shooting 41.6 percent from 3-point range.
The Jayhawks still need some more veteran talent, but the good news is there is plenty of space to pursue talent — and Kansas is getting plenty of interest.
Baylor Finally Getting Into It
All the talent was going out at Baylor. Now, it’s starting to filter in for next season.
Baylor got its first transfer recently in the form of guard Jayden Nunn from VCU. He’s coming off a season in which he averaged 9.3 points and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 40 percent from the 3-point range.
That helps. But the Bears lost guards to the NBA (Keyonte George, Adam Flagler) and the transfer portal (L.J. Cryer, Dale Bonner). Baylor is going to need a lot more than Dunn. But it’s a start.
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard
Big 12 Basketball Transfer Portal
(as of April 19)
Men
Outgoing — Baylor: G Dale Bonner (to Ohio State), G L.J. Cryer (to Houston), F Zach Loveday, G Jordan Turner; Iowa State: G Eli King (to North Dakota); Kansas: F Cam Martin (to Boise State), F Zach Clemence, G Bobby Pettiford Jr. (to East Carolina), G M.J. Rice (to NC State), G Joseph Yesufu; Kansas State: G Peyton Ackerman, F Ismael Massoud, G Anthony Thomas; Oklahoma: G Joe Bamisile (to VCU), G Bijan Cortes (to Wichita State), F Jacob Groves, F Jalen Hill (to UNLV), G C.J. Noland (to Saint Louis), G Benny Schroder (to George Washington); Oklahoma State: G Avery Anderson III, F Kalib Boone, F Moussa Cisse, G Woody Newton, F Tyreek Smith. TCU: F Souleymane Doumbia (to Sam Houston), G P.J. Haggerty, F Eddie Lampkin (to Colorado), G Michael Niemann, G Shahada Wells; Texas: G Rowan Brumbaugh (to Georgetown), G Arterio Morris; Texas Tech: F Fardaws Aimaq (to Cal), F KJ Allen, F Daniel Batcho, G Ethan Duncan, G Elijah Fisher, F Robert Jennings (returning to Texas Tech), G Jaylon Tyson, G Lamar Washington; West Virginia: G Josiah Davis,F Jamel King (to Kennesaw State). Cincinnati: G Jeremiah Davenport (to Arkansas); Houston: G Tramon Mark (to Arkansas), C Kiyron Powell (to Southern Indiana), G Mylik Wilson; UCF: G P.J. Edwards (to Bowling Green), G Tyem Freeman, F Brandon Suggs, C Lahat Thioune, G Jayhlon Young.
Incoming — Baylor: G Jayden Nunn (from VCU); Iowa State: G Keshon Gilbert (from UNLV), G Curtis Jones (from Buffalo), G Jackson Paveletzke (from Wofford); Kansas: G Nicolas Timberlake (from Towson); Oklahoma: G Javian McCollum (from Siena); TCU: F Essam Mostafa (from Coastal Carolina), G Jameer Nelson Jr. (from Delaware), G Trey Tennyson (from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi); Texas Tech: F KyeRon Lindsay (from Georgia), F Darrion Williams (from Nevada); West Virginia: G Kerr Kriisa (from Arizona), C Jesse Edwards (from Syracuse), F Jose Perez (from Manhattan), G Omar Silverio (from Manhattan). Cincinnati: F Jamille Reynolds (from Temple); Houston: G L.J. Cryer (from Baylor), G Damian Dunn (from Temple).
Notes: Perez transferred to WVU in November but didn’t get a waiver to play in 2022-23. Silverio transferred in March and needs a waiver.
Women
Outgoing — Baylor: F Kendra Gillispie; Houston: G/F Paris Netherly; Houston: G/F Paris Netherly; Iowa State: G Lexi Donarski, G Maggie Espenmiller-McGraw, G Denae Fritz, F Morgan Kane (to D-II Nova Southeastern), F Maggie Vick; Kansas: F Ioanna Chatzileonti, F Katrine Jessen, G Sanna Strom, G Bella Swedlund (Toledo), G Mia Vuksic (to San Francisco); Kansas State: G Mimi Gatewood, C Taylor Lauterbach (to Virginia); Oklahoma: G Kaley Perkins (to Kent State), C Emma Svoboda; Oklahoma State: F Taylen Collins, G/F Macie James, G Lexy Keys (to Oklahoma), F Makyra Tramble (to Oral Roberts); TCU: G/F Evie Goetz; Texas: G Kyndall Hunter, F Femme Masudi; West Virginia: F Isis Beh (to Arizona), G/F Wynter Rogers (to Arkansas State), G/F Savannah Samuel; BYU: G Amanda Barcello, F Alyssa Blanck (to Utah), G Sophia Lee; Cincinnati: G Lojain Elfatairy, G Dais’Ja Trotter (to Illinois-Chicago); Houston: G De’Myla Brown, G Kendall Brown, G/F Paris Netherly, G Tiara Young (to SMU).
Incoming — Baylor: F Madison Bartley (from Belmont), G Yaya Felder (from Ohio), G Jada Walker (from Kentucky); Iowa State: G Hannah Belanger (from D-II Truman State); Kansas State: G Zyanna Walker (from Louisville); Oklahoma: G Lexy Keys (from Oklahoma State), G/F Payton Verhulst (from Louisville); Oklahoma State: F Hannah Gusters (from LSU); TCU: G Madison Conner (from Arizona), G Una Jovanovic (from Cal State Fullerton), F Sedona Prince (from Oregon); West Virginia: G Lauren Fields (from Arizona), G Jordan Harrison (from Stephen F. Austin), G Zya Nugent (from Stephen F. Austin); BYU: G/F Jennah Isai (from Oregon); Houston: G N’Yah Boyd (from UTEP), F Maliyah Johnson (from Pitt), C Peyton McFarland (from Utah); UCF: G Ashley Foster (from Georgia State), G Kaitlin Peterson (from Indiana), G Timia Ware (from LSU).
Sources: Players’ social media accounts, Verbalcommits.com, 247Sports.com, Wbbblog.com
