2025 Transfer Portal

[triaddukefan]

@triaddukefan

I predicted before the season that this would happen. I believe I posted my thoughts in the off-season She has been at Duke for 5 years..... has her undergrad degree and is in grad school. West Coast Kid......... been away from home since Summer of 2020. She only has 3 real seasons of play (Duke shortened her frreshman year after 4 games and missed last year with a ACL injury). I can see her playing at a mid major like Pepperdine or UCSB, UCI type of school.

I'll definitely miss her... would have loved to see her play her final year in Durham as she was a valuable and reliable player as a backup PG for us. Definitely provided the spark in our Sweet 16 victory. One final note.. she was the last McCallie recruit.

 

[triaddukefan]

Assuming ND makes the tournament. They have little left right now.

gotta bring this one back

 

[TheFarmFan]

Other than Betts, name me one other true Big in the country who can consistently score? As for Bigs getting in foul trouble, they all do, including Betts.

Audi Crooks would like a word - 23.4 ppg. A few others come to mind: Reagen Beers and Sedona Prince, for example. I'm not really sure what "consistently" means, but they averaged 17.3 and 17.2 ppg, respectively. All are 6'4" or taller. If by "true Big" you mean someone who never tries or attempts to shoot treys, well, they're an endangered species precisely because when you can have a Stewie, Candace Parker, or A'ja Wilson who can do it all inside AND threaten from beyond the arc, "true Big" is simply a liability.

 

[TheFarmFan]

KLS?

I think Milford means the other Lou - as in Lopez Senechel. Which is a more recent "comp" for a shooting wing than Katie Lou.

 

[Aluminny69]

 

[oldude]

Audi Crooks would like a word - 23.4 ppg. A few others come to mind: Reagen Beers and Sedona Prince, for example. I'm not really sure what "consistently" means, but they averaged 17.3 and 17.2 ppg, respectively. All are 6'4" or taller. If by "true Big" you mean someone who never tries or attempts to shoot treys, well, they're an endangered species precisely because when you can have a Stewwie, Candace Parker, or A'ja Wilson who can do it all inside AND threaten from beyond the arc, "true Big" is simply a liability.

Agree with your suggestions. I guess my point would be there are very few bigs in the country who are consistent scorers. You may be able to count them on one hand.

 

[TheFarmFan]

Agree with your suggestions. I guess my point would be there are very few bigs in the country who are consistent scorers. You may be able to count them on one hand.

Agreed. I honestly think it says as much about the runway for "true Bigs" in today's game. There's basically about as many true centers in the W as well - among top players, I can think of the Joneses (Brionna and Jonquel), Griner, Shakira Austin, Cardoso and sorta/kinda Boston and Reese. Even Tina Charles regularly takes and makes treys these days.

 

[JstVisiting]

Miles is a better prospect than Van Lith in my mind, but maybe they're both limited.

Better pro prospect and better college player are not necessarily the same thing.

 

[Bone Dog]

Agree with your suggestions. I guess my point would be there are very few bigs in the country who are consistent scorers. You may be able to count them on one hand.

A'ja did not threaten from beyond the arc in college. Did she even have 20 attempts in 4 years? I'd say the same for her handle. What she had in college was a solid midrange game, a quick leap off the floor on offense and defense, great shot blocking ability and really quick feet. And she was money on putbacks and layups. Like many bigs, her game expanded quite a bit once she got to the W. She is a tremendous shooter and ball handler now. Same is true of the Joneses, Azura, Austin, et all. Their games expanded greatly in the W.

Edit: sorry, meant to reply to @TheFarmFan.

 

[th2421]

Tennessee not shying away from recruiting players with some major red flags. Signed the Pauldo Twins (more so their dad having red flags than the girls), plus UT is apparently in talks with both McMahon and now McMiller. All 4 are extremely talented but I personally wouldn’t touch any with a 10 foot pole if I’m trying to establish a good locker room culture.

The tweets have since been deleted, but someone responded to this and said they were surprised to see Tennessee on this list, and wondered if Kiyomi was lying again (as she got caught doing on her previous list with Louisville), and Kiyomi responded saying, "Yea I lied lol"

I don't think Tennessee is getting anywhere near this one. I was surprised that Tennessee seemed to be pursuing McMahon, though.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

Better pro prospect and better college player are not necessarily the same thing.

As a college player, I tend towards Miles too, but might just be be a style preference.

 

[Vowelguy]

The tweets have since been deleted, but someone responded to this and said they were surprised to see Tennessee on this list, and wondered if Kiyomi was lying again (as she got caught doing on her previous list with Louisville), and Kiyomi responded saying, "Yea I lied lol"

Uhhhhhhhhhhhh

 

[TRest]

Uhhhhhhhhhhhh

Kind of explains her list.

 

[YoDore]

Bad break for Kellie Harper. She's a good player who can score.

 

[Dillon77]

I could never see a scenario where Tessa Johnson would leave SC. However, she has been my favorite player not in a UConn uniform, and her game and size fit UConn like a glove if she ever decided to enter the portal.

Not suggesting poaching, but in this new age of the portal, Tessa owns the top spot on my wish list.

It's bewildering to me seeing the number of first-year freshmen leaving top tier programs like USC, UCLA & ND. I get coach/player conflicts, but it seems the women's game has entered into a one-and-done mentality if things don't go accordingly to plan.

Is it NIL, or the demand to be an immediate contributor?

And the demand/desire to be an immediate contributor might be to get (more) NIL.
Players don't want the circle to be broken....

 

[JstVisiting]

Assuming ND makes the tournament. They have little left right now.

ND opened with shorter odds to win the 2026 title than UCLA (+750 to +850) lol

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

Ole Miss? Maryland? Making room for an incoming big?

Grand Canyon with their new coach, formerly an assistant at SC.

Probably room for Okot or Kitts to transfer in.

 

[jumpstart]

Agreed. I honestly think it says as much about the runway for "true Bigs" in today's game. There's basically about as many true centers in the W as well - among top players, I can think of the Joneses (Brionna and Jonquel), Griner, Shakira Austin, Cardoso and sorta/kinda Boston and Reese. Even Tina Charles regularly takes and makes treys these days.

Reese is not a true 'big' at 6'3". She is a freakish rebounder more on the lines of a Dennis Rodman. She gets the ball and takes out the trash. I can't stand her, but she is a baller.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

Reese is not a true 'big' at 6'3". She is a freakish rebounder more on the lines of a Dennis Rodman. She gets the ball and takes out the trash. I can't stand her, but she is a baller.

Their last two forwards have been insane workman on the boards. Can't fault the relentless effort.

 

[Geew1992]

Pretty sure UCLA's freshman class is in the portal

 

[Geew1992]

 

[BRS24]

Pretty sure UCLA's freshman class is in the portal

Yup. All three players.

 

[MSSportsGuy]

Yup. All three players.

This stuff amazes me. I understand some kids get homesick and want to play more, but you knew the score when you signed up that you'd be playing behind some talented upperclassmen and likely not see much time when you have an experienced roster who is contending for a NC.

I can understand after year 2 if a player isn't getting any time and others are being brought in maybe exploring other options but one year isn't really enough time.

 

[visitingcock]

This stuff amazes me. I understand some kids get homesick and want to play more, but you knew the score when you signed up that you'd be playing behind some talented upperclassmen and likely not see much time when you have an experienced roster who is contending for a NC.

I can understand after year 2 if a player isn't getting any time and others are being brought in maybe exploring other options but one year isn't really enough time.

As a freshman, why would you sign until you see what transfer class will be coming in with you?

 

[Dillon77]

As a freshman, why would you sign until you see what transfer class will be coming in with you?

Timing is off. As an incoming frosh, most folks sign their letter of intent in November. The transfers, by and large, announce and sign in April and/or May. They have no idea what's hitting them later in the school year. How did Kendall Dudley or her Sidwell Friends teammate
Zania Socka-Neguemen (who also just joined the portal) know Timea Gardiner and Janiah Barker were both going to join the Bruins?

Your question, however, does give me pause: Why not wait until the regular signing period (April), as a very few people did last and this year, to sign off? On the other hand, schools that were interested in them might sign transfers. It's a quandry.

 

[Dillon77]

That's the second frosh from Sidwell Friends to enter the portal.
Happened despite another Sidwell alum, Kiki Rice, being on the roster.
PT is the obvious answer here to the "why?" Most of those forwards ahead of her are not going anywhere and Betts' sister is coming in, too.

 

[Bone Dog]

Timing is off. As an incoming frosh, most folks sign their letter of intent in November. The transfers, by and large, announce and sign in April and/or May. They have no idea what's hitting them later in the school year.

lol. I assumed @visitingcock was joking. But they needed an emoji or a gif or something.

But seriously speaking, this is another reason to consider shifting the portal window earlier in the season. Shift it to January or even earlier and then HS recruits would have a fuller picture of their prospects.

 

[TerpWomenFan]

I can see the two of them joining Donovan at Duke.

 

[BRS24]

lol. I assumed @visitingcock was joking. But they needed an emoji or a gif or something.

But seriously speaking, this is another reason to consider shifting the portal window earlier in the season. Shift it to January or even earlier and then HS recruits would have a fuller picture of their prospects.

This brings up an interesting topic that I'll hold onto until we're really bored with no basketball a bit later this year.

 

[TheGOAT23]

This stuff amazes me. I understand some kids get homesick and want to play more, but you knew the score when you signed up that you'd be playing behind some talented upperclassmen and likely not see much time when you have an experienced roster who is contending for a NC.

I can understand after year 2 if a player isn't getting any time and others are being brought in maybe exploring other options but one year isn't really enough time.

My sentiments exactly! Are recruits allowed to attend a practice/ practices before making a commitment?? Asking for a friend. I’ve attended a practice during the Dolson/ Stewie years and let me tell you…it was mind blowing. Drills, drills and more drills. Then they would disappear for a break then more drills then weight room then more drills. Considering that Coach Close attended some practices, she probably modeled hers the same as Geno’s. They’re probably harder than UCLA’s games. The recruits will get a better idea of what they need to do beforehand or they can make a decision that it’s not for them.