Reply to thread

Message: [QUOTE="DefenseBB, post: 5284971, member: 7492"] Winning the Transfer Portal is by nature, a subjective assessment. You can't claim that UConn won the Portal in 2024 by stating that "players returning also qualified" which is not true, that is akin to "moving the goalposts". Maybe if they entered the portal and then rescinded, you could then claim that on a technicality. UConn picked up 1 player last year and whatever the reason, lost out on another (Beers) that would have been better fit based on need. Yes, it all worked out solely due to the development and skill of Sarah Strong but UConn was far from winning the portal last year. My post was to rank the teams that actually utilized the portal itself in 2024 and how those additions aided their success in 2025. So similarly, below is my assessment of the 2025 player movement in the portal to project improvement for the 2026 NCAAT. In some cases, additions may keep the team from sinking lower than their previous year. I agree with the additions of Williams (#3 Portal player based on Efficiency and WinShares) and Heckel greatly add to the depth and help offset the loss of Paige. [B]Rank/Team/Early season Rank/Additions/Subtractions lost, if any/2025[/B] result. Players emboldened is my top ten Portal player rank. [LIST=1] [*]UConn-#3 [B]Williams-3[/B], Heckel [I]Champion [/I]These additions should make UConn the favorite to repeat [*]Texas-#4 Cunningham, Judd, Sidberry subtraction Phelia, Mwenentanda [I]FF [/I]These additions should help Texas return to the FF [*]UCLA-#1 [B]Kneepkens-4 [/B]subtraction Barker, Jones, Aarnisola, Dudley, Cain [I]FF[/I] This addition along with Leger-Walker should maintain UCLA but they lost significant depth and thus are below Texas. [*]SC-#2 [B]Latson-2[/B], Okot subtraction [B]Fulwiley-5[/B] [I]Final [/I]Adding Okot is the plus, Latson/Fulwiley is a neutral swap. FSU led the country in shot attempts so can Latson really fit into the SC scheme? The continued development of Edwards and 6'6" presence of Okot will help SC back to the FF [*]LSU-#6 [B]Fulwiley-5[/B], Koval, Joyner subtraction Poa, Smith, Del Rosario, Wolfenbarger, Sheppard [I]EE [/I]Losing Morrow and Smith hurts LSU more than adding Koval/Joyner. With Johnson and Williams, it will be interesting to see how Fulwiley fits in. [*]Tenn-#7 [B]Barker-7[/B], Robinson, Wolfenbarger [I]S16[/I] Despite the exuberance by VolNation fans, this group will help TN but not to the level everyone is thinking. They add size which they needed but all 3 are atrocious shooters. Volume does not make up for that. [*]Ole Miss-#11 [B]McMahon-9[/B], Powe, Lattimore, Peterson, Deshields [I]S16 [/I]Coach Yo is clearly focused on roster building via the portal as her HS recruiting is abysmal. Powe and Lattimore are under-rated additions and Ole Miss could return to the Sweet 16 again. [*]Maryland-#10 [B]Garzon-8[/B], [B]Okananwa-6[/B] subtraction Kubek[I] S16 [/I]Coach Yo gets more press on her "Portalnista" claim but few have effectively used the transfers as well as Brenda has-either by necessity or desire. This group will also help. [*]Virginia-NR Weimer, Smith, Amanze subtraction [B]Lattimore-10[/B][I] DNQ [/I]Virginia is spending a lot of resources to help Coach Mox become relevant again and I think this group helps but not sure how much success in the NCAAT they will have after they qualify [*]TCU-#12 [B]Miles-1,[/B] Suarez, Basham, Silva[I] EE [/I]Miles was the #1 player in the portal as a 2 time All American and also a point guard who can make other players better (unlike volume shooter Latson). Adding a shooter in Suarez and size in Silva as well as another guard in Basham will help TCU get back to the Sweet 16. [*]Baylor-#9 Deng, Scott [I]2nd. [/I]This is another school that is spending quite a bit of resources to improve. They are trying to prove that Nicki Collen can replicate what Kim did (she can't) and these two players will improve Baylor but I think the S16 is their ceiling[I]. [/I] [/LIST] [/QUOTE]

Verification: First name of men's bb coach