Ranking the top 20 players in the men’s college basketball transfer portal

Shortly after the corn and blue confetti fell to celebrate Michigan’s victory over UConn in the national championship game, the college basketball transfer portal was officially opened. Reportedly, more than 2,000 Division I men’s basketball players have already entered their names into the portal, which will be open for two weeks, April 7-21. This is a deep and talented transfer pool that will have a significant impact on the outcome of the 2026-27 college basketball season. We’ve ranked the top 20 transfers to watch over the next two weeks as transfer decisions are made. Burton is a dual-threat goaltender. He led the ACC in scoring with 21.3 points per game as a sophomore, then followed that up with an average of 18.5 points per game during his junior year at Notre Dame. After three seasons with the Fighting Irish, Burton enters the portal with one year of eligibility remaining. Freeman is a budding star who can score at all three levels. He plays smooth to his game, averaging 16.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per game en route to earning honorable mention All-ACC honors. He was a former five-star recruit in the 2024 high school class, but he struggled with injuries throughout his first two seasons at Syracuse. Freeman has two years of eligibility remaining. Sherrell is a physical presence with a powerful motor on the glass. He averaged 11.1 points and 6.2 rebounds in 23.9 minutes per game as a sophomore at Alabama. In a system that emphasized high-volume 3-point shooting, his skill set wasn’t on display. With two years of eligibility remaining, he could become a do-it-all forward in a different role. Diop is an athletic big man, and at 7-foot-1, he is a rim-protecting presence and capable lob threat. He averaged 13.6 points and 2.1 blocks per game in his first season at Arizona State. He was born in Senegal and came to the United States from Spain before last season. At 21, he has more experience than most sophomores. Lewis is a dynamic guard whose game is all about getting in the lane and creating for himself and his teammates. One of the best finishers in the country, he averaged 12.2 points and 5.3 assists per game while leading Villanova to the NCAA Tournament. Lewis has three years of eligibility remaining, but has also entered his name into NBA draft consideration and the transfer portal. Cyril is an imposing paint presence on both sides of the ball. He is an elite rim protector and effective pick-and-roll partner. He averaged 9.3 points and 2.2 blocks per game during his sophomore season at Georgia, while only playing 21.2 minutes per game. There’s room for a breakout if playing time increases, and Cyril has two more years of eligibility to prove it. Khamenia is a versatile wing and former top-20 recruit whose role was limited on a loaded Duke roster as a freshman. He averaged 5.7 points and 3.3 rebounds in 19.8 minutes per game. With expanded opportunities, he is a strong candidate to take a big step forward as a sophomore. Hill is another elite-level shooter, overcoming his 6-foot-3 stature with a decisive dribble and high-arc shot. He left his mark on the 2026 NCAA Tournament, hitting a game-winning shot to lift No. 11 seed VCU over No. 6 seed North Carolina in the first round. Hill averaged 15.0 points per game, shooting 37% from 3-point range en route to earning A-10 Sixth Man of the Year honors. He provided some offensive punch coming off the bench for the Rams, but he’s certainly a starter-caliber player at the major level with two years of eligibility remaining. Transfer from San Diego State to Providence. Byrd stands out on both ends of the floor. He withdrew his name from the NBA draft last year and returned to San Diego State, where he averaged 10.4 points and 4.7 assists per game as well as 1.2 blocks and 1.9 steals per game. He was one of the best defenders in the country last season, earning Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year honors. Johnson is another go-to goalie. He stands out for his ability to facilitate and initiate. He averaged 16.9 points and 3.0 assists per game, leading Colorado in scoring as a freshman while coming off the bench for the first half of the season. With three years of eligibility remaining, Johnson could emerge as the face of a program and offensive focal point. Thiam is a crafty big man with a traditional back-to-the-basket game. He is also an athletically gifted defender, averaging a top-12 2.6 blocks per game as a freshman at UCF and went on to help Cincinnati finish 10th nationally in KenPom defensive efficiency. At the start of his first year, he applied for his third program. Vaaks is an elite perimeter shooter with good size, standing at 6-foot-7, which will allow him to consistently hit his shot no matter what level he plays. He averaged 15.8 points per game while shooting 35% from 3-point range as a freshman at Providence. He started 14 of the final 15 games of the season, increasing his scoring to 18.0 points per game. Shelstad is an offensive engine, creating for himself at all three levels while also facilitating action for his teammates. His infinite range, blinding speed, and quick decision-making make up for his size (6 feet). He earned All-Big Ten honors as a sophomore, but played in only 12 games during his junior year at Oregon before suffering a season-ending hand injury. He averaged 15.6 points and 4.9 assists per game for the Ducks. Update: Shelstad has committed to play for Louisville. Murauskas is a three-level scorer. He uses his size to score inside, but is also a talented perimeter shooter both on the catch and off the dribble. He averaged 18.4 points and 7.6 rebounds per game during his junior season at Saint Mary’s. Murauskas began his college career at Arizona, then played two seasons with the Gaels, entering the portal after head coach Randy Bennett left for Arizona State. Haggerty is a high-level shooter and shot maker, averaging 23.6 points per game on 48.9% shooting at Kansas State last season. He previously led the Conference USA in scoring at Memphis in 2024-25. Update: PJ Haggerty has committed to play for Texas A&M. Wright plays an attacking, downhill style, always looking to get into the lane with his dribble to create for himself and his teammates. He averaged 18.1 points and 4.6 assists per game for BYU during his sophomore season. He also improved as a shooter, increasing his 3-point percentage from 35.2% to 41.0%. This will be Wright’s second straight offseason entering the transfer portal, as he moved from Baylor to BYU and will now play for a third school in three years. Punch is a consistent interior presence on both sides of the ball, with a particularly high IQ on offense. At 6-foot-7 and 245 pounds and without a 3-point shot in his arsenal, he is undersized and might not fit in every system. However, he averaged 14.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per game in his second season at TCU. Harris averaged 21.4 points and 6.5 rebounds per game during his sophomore season at Wake Forest. He thrives in the mid-range, shooting 55.5 percent from inside the arc, but he still has room to improve from the outside. Harris can be the leading scorer on a top team with two years of eligibility remaining. Blackwell averaged 19.1 points per game during his junior season at Wisconsin. In his three seasons in Madison, the Badgers were unable to advance past the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament, so Blackwell is seeking a spot to compete for his final season of eligibility. Bidunga averaged 13.3 points and 2.6 blocks per game during his sophomore season at Kansas. His rim-protecting prowess earned him Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors and a spot on the all-conference team. Bidunga entered his name into the NBA draft, while keeping his portal options open. Update: Bidunga has committed to play for Louisville.