NIL and the transfer portal have fundamentally changed college basketball. More than 2,000 NCAA Division I players entered the portal before this season. While retention in this new era is worth the wait in gold, the bigger programs still manage to lure the top prospects away. The financials play a significant role in this context. Take Boogie Fland, for example. According to CBS Sports, the 6-foot-3 lead guard was set to receive a $2 million NIL package at Florida, which places him among the highest-paid college athletes in the country. Let’s look at the top 10 transfers before the NCAA season tips off. 

1. Yaxel Lendeborg (Michigan, from UAB)

Surprisingly, Yaxel had decided against attending the NBA draft, opting instead to continue his development under Dusty May. Lendeborg was predicted to go at No. 30 to the Los Angeles Clippers by Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman in the mock draft. “At 6’9″, 240 pounds, the versatility to attack, finish plays, pass, get second-chance points, and make plays defensively should lower the bar when it comes to his shooting,” Wasserman wrote. 

As you’d expect, Lendeborg fills the statsheet. Last season, he averaged 17.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists for the UAB Blazers. Lendeborg probably wanted to test himself against the behemoths in the Big Ten. He remains a player to watch closely.

2. PJ Haggerty (Kansas State, from Memphis)

Another potential NBA draftee, Haggerty ranked No. 6 on The Athletic’s list of 100 best men’s basketball players in the transfer portal. He averaged 21.7 points, 3.7 assists (both team highs), and 5.8 rebounds on 47.6% shooting in 35 starts for Memphis. The youngster can play either of the guard positions and boasts significant length and athleticism. However, Haggerty’s creativity and the volume of his outside shots would need work before he takes the step up to the NBA. Bear in mind that Kansas State is his fourth program in four years, following his stints at TCU, Tulsa, and Memphis.

3. Donovan Dent (UCLA, from New Mexico)

Donovan Dent will be bringing his speed and agility to the UCLA side. A three-level scorer, Dent can shoot from anywhere on the court as evidenced by his 49/40.9/78.4 shooting splits. As far as raw stats go, Dent averaged 20.4 points and 6.4 assists last season. He impressively scored in double digits in all 35 games, achieving 15 or more points in 28 of them.

“UCLA entered the offseason knowing it needed to upgrade its perimeter playmaking, and it landed an elite point guard in Dent,” ESPN’s Jeff Borzello wrote in his report. Dent gives hope to UCLA, which ranked at No.12 in the AP Preseason Poll. They could make it to the Final Four. 

4. Boogie Fland (Florida, from Arkansas)

The champions want to remain at the top. They’ve added a five-star recruit and McDonald’s All-American from the 2024 class. Boogie Fland was one of the best freshmen in the country when he was fit. He averaged 15.1 points, 5.7 assists, and 3.4 rebounds, shooting 36.5% from 3-point range over the first 18 games last season.

However, Boogie Fland’s right-hand injury against his new team forced him to sit out for almost the rest of the season. He returned for Arkansas’s NCAA run towards the end, but only from the bench. Assuming Fland should be back in full fitness, he is expected to make a rich contribution to this Florida side. 

5. Ja’Kobi Gillespie (Tennessee, from Maryland)

Gillespie just wanted to return home. After playing at Belmont and Maryland, he transferred to Tennessee. With the Terrapins, he averaged 14.7 points per game on 45.3% shooting from the field and 40.7% on 3-pointers. Gillespie chipped in with 4.8 assists, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.9 steals per game. He is expected to start at point guard for the Volunteers. The senior has already been named to the preseason All-SEC team, further underscoring his potential at Tennessee. 

6. Darrion Williams (NC State, from Texas Tech)

There is a reason Darrion Williams was named the Preseason ACC Player of the Year. In his final season with Texas Tech, he averaged 15.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. Notably, Williams scored over 20 points in three of the Red Raiders’ four NCAA Tournament games, including a 28-point explosion against Drake in the second round. 

Darrion Williams’ commitment was huge for Will Wade and the Wolf Pack. “I’m really excited to add Darrion to our roster. He’s a nightmare matchup for opponents, and he can take advantage of whatever a defense might throw at him,” he said regarding his recruit. Expect Williams to continue his development in the ACC.

7. Adrian Wooley (Louisville, from Kennesaw)

The dynamic guard from Kennesaw State is making a jump to Pat Kelsey and the University of Louisville. He finished third in scoring and shooting percentage, averaging 18.5 points per game and 51.3% in Conference USA. Additionally, he finished 7th in assists, averaging 3.52 per game. Wooley’s all-around skill led to him being named the Conference-USA Freshman of the Year after breaking the record with winning 11 CUSA Freshman of the Week titles.

“Man, I love AW,” Kelsey said when asked to describe Wooley. “The first word I use about him, and J’Vonne (Hadley), I saw this about him all the time, but AW is a dog.”

8. Pop Isaacs (Texas A&M, from Creighton)

After a grueling offseason and battling a nagging hip injury that required surgery in 2024, Pop Isaacs finally looks poised for a fresh start at Texas A&M. Despite his injury struggles limiting him to just eight games last season at Creighton, where he still averaged 16.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.9 assists while shooting a solid 41.0% from the field and 38.3% from deep. With new coach Bucky McMillan and a complete roster overhaul, Isaacs is expected to bring a much-needed offensive spark and veteran leadership to a defense-first program that’s been hungry.

9. Ian Jackson (St. John’s, from North Carolina)

The 2024 McDonald’s All-American out of Cardinal Hayes High School and Our Savior Lutheran committed to North Carolina over Kentucky, Arkansas, LSU, and others. In his freshman year, he averaged 11.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, and just under an assist per game at UNC.

“It just wasn’t for me,” Ian Jackson said of playing at UNC. He was a projected second-round NBA pick, but ultimately opted for the transfer portal. He’s now in safe hands to develop his game under the Hall of Famer Rick Pitino. “Nothing for him is good enough, and for me that’s OK,” Jackson said, admitting that he’s completely fine with a tough love approach instead of only “just dwelling on success.”

10. Silas Demery Jr. ( UConn, from Georgia)

“He can score from all three levels, play-make, and use his length to guard multiple positions. Silas comes from a great family and will fit our championship culture to a tee,” Dan Hurley said after the combo guard committed to the Huskies in the offseason.

Last season, Demery Jr averaged 13.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game for the Bulldogs while leading them to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2015. That might look modest, however, but it was the final 10 games that could’ve probably convinced Dan Hurley. He averaged 18.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.5 assists over his last 10 games, shooting nearly 39% from 3-point range. A potential big lead guard in the making is in the right hands of Hurley.