Basketball
We’re getting later and later in the process, but the pickings still aren’t exactly slim at the top of the best available men’s college basketball players in the transfer portal list.
Here are the 10 best players still making their decisions about where to play in 2025-26:
1. RJ Luis, SR, G (St. John’s)
The reigning Big East Player of the Year and a Second Team AP All-American, Luis recently said that he’s “100 percent focused on the NBA Draft,” but unlike other players in his situation, did not completely rule out the possibility of returning to college.
Don’t let his poor performance in St. John’s second round loss to Arkansas or the drama surrounding him being benched for the last four minutes of said loss distract you from the fact that if he returns to school, Luis will be the best player out of this year’s transfer portal.
At 6’7’’, Luis is a three-level scorer and a high energy defender. His decision making can be iffy and his three-point shot is streaky, but he’s still a player who instantly makes whichever team lands him (if a team lands him) much more of a threat to make a deep run next March than they were before his addition.
2. P.J. Haggerty, JR, G (Memphis)
An All-American last season, Haggerty is currently going through the NBA Draft process but hasn’t ruled out a return to college. Haggerty poured in 21.7 points per game last season for a Memphis team that earned a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament. While he hasn’t ruled out a return to Memphis next season, there are more than a few reports out there if Haggerty plays college basketball next season it will be for Will Wade at NC State.
3. Darrion Williams, SR, F (Texas Tech)
Like Luis, Williams has until May 28 to decide whether or not he wants to stay in the NBA Draft. If he chooses to return to school, Williams figures to demand one of the highest price tags of the college basketball offseason.
The 6’6’’ forward averaged 15.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game last season for Texas Tech, second most on the team in both categories behind All-American J.T. Toppin (who has already announced a return to Lubbock). Williams was a breakout star in the NCAA Tournament, where he averaged 23.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in three games.
Williams is a true two-way standout who will be one of the most difficult players in the country to defend next season, regardless of where he ends up.
4. Jamir Watkins, SR, G/F (Florida State)
Yet another player with a big decision to make over the course of the next week and-a-half. Watkins is testing the NBA Draft waters for a second straight spring after a 2024-25 season where he evolved into one of the most dynamic offensive players in the ACC. The versatile 6’7 wing averaged 18.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game while shooting 43 percent from the floor for Leonard Hamilton’s final FSU squad. There might not be a better player in college basketball when it comes to getting to the free-throw line.
After transferring in from VCU, Watkins led Florida State in scoring in each of the past two seasons. He earned Second Team All-ACC accolades in 2024-25.
5. Boogie Fland, SO, G (Arkansas)
The former five-star recruit officially removed his name from the NBA Draft earlier this week, and instantly became one of the most sought-after players in the country. Fland was averaging 15.1 points and 5.7 assists per game before a hand injury against Florida on Jan. 11 stopped what could have been a Freshman All-American season dead in its tracks. Ironically, the Gators have been the team most linked to Fland since he confirmed he would be playing college basketball again in 2025-26.
6. Desmond Claude, SR, G (USC)
The versatile 6’6 Claude averaged 15.8 points, 4.2 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game for USC last season, and has drawn a ton of interest in recent weeks from some of the biggest names in the sport. Florida, North Carolina, Kansas and Alabama are the teams that have been most involved in the battle to land Claude’s services for next season.
7. Tyon Grant-Foster, SR, G (Grand Canyon)
The 6’7” guard is searching for his fourth and final college home after stints at Kansas, DePaul, and a pair of seasons at Grand Canyon. After averaging 20.1 points and being named WAC Player of the Year in 2023-24, Grant-Foster was hampered by injuries throughout last season. He is a tough shot taker and tough shot maker, which could scare off coaches who prioritize efficiency numbers. Still, there are few players currently available in the portal with a lengthier track record of being able to consistently put the ball in the basket.
8. Doctor Bradley, JR, G (Arkansas Pine-Bluff)
Not just one of the best names in college basketball, Bradley is a certified bucket-getter who poured in 19.6 points per game for Pine-Bluff last season. The versatile 6’8 player also led the team in rebounding at 9.5 per contest. Bradley was involved in the hazing scandal at New Mexico State that cut the Aggies’ 2022-23 season short. After initially facing 13 felony charges, Bradley pleaded guilty to two disorderly conduct charges last October. This might explain why a player with his size and skill set has remained on the board this long.
9. Ven-Allen Lubin, SR, F (North Carolina)
The well-traveled power forward initially entered the transfer portal with the “full intention of returning to North Carolina,” but that was weeks ago. Since then, the-21-year-old who spent seasons at Vanderbilt and Notre Dame before arriving in Chapel Hill has been courted by a number of schools, including UNC rival NC State. Lubin averaged 8.7 points and 5.5 rebounds per game for the Tar Heels last season.
10. George Kimble III, JR, G (Eastern Kentucky)
Kimble was a monster for Eastern Kentucky last season, averaging 18.0 ppg and earning all-conference honors in the Atlantic Sun. He performed well agains the best teams on EKU’s schedule, scoring 16 points in a road loss to Pitt and dropping 24 in a near upset of Louisville. He’s just 6’2, but he has the right combination of quickness and outside shooting to be a valuable contributor at the power conference level.
The Next Five:
11. Ali Dibba, SR, G (Southern Illinois)
12. Vasen Allette, JR, G (TCU)
13. Rakease Passmore, SO, G (Kansas)
14. Curtis Givens III, SO, G (LSU)
15. Corey Washington, SR, F (Wichita State)
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