In the name, image and likeness era, every player has a price tag and every program a budget. Where “transfers-down” — drops from high- to mid- to low-major schools — were once reserved for the athletes who couldn’t cut it, they’re now a tool for players to chase starter’s minutes and an NIL payday.
In this year’s crop of transfers-down are NCAA Tournament heroes, conference players of the year and unicorns — together, one of the most diverse groups in college basketball.
Hoops HQ has partnered with The Portal Report to rank them, and draw attention to the depth of mid-major talent as the 2026 offseason gets underway.
1. Brandin Cummings, 6-foot-3 sophomore guard, Pitt to Memphis
One of four power conference transfers bound for Memphis, Cummings is meticulous. Before an ankle injury ended his season in January, the point guard looked poised for a breakout: His 34-point outing versus Hofstra in December were the most off the bench in Pitt history. Cummings is a twitchy, three-level scorer brimming with untapped potential. As the focal point of Memphis’ offense, he could blossom, a la former Tigers’ standout, PJ Haggerty.
2. Blake Harper, 6-foot-7 sophomore guard, Creighton to VCU
MEAC fans will remember Harper from a masterpiece freshman season with Howard. In a class which included Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey and VJ Edgecombe, it was Harper who led freshmen in 30-point games and logged 27 consecutive double-digit outings. The MEAC Conference Player of the Year shot 40.4% from three and ranked third nationally in free throw attempts while draining 82.5% from the line. As a sophomore, Harper took on a supporting role with Creighton, and improved his shot and defense on reduced minutes. With power conference experience and plenty of room to develop, he’ll slot in nicely at VCU.
3. Jayden Reid, 5-foot-10 junior guard, Northwestern to Memphis
Reid is a high IQ player with a mid-major pedigree. As a junior with Northwestern, Reid led the Wildcats in assists and steals per game on a 2.71 assist-to-turnover ratio — among the highest in the Big Ten. The undersized point guard is prone to hot streaks, and dropped 20 points over Final Four-bound Illinois in one half in January. In his underclassman seasons, Reid was a USF standout — notably for his 47.5 three-point percentage in 2023-24. Reid is a classic floor general with tenacity, sharpshooting, great handles and unfortunate size. He’ll excel behind Cummings at Memphis.
4. Jizzle James, 6-foot-3 junior guard, Cincinnati to Charlotte
It’s fitting that Wes Miller’s first transfer signing at Charlotte was his last add at Cincinnati. Initially a paint-touch specialist reliant on his quickness, James diversified his game under Miller, adding a 44.3-percent three-point shot in his junior season. The Bearcat point remains reliable from midrange, and boasted one of the fastest first steps in the Big 12 last season. His defense and physicality will make him a nightmare matchup in the AAC.
5. Dylan Darling, 6-foot-1 junior guard, St. John’s to Grand Canyon
A former Rick Pitino pet project, “Big Bells” Darling opted for starter’s minutes — and an NIL payday — in his redshirt senior season. Now famous for a game-winning layup over Kansas in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, Darling started his career with Washington State and broke out at Idaho State. As a junior with St. John’s, Darling was known for his “balls as big as church bells” per Pitino, a gall that allowed him to take over even games in which he played poorly. Darling adapted to Big East play as the season progressed. By February, he was a key perimeter threat for St. John’s and had boosted his three-point percentage to 39.4 despite a shaky start. The NABC Second-Team point will bring court vision, sharpshooting and cojones to a GCU team in need.
6. Rytis Petraitis, 6-foot-7 senior forward, Cal to New Mexico
An injury-ridden senior season made Petraitis the perfect mid-major pickup: defiant and badly undervalued. As a junior with Cal, Petraitis made 29 starts and specialized in ball-handling. Over ACC play, he led the Golden Bears in offensive rebounds (64), steals (26) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.3). Fully healthy, Petraitis is easily a P5 starting-caliber player, and will be a frontcourt weapon for New Mexico.
7. Jordan Marsh, 5-foot-11 junior guard, USC to Temple
Marsh was a volume scorer off the bench for USC and a star for UNC Asheville. As a sophomore, the Big South Newcomer of the Year averaged 18.8 points, including a league-best 23.1 points in-conference play. He also led Asheville in assists (117) and steals (65). Marsh is a capable floor spacer, a strong distributor and a proven threat at the mid-major level. His team-high 39.3% from three at USC — while stockpiling rebounds and assists — affirmed his ability to perform against top competition. He’ll be expected to lead Temple’s backcourt next season.
Best on the Board: Top 10 Transfers Still in the Portal
Flory Bidunga and Juke Harris are gone. Remaining are a mix of Draft ‘maybes’, uniques skillsets and guys waiting for the right school. We rank the top 10.
8. Donald Hand Jr., 6-foot-5 junior guard, Boston College to Loyola Chicago
Donald Hand Jr. can play the three, but prefers physical domination as an oversized wing. In a breakout sophomore season with Boston College, Hand averaged 15.7 points and 6.1 boards per game on his way to an ACC Most Improved Player award. Hand’s greatest strength is his court vision, which he combines with his frame and physicality to draw fouls and win defensive rebounds. The four-year Eagle took a step back in his junior season, but aced the eye test and should thrive as a first option at Loyola.
9. All Wright, 6-foot-3 sophomore guard, Xavier to Loyola Marymount
The kid is All Wright. After an MVC Freshman of the Year season with Valparaiso, Wright played his role perfectly at Xavier. His 42.2-percent three-point shooting stretched the floor, and earned the Musketeers wins over West Virginia, Marquette and Cincinnati. Wright instantly becomes one of the best sharpshooters in the West Coast Conference. Despite improved efficiency last season, Marymount will give Wright an opportunity to return to the volume of his freshman year.
10. Elijah Strong, 6-foot-8 junior forward, South Carolina to Saint Louis
Josh Schertz called midrange shots an “inefficient way to play,” but couldn’t help but grab Strong from the transfer portal. As a junior with South Carolina, the power forward shot 57.7-percent at the rim and notched career-highs in double-figure games (17) and single-game points (30 at LSU). Strong is a true midrange threat with the ability to score anywhere inside the arc. He’s also quick, athletic and a passable defender. Paired with Saint Louis’ other big men, he’ll be tricky to answer in the A10.
11. Eli Ellis, 6-foot freshman guard, South Carolina to Charleston
Ellis is a creative shotmaker with a deep offensive toolkit. When healthy, the former Overtime Elite standout was a key piece for South Carolina, averaging 8.6 points and 2.8 rebounds off the bench. In SEC play, he showed flashes of elite playmaking, but struggled with confidence, streaky shooting and a lingering left ankle injury. It’s worth noting that Ellis ranks among the best free throw shooters in the nation (87.6-percent). If he can regain his OTE mojo, bulk up and get to the line, he’ll be an impact player at Charleston.
12. Alon Michaeli, 6-foot-9 freshman forward, Colorado to Saint Louis
Michaeli is the prototypical Saint Louis Billiken: a high-motor floor-spacer with great positional size. At Colorado, Michaeli, a former Israeli Premier League standout, demonstrated abilities to absorb contact, attack the rim and stretch defenses. His quick release and soft touch are assets now but will become invaluable as he hones his shot. Schertz is keen on building a monster frontcourt — Michaeli’s success will be non-negotiable.
13. Zaide Lowery, 6-foot-5 junior guard, Marquette to Dayton
Lowery’s transfer was a sure-thing after he split from Marquette basketball in December. Exactly what went down between him and the Golden Eagle coaching staff remains unclear. What is clear is that Marquette felt the loss of a bona fide power conference piece immediately. In three years in the Big East, Lowery honed his shot, fixed his handles and excelled on increased minutes. During nonconference play as a junior, the All-Academic wing was one of just three high-major players to shoot 50/40/90. Lowery will be a big fish at Dayton — as long as he remains focused, he should crush as a first option.
14. Chansey Willis Jr., 6-foot-2 junior guard, Minnesota to Kent State
Another Big Ten “what-if,” Willis was finding his stride when he broke his foot in December. As a junior with Western Michigan, the former MCCAA phenom grabbed the MAC scoring title and averaged 16.8 points, 5.8 assists and 1.7 steals. Like other entries on this list, Willis’ strength is his discipline: He takes excellent care of the ball, knows his spots and wins back possessions in steals and stops. He’s built to dominate at the mid-major level and will no doubt make a splash at Kent State. After a disastrous three-point shooting year, he certainly has his work cut out for him.
15. Omaha Biliew, 6-foot-8 junior forward, Wake Forest to Grand Canyon
A Wake Forest mainstay since his sophomore year transfer, Biliew’s gameplan is simple: Leverage his elite frame and drive. Once a five-star recruit and McDonald’s All-American, Biliew has struggled to convert at the high-major level. Nevertheless, he has fundamentals, passable defense and plays well under pressure: He was an essential piece for Wake’s 2026 NIT squad. Biliew has plenty of room to grow and should fit nicely into GCU’s system.
16. Andrija Vukovic, 6-foot-11 sophomore forward, Oklahoma State to George Washington
Vukovic is primed for a breakout at GW. In his sophomore season, the Serbian big man got confident and blossomed on increased minutes — he finished with a 62.2 field goal percentage. Vukovic is an elite finisher and a magician at drawing fouls. At 6-foot-11, he shows great mobility, soft touch and a knack for setting screens. A rising true junior, Vukovic is still extremely raw. After missing the final four games of the season with a torn meniscus, Vukovic will hit D.C. running, and aim to improve his strength and stamina.
17. Tyler Harris, 6-foot-7 junior forward, Vanderbilt to UNLV
Harris had to fight for minutes at Vanderbilt. The slow roll which left AK Okereke on the court, and Harris on the bench, was tough to watch — and almost overshadowed his monster sophomore season. Almost. At Washington, Harris was a flamethrower, shooting 49.5-percent from the arc and 49.2-percent from the field. The former WCC All-Freshman selection is also a defensive hound, and led the Huskies in blocks while averaging 5 boards per contest. Harris’ game didn’t take a major step back at Vanderbilt, but he was badly overshadowed. A season with UNLV could be enough to get his mojo back.
18. David Castillo, 6-foot-1 sophomore guard, Kansas State to Santa Clara
Castillo is a signature Herb Sendak guard: small, twitchy, with good shooting splits (40/35/82) and a low turnover rate. As a sophomore with Kansas State, the Big 12 All-Academic selection improved his distribution and 10.6 points on 28 minutes per game. With great vision and a quick first step, Castillo will make an ideal replacement for outgoing transfer, Christian Hammond.
19. Omari Witherspoon, 6-foot-4 freshman guard, Pitt to George Washington
Twenty-five starts as a true freshman, a steal per game and an 18-point masterpiece in the ACC Tournament don’t seem like the metrics of a transfer-down. The truth is that Witherspoon wasn’t a good fit at Pitt and opted for a year back home. The former four-star recruit is one of the few genuine two-way players on this list. He’s nimble, has nice touch and best of all, loaded with untapped potential. Witherspoon is a massive get for GW. Don’t be surprised if he’s back in the high-majors this time, next year.
20. DeShawn Harris-Smith, 6-foot-5 junior guard, Georgetown to Delaware
DeShawn Harris-Smith is a player who can impact the game in a dozen different ways. Before an undisclosed injury ended his Georgetown career in November, he was shooting 60-percent from the field while racking up steals, assists and defensive rebounds. Harris-Smith is a high-motor athlete who excels at moving the ball — kick-outs, finding lanes, getting downcourt. He’s sublime at drawing contact and has markedly improved at the line since his freshman year. The former Maryland ACC All-Freshman could use work on his right-side, but otherwise seems like a perfect plug-and-play add for Delaware.
Meet your guide
