Portal Madness took a breather this week during the so-called “dead period.” That’s an NCAA-mandated window where athletes are not permitted to take in-person visits. As of Thursday morning, however, that window ended and the portal sprang back to life. Now everyone is trying to catch their breath again.
Hoops HQ has teamed up with The Portal Report to bring you all the latest happenings during this chaotic off-season. The last few days have seen multiple prospects announcing their leading candidates as well as their next destinations.
Here are the latest headlines on what you need to know.
Big 12 All-Freshman Commits to Kevin Young and BYU
BYU and head coach Kevin Young received its first transfer commitment when Baylor guard Robert Wright, a 6-foot-1 freshman, declared for the Cougars Thursday night.
Wright led Baylor’s backcourt last season, averaging 11.5 points and 4.2 assists to earn Big 12 All-Freshman honors.
According to reports, Wright considered a $1 million dollar NIL offer with Baylor to remain in Waco, Texas for 2025-26 but was lured to join BYU after visiting the campus on Thursday.
Colorado State Sniper Moving on to Chapel Hill
North Carolina head coach Hubert Davis just secured a third transfer portal commitment this off-season with the announcement that Colorado State’s 6-foot-2 sophomore guard Kyan Evans is heading to Chapel Hill.
This past season was a career defining year for the Kansas City, Mo. native as Evans averaged 10.6 points per game while shooting 44 percent from three on 4.4 attempts while starting every game for the Rams.
Evans is as efficient as anybody in the country from behind the arc and brings multiple years of remaining eligibility.
Michigan State Secures First Off-Season Portal Commitment
A former top-100 prospect and native of Louisville, Ky., 6-foot-7 sophomore forward Kaleb Glenn began his career at Louisville before moving to FAU last season.
Glenn put together a breakout campaign in which he averaged 12.6 points, 4.8 rebounds per game and shot 41 percent from three on his way to an All-AAC Second Team honor.
This past week, he announced a return to the high major ranks by committing to Tom Izzo’s Michigan State. This is the Spartans’ first transfer of the off-season.
Princeton Transfer to Decide Between a Trio of the Nation’s Top Programs
The No. 2 currently available transfer according to The Portal Report, 6-foot-4 junior guard Xaivian Lee of Princeton, will reportedly be deciding between three of the nation’s top programs.
Duke, St. John’s and reigning national champion Florida are all set to battle it out. Rick Pitino is up first as he hosts the Toronto native this weekend.
Over the past two seasons, Lee started 59 out of 59 games for the Tigers and averaged 17.0 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game. He was named All-Ivy the past two years as well.
Virginia Transfer Considering Seven Programs; Meets with Memphis
Following reports earlier this week that Virginia’s 6-foot-8 junior forward Elijah Saunders was down to six candidates, it seems there’s a new leader in his recruitment.
Texas Tech, Kansas State, Purdue, Grand Canyon and Virginia have been the primary contenders, but on Thursday Saunders reportedly met with Memphis and coach Penny Hardaway.
Saunders spent his first two years at San Diego State before moving to Virginia prior to this season. He averaged a career-high 10.4 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.
Star Maryland Guard Announces His Final Six
Sophomore guard Rodney Rice, previously of Virginia Tech and Maryland, announced his final six candidates. The former top-100 prospect is eyeing a potential return to Maryland, but he is also considering playing for his former head coach Kevin Willard at Villanova. Tennessee, Auburn, USC and Gonzaga are also in the mix.
Rice is expected to visit Philadelphia and Knoxville this weekend.
Former Top-100 Prospect and TCU Transfer Heading to Vanderbilt
On Dec. 8, TCU guard Frankie Collins, a 6-foot-2 senior, broke his foot in the Horned Forgs’ 83-74 loss to Vanderbilt. That forced the former Michigan and Arizona State transfer to miss the remainder of the season.
This week, in an ironic turnabout, Collins announced his commitment to Vanderbilt.
Collins, a former top-100 prospect and All-Pac-12 Defense selection in 2023-24, started all nine games for TCU prior to his injury and averaged 11.2 points and 4.4 assists per game.
Syracuse Big Man Receiving Loads of High Major Interest
After averaging just shy of a double-double with 11.5 points and 9.6 rebounds per game in 2024-25, 6-foot-11 senior center Eddie Lampkin Jr. is receiving considerable high major interest.
Indiana, Baylor, Texas A&M, Mississippi State, Arkansas, Missouri, Virginia and Auburn have all reportedly reached out. Lampkin is searching for his fourth and final transfer destination.
Lampkin was raised in Katy, Texas, which isn’t far from the Aggies over in College Station. That makes new Texas A&M head coach Bucky McMillian the early leader.
PORTAL TO THE PORTAL
Men’s Transfer Portal Winners and Losers: April 14, 2025 Update
With an NCAA-mandated “dead period” now over, contact between programs and recruits have ramped up — and clear winners and losers have emerged
Women’s Transfer Portal Headlines: Olivia Miles, Ta’Niya Latson and a New Look at Ole Miss
The top women’s transfer portal news to keep an eye on right now
The Top 10 Sleepers in the Transfer Portal
Who’s flying under the radar right now?
ASUN First Team Selection has Several High Majors Involved
Jacari Lane, a 6-foot junior guard from North Alabama and two-time All-ASUN selection, announced that he has heard from over a dozen programs since he entered the portal.
Multiple high majors are already involved including Auburn, Louisville, Central Florida, Florida State, Minnesota, Seton Hall, Virginia, Virginia Tech and more. However, it’s reportedly Memphis and Texas A&M that have caught Lane’s early attention. He is expected to visit the Aggies this weekend before a trip to meet with Auburn some time next week.
Florida State Forward Narrows his List to Five Programs
One of the nation’s most coveted big men, 6-foot-11 junior center Malique Ewin from Florida State, has narrowed his list of potential programs to five as of earlier this week. Auburn, Arkansas, Kansas, Mississippi State and Virginia are all reported to be in the mix for Ewin after more than a dozen high majors reached out to express interest.
Former Top-100 Prospect Transfers Back to Washington
Redshirt Freshman Guard Wesley Yates III, who was formerly the No. 43 ranked prospect in the 2023 recruiting class, is heading back to Washington after an impressive season for USC.
Yates began his career with a redshirt stint for the Huskies before transferring to USC, where he averaged 14.1 points and 2.9 rebounds per game in his first competitive season of college basketball.
Yates was initially recruited to Washington under head coach Mike Hopkins prior to the program’s departure from the Pac-12. Now he returns to play for second-year coach Danny Sprinkle.
For more information on the transfer portal, check out The Portal Report’s Transfer Portal Fan Tracker here.
