The college basketball transfer portal never sleeps. Updating things after a busy week.
If you read last week’s college basketball transfer portal update, you knew things were going to get hectic. The July 1st deadline to enter the transfer portal & maintain eligibility mixed with the 2021 NBA Draft withdrawal deadline has caused things to hit the fan once again.
I expected “some” madness, including the potential for a big name to hit the portal. But I never imagined two First-Team All-Big Ten players to become available this close to the season.
Very few scholarships remain at the top of college basketball which should make things interesting. Players like Marcus Carr, Kofi Cockburn, and Tyrece Radford, along with a handful of others will be looking for “bigger” schools but may find a limited market.
So who jumped into the college basketball transfer portal this week and what does it mean for Chris Mack and Louisville basketball? Let’s take a deeper look.
Tier 1 –
- Kofi Cockburn (Center, Illinois)
- Marcus Carr (Guard, Minnesota)
- Jaden Shackelford (Guard, Alabama)
- Marcus Bagley (Forward, Arizona State)
- Moussa Cisse (Center, Memphis)
Recent commitments/movement: Darryl Morsell (Marquette)
New additions: Kofi Cockburn (Illinois), Marcus Carr (Minnesota), Jaden Shackelford (Alabama)
- No one and I means no one, expected Illinois big man Cockburn to enter the portal. After a huge season that saw him earn All-Big Ten honors, Cockburn seemed like a lock to leave for the NBA Draft. Whether things didn’t go as planned or Cockburn wants a backup plan, it led him to enter into the transfer portal at the last hour while keeping his name in the draft. He likely stays in the draft, but because of the day and age of NBA basketball, he’s a bit of a dinosaur. Is he a fit for Louisville? Yes, 100%. A player of his caliber is a fit anywhere. Louisville thrives with a big man inside who can score and defend, and Cockburn fits the bill. Will Louisville get involved? Unlikely. Unless the injury to Malik Williams is much worse than the program is letting on, Louisville will likely continue pursuing other, less-prominent bigs. Still, Mack would be SILLY not at least gauge the interest of Cockburn who is clearly looking for a “bigger” situation.
- It’s worth noting that Louisville missed out on Morsell, when he committed to Marquette. Would have loved his size and defense, but it may all end up working out for everyone involved.
- Carr is another player I didn’t expect to return to college. He’s also a guy I never expected Louisville to get involved with. He’s been in the portal since after the season but almost everyone believed he’d be a lock to go pro. That didn’t happen and now there’s a First-Team All-Big Ten and potential All-American available in the closing weeks of the offseason. Carr averaged 19, 4, and 4 as a junior for Minnesota, and scored 20+ points on 12 occasions (including a career-high 41 points against Nebraska). There may not be a more dominant scorer to hit the college basketball transfer portal this offseason than Carr; which will make him one of the most sought-after players. Most Louisville fans would tell you they like the guards Mack has now. While I agree they are nice I am one who 100% believes Louisville is missing a star. How do you go from having Carlik Jones and David Johnson to El Ellis, Jarrod West, and Noah Locke and think you’re better off? Louisville should be at the front of the line for Carr. While I’ll admit I don’t know his personality type or what his ability to fit in on a team is like. If those things check out and you can bring him in without risking blowing up the current chemistry, I say go for it. Carr can do EVERYTHING and would be a perfect fit for the high pace offensive system Mack wants to install.
- We’ll have more on Carr this week, but for now I’ll leave you with saying Chris Mack needs Marcus Carr. He’s considering “four schools” (Louisville, Kentucky, Texas, and Kansas) but most expect it to come down to just the Cards and Longhorns. Mack has the playing time, scheme fit, and the overall high exposure level of Louisville and the ACC in his back pocket. This is his recruitment to win.
- Jaden Shackelford is another really intriguing player who chose to return to college & transfer after entering the draft. Shackelford was a huge piece in Nate Oats’s modern, pace & space offense, averaging 14 points and 4 rebounds per game, shooting 34% from three. At 6’3, Shackelford has great size for a combo guard, is a very capable defender, and has the potential to become a go-to scorer. There are very few players who have been able to score like he has in two seasons at Alabama. He can score at all three levels which is going to lead to a ton of schools getting involved. Shackelford is from out west, so I wouldn’t be shocked to see him at a Pac 12 school. But again, Mack wouldn’t be doing his job if he didn’t reach out and gauge interest. Where ever he lands, Shackelford will become “the guy.”
- Bagley and Cisse are still in a holding pattern. With the draft withdraw date being July 7th, we’ll have clarity on their situation soon. Bagley is still in the draft being evaluated and Cisse has returned back to college with the intent to transfer. I don’t see UofL being interested in either.
**Update – 7/7 – 4:50 PM**
- Marvin Bagley has officially pulled out of the NBA Draft. He’s in the transfer portal and doesn’t appear to have any plans to return to ASU. Watch for Duke where his older brother, Marvin Bagley, played for one year.
Tier 2 –
- Tyrece Radford (Guard, Va Tech)
- Keith Williams (Guard, Cincinnati)
- Kevin Obanor (Forward, Oral Roberts)
- Dawson Garcia (Big, Marquette)
- Alonzo Verge (Guard, Arizona State)
Recent commitments/movement: Alterique Gilbert, Collin Smith, Steffon Mitchell are fell out of tier two this week.
New additions: Tyrece Radford (V Tech), Keith Williams (Cincinnati), Kevin Obanor (Oral Roberts), Dawson Garcia (Marquette)
Dropped: Alterique Gilbert, Collin Smith
- Tier two saw a huge influx of talent this week with four new players entering the fray.
- Louisville fans are familiar with Radford, who has been a mainstay for Virginia Tech the last few seasons. His transfer came a bit of a surprise, especially as Mike White’s team is one of the most hyped squads entering the year in the ACC. Radford is a well-rounded veteran who does a little bit of everything. While he’s not a great three-point shooter, he’s a solid downhill driver who is capable of getting to the rim or pulling up for a jump shot. What makes him unique is his ability to rebound at just 6’2. He’s averaged over 5.5 rebounds per game in each of his first two seasons. While his utility-like skills would be a solid addition, his lack of three-point shooting makes him similar to other players on the team. However, if Mack decides he’s got enough shooting, Radford’s defense, rim scoring, and rebounding would be a welcomed addition.
- If Louisville was interested in Darryl Morsell, then I’d see no reason why they wouldn’t target Keith Williams. The connections are there. Williams has spent the last four years at Cincinnati, including the last two playing for Mack’s confidant, John Brannen. Williams is 6’5 guard/wing who has been one of the primary scorers for the Bearcats the last two seasons. In 2020-21 Williams was at his best, averaging over 14 points and 4 rebounds per game, including shooting 43% from the field and 31% from deep. He was a second-team All-AAC player and was considered one of the top defensive players in the league. Much like Carr and Cockburn, Williams is likely looking to land on a team with more national notoriety for his final season of college basketball. He’s played for some good teams at Cincinnati, but a jump to the ACC, Big Ten, or other power conference is likely in store. Where Williams thrives is in transition (he’s a one-man fast-break) and getting to the rim off the dribble. Having that combination of scoring prowess, strong finishing around the rim, and defensive lockdown ability would be a great addition to the Louisville backcourt. Another plus, Williams LOVES to dunk.
- I will admit I don’t know much about Oral Roberts basketball, including details on newest transfer portal addition Kevin Obanor. The 6’8 big man was a crucial piece in ORU’s run in the NCAA Tournament this past season. He averaged slightly over 18 points per game to along with 9 boards, which was second and first on the team, respectively. The kid is a really good scorer and rebounder (hence the numbers) who should be able to become a contributor for a power program. With Sam Williamson, Matt Cross, JJ Traynor, and JaeLyn Withers all playing the 3 & 4, I don’t see many minutes available. That takes Louisville out of the running. Watch for some big name schools to get involved.
- Garcia is a blossoming sophomore big man who is transferring from Marquette after testing the NBA waters. He’s down to four schools, including Arizona, Illinois, North Carolina, and potentially a return to the Golden Eagles. He averaged 14 and nearly 7 rebounds a game in 2020 and should be poised for an even bigger sophomore season. My money is Garcia ending up back at Marquette (making them a top 15 caliber team) or at Illinois. The other programs already have big names in the front court that would limit Garcia’s impact.
- Verge is another guy who I still think should get a look from Louisville. He’s a bucket filler who has shown the willingness to play in a number of roles. He’s returning from the NBA Draft but his next stop is still unknown. Arkansas, DePaul, Texas Tech, Arizona, and others are all expected to be in consideration.
Tier 3 –
- Altierque Gilbert (Guard, Wichita State)
- Collin Smith (Center, Central Florida)
- Cedric Russell (Guard, Louisiana)
- Seneca Knight (Wing, LSU)
- Ahmed Ali (Guard, Portland)
Recent commitments/movement: Steffon Mitchell (Stayed in NBA Draft), Yor Anei (DePaul)
Dropped: Elijah Childs (Bradley)
- Gilbert is a battle-tested, veteran guard who has the ability to lead a team. Is he the best guard available? No, not by a mile. However, he’s a guy who could come in as a third or fourth guard and be productive. Whether it’s scoring, passing, rebounding, or doing the little things defensively, Gilbert is a tough-nosed player who will be a major addition where ever he lands. For Louisville, I believe they need star power. Gilbert doesn’t have that, but if Mack misses on Carr, he could be a back-up option.
- Smith has been on our list since day one. He’s a big who would provide Mack with quality depth, scoring, and rebounding. He sat out 2020, so you have to question whether it’s smart to have three big men who barely played a year ago on the same roster. Probably not in Mack’s best interest.
- Russell is another new name to the college basketball transfer portal. He’s played in 124 games, startting 88 of those contests for Louisiana of the Sun Belt conference. He’s averaged 14.4 and 17.2 points per game respectively over the last two seasons, while grabbing over 3 rebounds and dishing out a few assists. The kid is a knock dead shooter, shooting 40% last season on 7 attempts per game but still has the ability to hurt you from anywhere. If Mack misses on Carr, Russell is another guard who he may look at. At 6’2, he can play both guard spots but he’s been a bit too turnover prone to be fully trusted at the 1. I don’t think Mack takes another guard outside of the top two tiers, but never say never.
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