After Sunday’s slow day in the portal, Monday brought about an uptick in movement on the transfer front. Kentucky transfer Keion Brooks withdrew from the NBA Draft, Cal State Northridge lost three seniors to the portal, and Western Carolina hauled in an Ohio transfer. The Portal Report has you covered with news and analysis from today’s transfer portal action.
Commitments
After beginning his career at Georgetown, Maryland transfer Qudus Wahab will return to the Hoyas after one year in College Park. Wahab averaged 7.7 points and 5.6 rebounds for the Terps, shooting 55.9 percent from the field. The Lagos, Nigeria native had his best year as a sophomore at Georgetown, tallying 12.7 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game. Wahab shot a career-best 59.1 percent during the 2020-2021 campaign.
Chicago State landed the commitment of Samford transfer Wesley Cardet, a former four-star recruit. Cardet started all 27 games he appeared in, pouring in 8.1 points and 4.6 rebounds per contest. The Fort Lauderdale, FL native is a huge pickup for the Cougars as they look to turn things around in the Windy City.
Ohio sophomore Colin Granger has committed to Western Carolina after two seasons with the Bobcats. Granger appeared in just three games this past season, but recorded 1.3 PPG and 1.2 RPG in 22 games as a freshman. The Suwanee, GA native started two games during his tenure with the Bobcats and connected on 41.4 percent of his shots.
Portal Entrants
Cal State Northridge guard Elijah Hardy entered the transfer portal for the third time. Hardy spent two seasons at Washington and one at Portland State before heading to the Matadors prior to the 2021-2022 season. Hardy recorded the best season of his career at Cal State Northridge, averaging 12.0 PPG, 4.0 RPG, and 2.8 APG, all career-highs. The 6-foot-2 senior led CSUN in assists and steals per game, ranking fifth in the Big West in steals with 1.5 per contest.
Darius Beane was the second Matador to enter the portal on Monday, spending one season at CSUN. The senior guard began his career at Southern Illinois and spent two seasons at Northern Illinois before playing in the Big West. Bean has tallied 5.8 points and 3.2 rebounds over his four year career, appearing in 103 games.
Rounding out the trio of Matadors entering the portal is senior Miles James, who averaged 4.0 points and 2.7 rebounds in his lone season at Cal State Northridge. The Inglewood, CA native recorded 14 starts and 18.9 minutes per game.
Returnees
After entering the NBA Draft, Kentucky transfer Keion Brooks has officially decided to return to the collegiate ranks. Brooks put up his best numbers this past season, grabbing 4.4 rebounds and scoring 10.8 points on 49 percent shooting. The former five-star prospect spent three seasons in Lexington, amassing 42 starts in 80 games. A long line of suitors will battle for the 6-foot-7 forward that has three years of eligibility remaining.
San Diego commit and Stanford transfer Jaiden Delaire formally withdrew his name from the NBA Draft. Delaire recently committed to Steve Lavin and the Torerors following four seasons with the Cardinal. The 2021 Pac-12 Most Improved Player appeared in 118 games at Stanford, recording 7.9 points and 3.1 rebounds. Delaire’s exit from the draft adds to an already impressive transfer class for Steve Lavin, cementing high expectations for the 2022-2023 season.
NBA Draft
Kenneth Lofton Jr. will remain in the NBA Draft after exploring professional opportunities and entering the transfer portal. Lofton Jr. was a two-time All-Conference USA selection and the Freshman of the Year in 2021. The Louisiana Tech star was a top player remaining in the portal, tallying 16.5 points and 10.5 rebounds for the Bulldogs. As Lofton Jr.‘s NBA dreams come true, his decision certainly changes the portal plans for multiple programs.
