Two of the top guards available in college basketball’s transfer cycle announced their commitments on Sunday as player movement around the sport continues to ramp up with the 2022-23 season fully in the rearview mirror. Former Baylor 3-point marksman LJ Cryer announced he will transfer to Houston, while former Houston guard Tramon Mark revealed that he is headed to Arkansas for next season.
Cryer entered the day ranked No. 4 in the CBS Sports Transfer Rankings, while Mark stood at No. 5. Both have three seasons of experience under their belts at premier programs and should be among the most impactful transfers in the sport next season. For Houston, the addition of Cryer will help mitigate the loss of leading scorer Marcus Sasser to the NBA Draft. At 6-foot-1, Cryer is the same size as Sasser and profiles similarly as a high-volume 3-point shooter.
He began his three-year Baylor career as a reserve on the program’s 2021 national title team before developing into a full-time starter this past season while shooting 41.5% from deep on 6.2 attempts per game. Meanwhile, at Arkansas, Mark will fit the mold of an athletic, two-way guard similar to those that coach Eric Musselman has regularly plucked from the portal during his time with the Razorbacks. Mark averaged 10.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.1 steals for the Cougars this past season while shining as a perimeter defender.
Well over 1,000 Division I players have entered the portal and there are still weeks of player movement ahead before 2023-24 rosters will be even close to settled. Here at CBS Sports, we have distilled the massive number of transfers to a handful of names to know. For starters, here are the top 30 transferring players. This list will grow and player rankings will change as the May 11 deadline for players to enter the portal approaches.
1. Hunter Dickinson
Old school: Michigan
Dickinson is one of the best big men in college basketball. At 7-1 and with a well-built frame, he can outmuscle most opponents on the block, protect the rim and rebound. He also continued demonstrating the ability to hit 3-pointers during the 2022-23 season while earning All-Big Ten honors for a third straight year. The Maryland native is a fiery competitor and proven veteran who has the ability to change the trajectory of whatever program he chooses to play for during the 2023-24 season.
2. Max Abmas
Old school: Oral Roberts
Abmas ranks No. 16 all-time for made 3-pointers and is a career 38.8% shooter on 8.8 attempts per game. The 6-1 guard won Summit League Player of the Year twice and also has experience playing beyond the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. Even amid an uptick in competition in a tougher conference, it would still be easy to envision Abmas raining 3-pointers as the first or second scoring option for a quality team. He has defensive limitations but has plenty of offensive firepower to be a positive addition to the starting lineup of a high-major program.
3. Kel’el Ware
Old school: Oregon
Ware played just 15.8 minutes per game as a freshman at Oregon after ranking as the No. 7 overall prospect in the Class of 2022, according to 247Sports. The seven-footer blocked 1.3 shots per game in that limited action, though, and was effective offensively inside the arc. He also showed some signs of a potential as a 3-point shooter. There was a logjam in the Ducks’ frontcourt, and Ware should be able to make an immediate impact as a rim protector and secondary offensive weapon at his new school. Ware has three seasons of eligibility remaining, but could be off to the NBA before using them all if things go well at his next stop.
4. LJ Cryer
Old school: Baylor | New school: Houston
Cryer made 42.5% of his 3-point attempts over 70 games in three seasons with Baylor. The 6-1 guard started all 31 games he played in for the Bears during the 2022-23 season, and would have scored even more than his 15 points per game if not for the fact that he was sharing the backcourt with high-quality guards Adam Flagler and Keyonte George. He is not a great defender but can play on or off the ball and provide a serious offensive spark for Houston with his outside shooting. As the Cougars transition to the Big 12, his experience in the league will be a nice boost.
5. Tramon Mark
Old school: Houston | New school: Arkansas
Mark started every game for Houston during the 2022-23 season, playing a key role on a team that spent several weeks at No. 1. The 6-5 guard is a great defender who averaged 10.1 points over the past two seasons. Though he is just a 30% career 3-point shooter, he has the tools and pedigree to be an impact player for an Arkansas program that thrives with transfers. Mark is also going through the NBA’s pre-draft process and could elect to end his college career. But if he does stick with Arkansas, he’ll be a key player.
6. Ryan Nembhard
Old school: Creighton
Nembhard averaged 12.1 points per game in the 2022-23 season and dished out 4.8 assists per contest. He is the younger brother of former Florida and Gonzaga point guard Andrew Nembhard but quickly made a name for himself while winning Big East Freshman of the Year honors for the 2021-22 season. He is a true point guard with two seasons of eligibility remaining and excellent experience as the lead facilitator for a pair of Creighton teams that won games in the NCAA Tournament.
7. Kerr Kriisa
Old school: Arizona | New school: West Virginia
Kriisa started at point guard for the past two seasons at Arizona as the Wildcats became an offensive juggernaut under coach Tommy Lloyd. His strengths are 3-point shooting and facilitating as he made 36.6% of his 3-pointers and dished out 5.1 assists for the Pac-12 Tournament champions in 2022-23. Aside from his perimeter shooting, Kriisa is limited as a scorer, and he’s not a plus defender. But, in total, he’s a proven point guard and great pickup for a West Virginia team replacing starting guards Erik Stevenson and and Kedrian Johnson.
8. Harrison Ingram
Old school: Stanford
It’s possible that a change of scenery is all Ingram needs to recapture the NBA Draft buzz he once enjoyed as a five-star prospect from the Class of 2021. At 6-8, he’s a versatile forward who can play on the block or step out and hit 3s. He’s also a savvy passer who can facilitate the offense. Ingram averaged 10.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists in two seasons with the Cardinal. If he can bring up his career 62.9% free-throw shooting and 31.6% 3-point shooting percentage, Ingram can be a high-impact player on an NCAA Tournament team.
9. Ace Baldwin
Old school: VCU | New school: Penn State
Baldwin is following former VCU coach Mike Rhoades to Penn State after spearheading VCU’s vicious defense for the past three seasons with relentless on-ball pressure. The 6-foot guard has averaged more than two steals per game for all three of his college seasons, and he led the Rams in scoring and assists as a junior in 2022-23. He earned the Atlantic 10’s Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year awards while leading the program to an NCAA Tournament bid in 2023.
10. Tylor Perry
Old school: North Texas
Perry led the NIT champions in scoring at 17.3 points per game while shooting 41.3% from 3-point range and draining 87.2% of his free throws. Though just 5-11, Perry clearly has the makings of an elite scoring guard and is also a good defender for his size. North Texas played with the slowest adjusted tempo in the country during the 2022-23 season, per KenPom, and Perry still managed to post gaudy offensive numbers.
11. Sahvir Wheeler
Old school: Kentucky
Wheeler finished first or second in the SEC in assists each of the past three seasons, initially at Georgia and then at Kentucky for the past two seasons. He’s undersized and limited as a scorer but has proven himself to be a trusty traditional point guard over the past four seasons. If he’s surrounded by good 3-point shooters, he can be a game-changer for a program in need of an old-school guard to orchestrate its offense.
12. Caleb Love
Old school: North Carolina | New school: Michigan
Love is a former five-star prospect and McDonalds All-American who helped spark North Carolina’s stunning Final Four run in 2022. But he’s just a career 36% shooter from the floor and made only 29.9% of his 3-point attempts on a whopping 7.4 tries per game this past season. His assist-to-turnover ratio also leaves something to be desired. Overall, he’s a talented but glaringly inefficient offensive player who might fit best on an offensively challenged team that needs someone capable of creating their own shot.
13. Skyy Clark
Old school: Illinois | New school: Louisville
Clark played in 13 games for Illinois, starting 12, before announcing in January that he was stepping away from the program for personal reasons. Now, the former top-40 prospect is headed to Louisville where he’ll likely be the primary ball-handler. The Cardinals had no help for point guard El Ellis in Kenny Payne’s first season as coach. Landing Clark is a good start for the program in terms of fielding a competent backcourt.
14. Denver Jones
Old school: Florida International | New school: Auburn
Jones finished second in Conference USA in scoring at 20.1 points per game during his sophomore season on 37.1% 3-point shooting, 55.2% 2-point shooting and 84.5% free-throw shooting. The 6-4 guard reached the 20-point mark in 17 of 28 games this past season. He is the type of instant impact offensive player who can help make Auburn’s backcourt more efficient, provided that he embraces a role that will surely include fewer shots than he took at FIU.
15. J.J. Starling
Old school: Notre Dame | New school: Syracuse
Starling averaged 11.2 points per game as a freshman at Notre Dame after ranking as a five-star prospect in the Class of 2022. The 6-4 guard will be staying in the ACC as he heads to Syracuse where he will play a major role under first-year coach Adrian Autry. One obvious improvement opportunity for Starling is 3-point shooting after he made just shot just 29.9% of his attempts from beyond the arc as a freshman.
16. Jalen Cook
Old school: Tulane | New school: LSU
Cook led a 20-win Tulane team in scoring at 19.9 points in the 2022-23 season and also led the team in assists with 4.9 per contest. He’s a bit undersized at 6-foot but is a career 36.9% 3-point shooter who shined as one of the AAC’s top scorers for two seasons after transferring from LSU following his freshman season. Defense isn’t Cook’s strength, but he could be a difference-maker on offense in a starting role for a high-major program.
17. Joe Girard
Old school: Syracuse
Girard quietly proved to be one of the sport’s best volume 3-point shooters during four years at Syracuse. He hit 40.3% of his long-range tries on 6.7 attempts per game last season and 38.1% on 7.2 attempts as a senior in 2022-23 while leading the Orange in scoring. At 6-1, he is undersized and limited defensively, especially after playing four seasons in Syracuse’s patented zone defense. But it’s easy to imagine Girard knocking down 3-pointers as a role player on an NCAA Tournament team.
18. TJ Bamba
Old school: Washington State
Bamba led Washington State in scoring at 15.8 points per game as a junior and should have two seasons of eligibility remaining. The 6-5 guard didn’t play particularly well against the Pac 12’s best teams this past season but is a career 38.5% 3-point shooter. He is also going through the NBA Draft exploration process. If he returns to college basketball, he would be a huge pickup for any team looking for a proven producer at shooting guard.
19. Jamison Battle
Old school: Minnesota | New school: Ohio State
Battle is a 6-7 forward who averaged 17.5 points and 6.3 rebounds on 36.6% 3-point shooting in 2021-22 for Minnesota. But his shooting percentage and overall production dropped this past season as the Gophers continued to struggle. Ultimately, he is a versatile and experienced forward with a demonstrated track record of Big Ten production. On an NCAA Tournament team, his ceiling would likely be as a solid role player.
20. Khalif Battle
Old school: Temple
Battle ranked fourth in the AAC in scoring at 17.9 points per game for Temple in his fourth season of college basketball. The 6-5 guard has struggled with injuries during his career but has proven to be a dynamic and explosive offensive player when healthy. One downside is that he needs to improve as a defender to be a high-impact starter for a better team. Part of Battle’s appeal is that he should have two seasons of eligibility after his 2021-22 campaign was limited to seven games due to injury.
21. Aaron Estrada
Old school: Hofstra, Oregon, Saint Peter’s
Estrada won CAA Player of the Year for the second season in a row while averaging 20.2 points on 47.8% shooting for a Hofstra team that finished 25-10. The 6-foot-4 guard also collected 5.5 rebounds and dished out 4.3 assists for the Pride while hitting 36.8% of his 3-pointers. As a physical, veteran backcourt player who can play on or off the ball, Estrada should be in high demand.
22. Fardaws Aimaq
Old school: Texas Tech | New school: California
Aimaq is the former WAC Player of the Year at Utah Valley who transferred to Texas Tech last season but played in just 11 games because of injuries. In that limited action, the 6-11 center averaged 11.1 points and 7.9 rebounds, which demonstrated that he can be productive in a rugged league. Aimaq is a serviceable rim protector and has shown the ability to step out and make 3-pointers over the past two seasons. At Cal, he is reuniting with former Utah Valley coach Mark Madsen after the two enjoyed success together in the past.
23. Brandon Murray
Old school: Georgetown
Assessing Murray’s performance at Georgetown is tough since the Hoyas were just 7-25 (2-18 Big East) in the 2022-23 season. He averaged 13.7 points per game but made just 31.8% of his 3-pointers. The 6-5 shooting guard also averaged 10.0 points per game as a freshman on an LSU team that reached the NCAA Tournament. He’s a good athlete and good defender, which makes it easy to imagine Murray slotting in as the No. 3 option or sixth man on a good power conference team.
24. Olivier Nkamhoua
Old school: Tennessee
Nkamhoua is a stretch big man with a smooth offensive skill set who averaged 10.8 points on 51.3% shooting for an offensively challenged Tennessee team in the 2022-23 season. At 6-8 and 223 pounds, he’s big enough to play the five in most systems but versatile enough to defend power forwards and some wings. If he played 30 minutes per game in an open, fast-paced system, Nkamhoua could average 13 or 14 points per game as a solid two-way player.
25. Jared Bynum
Old school: Providence
Bynum is an undersized but battle-tested guard after playing heavy minutes at Providence the last three years. He’s just a career 33% 3-point shooter but averaged 4.3 assists this past season against just 1.6 turnovers. He also made 83.1% of his free throws in 2022-23, which is a nice characteristic for a point guard.
26. Graham Ike
Old school: Wyoming
Ike led a 25-9 Wyoming team in scoring and rebounding during the 2021-22 season with 19.5 points and 9.6 rebounds before missing the 2022-23 season due to injury. If the 6-9 big man can return close to 100%, he could be a multi-year contributor for a NCAA Tournament team. While his sheer production jumps off the page, Ike does have limitations since he is not a shot blocker or an outside shooting threat.
27. Walter Clayton Jr.
Old school: Iona
Clayton won MAAC Player of the Year while leading Iona in scoring and helping the Gaels to an NCAA Tournament appearance as a sophomore. The 6-2 guard hit 43.1% of his 3-pointers on 5.2 attempts per game and also averaged 3.2 assists and 1.8 steals. He has the makings of a high-major contributor.
28. Jae’Lyn Withers
Old school: Louisville
Somewhere inside the 6-8, 230-pound frame of Withers is an excellent college basketball player and maybe even an NBA prospect. The former four-star prospect earned ACC All-Freshman honors in 2020-21 for a respectable Cardinals’ squad before regressing offensively over the past two seasons amid chaos within the program. Withers ranked as Louisville’s best defender this season, per evanmiya.com, and the right coach will be able to build off the potential Withers showed earlier in his career.
29. Jameer Nelson Jr.
Old school: Delaware | New school: TCU
Nelson led the CAA in scoring at 20.6 points per game during the 2022-23 season and topped the conference in steals with 2.4 per contest. The 6-1 guard is only a career 31.3% 3-point shooter but is good at finding his spots inside the arc and thrives at reaching the free-throw line, where he made 77.6% of his attempts this past season. He will be instrumental at helping TCU replace star guard Mike Miles, who declared for the NBA Draft.
30. Caleb Mills
Old school: Houston, Florida State | New school: Memphis
It feels like a lifetime ago that Mills earned All-ACC honors as a freshman at Houston during the 2019-20 season. Now, he is headed back to the conference where his career began and should play a vital role in helping Memphis replace departing star Kendric Davis. Mills averaged double figures the past two seasons for a struggling Florida State team and can play on or off the ball. Pairing an established veteran like Mills next to touted freshman Mikey Williams in the backcourt is a wise move for Memphis coach Penny Hardaway.
31. Jaden Bradley
Old school: Alabama
Bradley’s role diminished as the season progressed during his freshman season at Alabama. But the former McDonald’s All-American reached double figures 11 times and averaged 3.1 assists per game in just 19.8 minutes of action. The 6-3 former top-30 prospect has a ton of upside and plenty of eligibility remaining to grow into a greater role than the one he played for the NCAA Tournament’s No. 1 overall seed this past season.
