The transfer portal has been open for less than a week, and there’s already been significant movement. Several of the biggest names in college basketball have already announced their intention to enter the portal as they seek a fresh start for next season. Some of those players have already pledged where they will play next season.
On Sunday, Louisville made a serious splash by landing Kansas big man Flory Bidunga and Oregon guard Jackson Shelstad, less than 24 hours after they took a visit together. Bidunga was the top-ranked player available in the transfer portal and is considered a late first-round talent as one of the best defenders in college basketball.
Other notable names who have pledged their commitment include Miles Byrd (San Diego State to Providence), PJ Haggerty (Kansas State to Texas A&M), Isaiah Johnson (Colorado to Texas), and Dedan Thomas Jr. (LSU to Houston).
College basketball rankings: Michigan, No. 1 in way-too-early Top 25 And 1, lands Tennessee’s J.P. Estrella
Gary Parrish
Michigan took its first step toward retooling a roster that won the national title by landing a commitment from Tennessee forward JP Estrella. With the status of Morez Johnson Jr. and Aday Mara up in the air, Michigan will have a reliable big man to slot in its rotation next season.
To help you keep up with the madness of the transfer portal, CBS Sports is grading the commitments as they happen. The transfer portal officially closes on April 21, but players can commit long after that deadline. Notably, the deadline to withdraw from the NBA Draft to maintain college eligibility is May 28.
Louisville — Flory Bidunga
247Sports rank: No. 1 overall, 98 grade | No. 1 PF
Former school: Kansas
Instant analysis: Landing Bidunga opens up a potpourri of options for Louisville’s defensive game plans. Bidunga is one of the most switchable big men in the country. He can guard 1-through-5. He can blitz ball screens or drop back into some variety of drop coverage. That versatility to be able to play aggressive or passive defenses should give Louisville’s staff a bit more flexibility to tweak the plan based on the opponent.
It’s why Bidunga is one of the most coveted assets in the portal. There just aren’t many big men who can do what Bidunga brings to the table. He has a ridiculous vertical and catch radius around the basket. He will be one of the best athletes in the ACC from the jump and could lead the league in dunks. Bidunga also has some untapped potential playing on the perimeter, not because of his shooting, but because of his ability to put it on the deck. Bidunga is the most talented big man to play for the Cardinals’ program in years. Grade: A+ — Trotter
Texas A&M — PJ Haggerty
247Sports rank: No. 5 overall, 97 grade | No. 2 PG
Former school: Kansas State
Instant analysis: Haggerty is pound-for-pound one of the best scorers in college basketball. He is coming off a season in which he averaged a career-high 23.4 points in 31 games. He will be the rare player who plays five seasons at five different schools, having started his career at TCU back during the 2022-23 season. Under coach Bucky McMillan, Texas A&M likes to play fast. The Aggies averaged 15.7 seconds per possession, which ranked No. 16 among all Division I teams (KenPom). With Haggerty, Kansas State ranked in the top 15 in that stat this season. Last year at Memphis, the Tigers were ranked inside the top 30 in average possession time. Last season, five different Texas A&M players averaged at least 10 points per game. The scoring was almost by committee. With Haggerty, the Aggies have someone who can get a bucket whenever he pleases. This is a big splash for Texas A&M and a great start to the offseason. Grade: A — Cameron Salerno
Texas — David Punch
247Sports rank: No. 7 overall, 96 grade | No. 1 PF
Former school: TCU
Instant analysis: This is one heck of a coup for Sean Miller. Texas’ ability to retain center Matas Vokietaitis and land Punch in a 48-hour span gives the Longhorns one of the most physical, imposing frontcourts in all of college basketball, and they’re both soon-to-be-juniors, so they can stick together for multiple seasons.
Punch, a 6-foot-7, 245-pound forward, is an elite defender who can guard multiple positions. He anchored a TCU unit that finished No. 22 in defensive efficiency. He will slot in as a do-it-all, lunch-pail, 4-man for Texas who can wear a bunch of different hats. When Texas wants to switch 1-through-4, Punch is up for the challenge. He is happy as a clam guarding on the perimeter or fighting tooth and nail in the paint. Punch has terrific length, timing and ball skills. He’s one of the elite shot-blockers for his size. No high-major player 6-foot-7 or shorter notched a higher block rate than Punch. He’s also a gritty, hard-nosed rebounder. The boards will be a major strength for this Texas team with Vokietaitis and Punch on the floor.
Texas is pretty clearly looking to build a smashmouth identity with this new frontcourt. Punch can shoot 3s (11 triples in 2025-26) but that’s not really his game yet. He’s more looking to face up, deck it and obliterate smaller defenders with power and physicality. Punch is a willing passer, so some secondary creation should make this fit a bit easier. Punch just impacts the game positively in so many ways, even when shots aren’t going in. He’s poised to be one of the SEC’s best newcomers next season. Grade: A — Trotter
Providence — Miles Byrd
247Sports rank: No. 9 overall, 96 grade | No. 1 SF
Former school: San Diego State
Instant analysis: Byrd is one of the most coveted wings in this portal haul because of his defense. He is similar to a pterodactyl on that end, using ridiculous body control, real-deal bounce and a 6-foot-10 wingspan to levitate in the air and swat shots away. Byrd was the only player in college basketball this season to post at least a 6% block rate and a 4% steal rate. He is a game-changer on that end of the floor. While his offense can be a work in progress, there’s a real shot that this could work very well at Providence under first-year coach Bryan Hodgson because his teams always post high transition rates. The open floor is where Byrd makes his money. We’ll have a better understanding of what Byrd will be asked to do once the rest of the Friars’ roster shakes out, but this is one heck of a start to the Hodgson era. Byrd will immediately be one of the best defenders in the Big East, and Hodgson’s offense could be just what the doctor ordered for Byrd. Grade: B+ — Trotter
Texas — Isaiah Johnson
247Sports rank: No. 12 overall, 95 grade | No. 3 PG
Former school: Colorado
Instant analysis: This is a really solid portal add by Texas coach Sean Miller. Johnson was a three-star recruit in the 2025 recruiting class by 247Sports and had a very good freshman season at Colorado. He averaged 16.9 points while shooting 48.6% from the field, 37.8% from the 3-point line, and 82.1% at the charity stripe. Those are excellent numbers, especially factoring in that he was Colorado’s leading scorer. Texas will have plenty of minutes available in its guard rotation next season with Tramon Mark and Jordan Pope out of eligibility and Dailyn Swain possibly off to the NBA. It wouldn’t be surprising if he finished as Texas’s leading scorer next season. Grade: A- — Salerno
Illinois — Stefan Vaaks
247Sports rank: No. 13 overall, 95 grade | No. 2 SG
Former school: Providence
Instant analysis: Illinois dispatched two birds with one stone by landing Vaaks. On one hand, Brad Underwood landed his new lead guard to help replace All-American lead guard Keaton Wagler. On the other hand, Illinois continued to corner the market on the top international stars. Vaaks, a Tabasalu, Estonia native, will have every opportunity to be one of the featured stars for the Illini in 2026-27.
Vaaks is all of 6-foot-7 and 212 pounds, so he has the positional size that Underwood craves. He’s a dynamic shot-maker with extremely deep range. Vaaks deposited 91 3-pointers last year at Providence, and he was one of the most dangerous pull-up shooters in the sport. Vaaks ranked 12th nationally, averaging 1.4 made pull-up 3s per game last season. For reference, Wagler ranked 15th nationally at 1.3 pull-up treys per game. That off-the-dribble shooting prowess is something Illinois’ offense desperately needs. With Illinois’ cavalry of pick-and-pop bigs, Vaaks is positioned to thrive as an on-ball creator who can score inside and out. The playmaking is another attractive trait. Vaaks has the size to peer over the top of double teams, and he showed real promise stretching out the defense to create easier lanes to deliver precise dimes. Vaaks needs to clean up his body and become a better defender, but size, skill and shooting are at the epicenter of Illinois’ recruiting philosophy these days. Vaaks checks off all three of those boxes. Grade: A — Trotter
Houston — Dedan Thomas Jr.
247Sports rank: No. 15 overall, 95 grade | No. 4 PG
Former school: LSU
Instant analysis: Thomas-to-Houston is a sign of the ebbs and flows of the point guard market. Houston was chasing both Thomas and Notre Dame transfer Markus Burton. Kelvin Sampson has clearly settled on Thomas, who is more of a playmaker, instead of Burton, who has more of a score-first mindset. The LSU transfer is an excellent pick-and-roll navigator who was well on his way to a big-time season for the Tigers before succumbing to a season-ending foot injury. Houston’s backcourt picture is wide open with Kingston Flemings, Milos Uzan and Emanuel Sharp off to the pros and Isiah Harwell exiting into the transfer portal. Thomas will be a plug-and-play, set-the-table maestro for the Cougars. Houston’s offense values point guards who play clean basketball and can get shots on the rim, so its offensive rebounding can flex its muscles. That’s Thomas’ game. He is exceptional at taking care of the basketball. He posted a 3.7-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio last year at LSU. That isn’t an outlier either, even if it’s boosted by playing a weak non-conference slate. Thomas was at a 2.45-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio in 2024-25 at UNLV. Those are exceptional numbers.
Durability will be a question, though. Thomas has missed significant chunks of each of the last two seasons. He’s a little slight at 6-foot-1 and 170 pounds, and he will be tested defensively in the rough-and-tumble Big 12. But he’s a veteran with high feel in ball screens and exceptional vision. With additions on the way to this Houston backcourt, the Thomas addition should be tantalizing for scoring guards. Thomas will make ’em better. Grade: A- — Trotter
Louisville — Jackson Shelstad
247Sports rank: No. 16 overall, 95 grade | No. 5 PG
Former school: Oregon
Instant analysis: Louisville’s new lead guard has some serious burst. Shelstad is one of the quickest guards in the country with a first step that can leave defenders in the dust. The former Oregon star is a torrid transition scorer who can fill it up off the bounce. Shelstad is one of the top pull-up shooters in all of college basketball, both from beyond the arc and from the midrange. Louisville’s pace-and-space scheme should give Shelstad plenty of opportunities to show his overall game. I like the idea of Shelstad’s sneaky-good, off-ball cutting potentially being showcased in this Louisville scheme that has plenty of counters in its dribble-handoff-heavy scheme.
The question comes down to whether Shelstad can be a set-the-table point guard or just a scorer, masquerading as a point guard. Pairing Shelstad with another creator could be smart. Can Adrian Wooley be that? Or does Pat Kelsey believe he needs to add another big-name guard in free agency? The jury is still out on that front. Also, defensively, Louisville has to find a complementary cast that can really guard. Shelstad is 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds. He is a solid defender for his position, especially navigating screens, but there are some limitations here. Bidunga improves Louisville’s defensive outlook tremendously. Shelstad improves Louisville’s offensive floor tremendously. But more help is needed if Kelsey wants to contend for the ACC crown in 2026-27. Grade: B+ — Trotter
Michigan — JP Estrella
247Sports rank: No. 21 overall, 95 grade | No. 4 PF
Former school: Tennessee
Instant analysis: Estrella is one of the most skilled bigs in this transfer portal class. The 6-foot-11, 240-pound big man is a load on the offensive glass, possesses a feathery touch to finish over shot-blockers and can make quick reads as a playmaker. All of those traits are essential in Michigan’s scheme. Plus, there’s proof of concept here. The Wolverines’ hit rate with bigs in the portal under Dusty May has been elite. Danny Wolf, Vlad Goldin, Morez Johnson, Yaxel Lendeborg and Aday Mara have all flourished in this scheme. Lendeborg is off to the NBA, and Michigan could very well lose both Johnson and Mara, too, so the opportunity is here for Estrella to hop on the jetpack joy ride next. Even if one of Johnson or Mara decides to cash in and return to Ann Arbor for a second year, Estrella’s mobility and skill should fit snugly next to either of the big fellas. Grade: A — Isaac Trotter
Miami — Somto Cyril
247Sports rank: No. 19 overall, 95 grade | No. 4 C
Former school: Georgia
Instant analysis: Jai Lucas believes smashmouth basketball can elevate Miami near the top of a mostly-finesse ACC. Cyril is a massive piece of that puzzle.
The 6-foot-10, 260-pound big man is one of the most impressive athletes in the portal. He is enormous, fast, powerful and explosive. With Ernest Udeh Jr. and Malik Reneau departing, Miami’s frontcourt is wide open for Cyril to walk into a featured role. Cyril has all the physical tools to be a two-way enforcer. He was one of the best offensive rebounders and shot-blockers in the country last year. But Lucas’ player-development chops will be key to helping Cyril eliminate some of the negative plays from his portfolio and add to his game. Cyril can be very switchable defensively. He can be a better defensive rebounder. He can add more polish to his offensive game (this far, Cyril hasn’t shown much as a passer, can’t shoot and can’t punish mismatches on the block as a low-post scorer). At minimum, Cyril is Miami’s Udeh replacement, but there’s a sky-high ceiling here that Lucas is hoping to extract. Grade: A- — Trotter
BYU — Collin Chandler
247Sports rank: No. 40 overall, 94 grade | No. 5 SG
Former school: Kentucky
Chandler is returning to the place where he technically began his college career. Chandler, who signed with BYU to play for coach Mark Pope out of high school, never played a minute at the school. That’s because he served an LDS mission. After it was over, he followed Pope to Kentucky. Chandler is a Utah native who was Kentucky’s best 3-point shooter last season. He knocked down 41% of his 4.9 attempts per game and will add shooting to BYU’s team. He knocked down 73 3-pointers at Kentucky, which would’ve ranked first on BYU this season. After star guard Richie Saunders went down with a torn ACL, BYU’s 3-point shooting as a team took a hit. Saunders probably won’t lead BYU in scoring, but he will provide valuable shooting and an opportunity to scale up his role. Solid fit. Grade: B+ — Salerno
Tennessee — Tyler Lundblade
247Sports rank: Four-star transfer, 93 grade
Former school: Belmont
Instant analysis: Tennessee uses floppy action and pindowns to spring shooters open. It has been a staple of Rick Barnes’ scheme for years. Dalton Knecht was fabulous in it. Chaz Lanier was really good in it. Tyler Lundblade isn’t quite as electric as those two guys, but he is a strong scheme fit for what Tennessee wants to do. The four-star Belmont transfer has drilled 56 3-pointers off screens in the last two years combined. That ranks in the top-10 in the nation. Lundblade isn’t just a good shooter. He’s a special shooter. He’s drained at least 100 triples in back-to-back seasons. The 6-foot-5, 195-pound senior has good positional size, which should help on the defensive end. He’s kind of a one-trick pony, but the one trick is pretty valuable for a Tennessee team that needs to make more 3-pointers in 2026-27. He won’t be a star, but Lundblade projects to be a rock-solid role player. Grade: B — Trotter
UCLA — Filip Jovic
247Sports rank: Four-star transfer, 93 grade
Former school: Auburn
Instant analysis: Offensive rebounding has become such an essential trait to buoy top offenses, but it wasn’t a strength of UCLA’s club last year. Mick Cronin is out to fix that with Jovic. The Auburn transfer has a ridiculous motor and ranked inside the top-10 in offensive-rebound rate in SEC play last year. Jovic is a little undersized for a 4-man at 6-foot-8 and 225 pounds, but the activity level, physicality and toughness is clear as day. Jovic needs to become a better shooter, but he makes a lot of sense on paper next to UCLA’s frontcourt duo of Eric Dailey and Xavier Booker, who are more comfortable operating on the perimeter. Jovic isn’t a star, but he can be a serviceable Big Ten role player who fills a valuable role. Grade: B — Trotter
