Transfer Target Breakdown: Five of the Portal's Top Prospects

These five players are some of the most sought-after prospects in the transfer portal. What makes them special and where could they end up?

Mar 29, 2025

As the old saying goes; when one door closes, another opens. In this case, the closing door is the end of the 2024-25 college basketball season, and the opening door is the transfer portal. This seems to be a philosophy many of the top players in the country are subscribed to, as countless elite talents have already entered their names into the portal only a few days after their final game of the year. No matter what your opinions are on the current state of college basketball, there’s no denying that the portal plays a pivotal role for both the players and teams. That being the case, I want to look at a few of the more notable names who’ve announced that they’re looking for a new university to call home.

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Oscar Cluff | South Dakota State

6'11” | 260lbs | Center | Senior

As far as pure production is concerned, there may be nobody in the portal more intriguing than South Dakota State grad-transfer Oscar Cluff. After spending two years at Cochise College, a junior college in Arizona, the Australian native helped lead Washington State to the second round of the NCAA tournament last year. This year with the Jackrabbits, he averaged 17.6 points, 12.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, .8 blocks, and .5 steals per game on splits of 63.4% from the field, 66.7% from beyond the arc (on basically no attempts), and 77.8% from the charity stripe. He cemented himself as one of the most productive players in the nation, and I firmly believe that he is ready to try his hand at the high major level.

Cluff’s game is very simple and effective, making him one of the easier portal players to evaluate. He operates almost exclusively in the paint, utilizing excellent footwork and feel to convert a ton of attempts at the rim. If he gets pushed into the mid-range, he possesses an elite in-between game of hook and push shots. He led the country in rebounds for most of the year and finished second by .1 rebounds per game, but he did finish the season as the nation’s leading offensive rebounder. He’s a very talented passer, both as a kickout playmaker from the interior and as an offensive hub along the perimeter. This allows him to space the floor despite not possessing any semblance of an outside shot. In addition to not shooting the three, he also completely lacks a traditional mid-range jump shot. He’s not much of an athlete, which severely limits him on the defensive end, as he’s not a very good rim protector relative to his peers.

The clear fit for Cluff is Kentucky, but he will obviously have countless suitors. He has a very similar game to active Kentucky center Amari Williams, with the only major differences being on the defensive end. That said, Cluff is far more talented than Williams as a scorer and possesses the passing acumen that has made Williams the transfer portal success story that he is. If you surround Cluff with a cast of athletic outside shooters he could be one of the better middlemen in the SEC. Finally, Kentucky’s rotation at the five will likely only include Brandon Garrison (if he doesn’t decide to transfer) and freshman Malachi Moreno; Cluff is a clear upgrade over both of those players. Even if he goes somewhere else (which is likely based on odds), if the system supports his strengths and hides his weaknesses, he’s going to be a very productive high major center.

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6'6” | 210lbs | Shooting Guard | Junior

The most sought-after players in the transfer portal tend to be the ones who can contribute within every system. Versatile players like Iowa’s Josh Dix always command a lofty asking price, as they are about as can’t-miss as a potential transfer can get. Dix is coming off a fantastic junior season with the Hawkeyes, but the firing of longtime head coach Fran McCaffery led him to enter his name into the transfer portal. For his junior campaign, he posted averages of 14.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, .9 steals, and .5 blocks per game on splits of 50.7% from the field, 42.2% from beyond the arc, and 76.6% from the free-throw line. He cemented himself as one of the most efficient volume scorers in the country and now he will likely find himself playing his senior season for a contending program.

Dix’s most pro-ready trait is his outside shooting. He actually doesn’t take a ton of threes, just over four per game, but he converts them at an elite rate. He’s effective both off-the-dribble and on catch-and-shoot attempts and has been a 40%+ outside shooter in all three of his college seasons. He’s also a very good shooter from the mid-range, and it’s at this scoring level where he shows his most intriguing flashes as an on-ball creator. He’s also capable of attacking the rim, but he isn’t a fantastic athlete, so his at-the-rim finishing is usually limited to tough finishes from under and around the hoop. That said, he has good size, which does make up for his athletic limitations to some extent. Dix is a very good secondary passer who rarely turns the ball over. All in all, apart from possessing an average handle, he’s a rather flawless offensive contributor. He’s not a poor defender, but he’s not going to stand out on that end either. Really, the only thing he doesn’t do at a notable clip is rebound, which isn’t exactly the most important thing for a sharpshooter to do.

Like I said, I believe Dix could play just about anywhere. He’s not the type of player that you build your roster around but instead should be used to bolster one’s system. He could provide support for an elite interior big man, or perhaps he will slot in for a team looking to shoot a ton of threes. He’s more dynamic than your average long-range sniper, which could suggest a potential breakout senior season (Richie Saunders-esque). Because of this, it’s difficult to predict where he may end up next year. However, he’s the type of versatile role player who could make waves at the professional level in the future, so he’s definitely a name to monitor going forward for multiple reasons.

Treysen Eaglestaff | North Dakota

6'6” | 190lbs | Shooting Guard | Junior

If a team is looking to add someone with a super cool name, then Treysen Eaglestaff is probably their guy. That said, once they add him, they will also be adding one of the most dynamic players in the country to their ranks. Eaglestaff broke onto the scene this year when he scored an efficient 40 points against Alabama. However, he was already a stud before that game, and he maintained his elite level of play throughout the rest of his junior season. On the year, he averaged 18.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.1 steals, and .2 blocks per game on shooting splits of 41.6% of the field, 35.9% from the three-point line, and 79.4% from the charity stripe. His incredibly productive season culminated in a 51-point performance against South Dakota State in a Summit League quarterfinal win. If we didn’t already know that he would hit the portal following the season, we knew without a doubt once that game came to an end.

Eaglestaff was handed the keys to the North Dakota offense for his junior campaign, allowing us ample opportunity to pick apart his game. He’s a legitimate three-level scorer, punishing defenses from every part of the floor. He’s a better outside shooter than his 35.9% would suggest, as his shots are far more difficult than most players. He’s a hyper-versatile scorer, putting up numbers with and without the ball from all three levels. He’s a legitimate athlete, especially regarding his acceleration and stop-start abilities, but also his vertical pop. Defenders are forced to respect his game at all times, and considering North Dakota didn’t have much else on the offensive end, he consistently faced double-teams and intense coverage. Despite that, he seemingly found new ways to score almost every game. He’s also a solid passer, adding a layer to his game that will surely come in handy at higher levels of the sport. It’s difficult to truly determine his defensive capabilities, as he saved most of his energy for the offensive end, but I don’t think he’s great on that end of the floor. That does raise questions concerning his ability to defend high major competition.

Eaglestaff is a player that will have to scale his game down once he joins a high major program. I highly doubt that any of his suitors will be willing to give him the green light that the Fighting Hawks gave him, and if they do, it won’t work out well for them. That said, he spent a ton of his time with North Dakota playing away from the ball, a role that I think he can excel in with his new program. I firmly believe that he will end up in the SEC next year, simply because that is the conference every team that is actively connected to him belongs to. At the moment, the two leaders seem to be Alabama and Kentucky, but seeing how early into the cycle we are, it’s important to note that he could end up anywhere. No matter where Eaglestaff plays his senior season, I expect him to find success; he’s simply too talented for me to believe otherwise.

Elyjah Freeman | Lincoln Memorial

6'8” | 210lbs | Small Forward | Freshman

As of today, Lincoln Memorial’s Elyjah Freeman is the premier non-division one prospect in the transfer portal. Following a stellar freshman season at the division two level, Freeman is looking to make a leap to the high major level. He flew under the radar at Wellington High School, only receiving one offer to play college basketball. That said, he immediately proved that programs made a major mistake by passing on him as he emerged as one of the best division two players in the country in only his first season. He averaged 18.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.7 steals, and .7 blocks per game on splits of 58.4% from the field, 46.4% from beyond the arc, and 80.3% from the free-throw line. He will effectively join his new program with their freshman class, and if a high-school senior had the film that Freeman has he would be one of the top recruits in his graduating class.

Freeman is a lanky slashing forward who possesses intriguing athleticism and pace manipulation. He primarily works away from the ball, either setting up beyond the arc for catch-and-shoot attempts or slashing into the paint to provide a play finishing option. When he does attempt to create his own offense by putting the ball on the floor, he shows flashes of pro-level stop-start acceleration as he plays at his own unique pace. He’s not fantastic at creating his own shots from beyond the arc or in the mid-range but does make his catch-and-shoot attempts from those levels at an impressive rate. He’s a solid secondary passer with a strong feel for the game and his gravity at the division two level has allowed him to set up his teammates at an enhanced clip. There’s a chance he isn’t as effective in this department at the next level, but I found his passing to be more than a product of his competition. Despite his size and athleticism, I haven’t been blown away by his defensive abilities or even his motor on that end of the floor. I do think he has defensive potential, but he’s likely going to struggle to guard high major opponents at first.

He could probably succeed for basically any program that has a strong development team. That said, the team that has been associated with him the most thus far is Tennessee. Lincoln Memorial is in Tennessee, so the Volunteers staff were probably scouting Freeman before anyone else. However, I don’t love his fit there. He’s not the same offensive centerpiece that they typically like to go after in the portal (Dalton Knecht and Chaz Lanier) and he’s not quite good enough on the defensive end to fit as a role player in their defense-heavy system. I’d rather him go to a lesser high major program that can afford him a bigger role, as I would hate to see him fall into a minor bench role despite his obvious talent. Because of that, I don’t have a program in mind for him, but I do think that he could go far if he ends up at the right place.

Nick Davidson | Nevada

6'10” | 240lbs | Power Forward | Junior

Nevada’s Nick Davidson is one of the most well-rounded players currently in the portal and will be a highly sought-after transfer for just about every high major program who can afford him. He’s the perfect modern power forward for the college basketball landscape, and he has proven this throughout his three-year career with the Wolf Pack. For his junior campaign, he averaged 15.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.2 blocks, and .8 steals per game on splits of 50% from the field, 37.1% from the three-point line, and 69.9% from the free-throw line. He has started every game for Nevada over the past two years and saw major growth in almost every statistical category this season. If this growth continues, he could emerge as one of the best forwards in the country.

Davidson does just about everything on the offensive end of the court. He’s an elite interior finisher, capable of scoring on post ups using his advanced footwork and strength and by driving to the rim from the perimeter. He has a better handle than your average four-man, and when he combines that with his outside shooting abilities, he often finds himself in position to attack aggressive closeouts. He doesn’t take a ton of traditional mid-range jump shots but does have a strong in-between game consisting of floaters, push shots, and hook shots. He’s excellent in the two-man game as he sets strong screens, finishes on his assisted looks at the rim, and can pop out to shoot the three. He’s not a game breaking defender but he does hold his own at that end of the floor and is liable to come up with a few timely stops every game. My questions about his game regard his ability to shoot the three, as his poor free-throw shooting and struggles in the past could suggest his success from long-range this season is an outlier. That said, it’s impossible to know for sure, so we must base our opinions on the current state of his game.

Much like Dix, Davidson could fit in just about any system because of his versatility. There’s no team in the country that wouldn’t like to add a strong forward with great size who can dribble, pass, shoot, rebound, and defend. This is probably why his name has been attached to more teams than any other player in the portal, with the most noise surrounding USC, North Carolina, Washington, and Kentucky. I feel very confident that no matter where he ends up, he will have a positive impact, which is why I hope he plays for a team that is prepared to compete for a national championship. He’s also a guy that possesses enough skills to warrant an opportunity at the next level, so don’t be surprised if his contributions for an elite team next season leave him somewhere on draft boards.