2025 Transfer Portal Thread

[Col_Cathcart]

I would “guess”, within the next 5 days, but that’s not based on anything other than just it seems like it’s time lol

Feels like it’s been “any day now” for a month

 

[Stoerner Fumbles]

Feels like it’s been “any day now” for a month

Maybe you’re pregnant…

 

[ochocinco]

Well damn I was just starting to warm up to Malik Thomas as a good fit here. Portal Season is a rough place for the overly optimistic lol (I'm still recovering from our 15-minute recruitment of Darius Adams, I think he is the missing piece to a FF).

Also, it's hearing things like Miles potentially getting turned down by Virginia with a 1st year coach that don't have me too excited about him as a potential starter...

I’m with ya on Darius Adams. That would be just too perfect

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Well damn I was just starting to warm up to Malik Thomas as a good fit here. Portal Season is a rough place for the overly optimistic lol (I'm still recovering from our 15-minute recruitment of Darius Adams, I think he is the missing piece to a FF).

Also, it's hearing things like Miles potentially getting turned down by Virginia with a 1st year coach that don't have me too excited about him as a potential starter...

He didn’t get turned down by Virginia, I think he saw a bunch of guards getting brought in while also looking around and realizing the team was looking kind crappy and thinking he might want to see what else was out there lol

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Reading some other boards as well as tea leaves it sounds like it’s us or A&M as of tonight for Miles, they’ve got a pretty big opening him as a starting 2 guard there, which they’re selling him on I’m sure. Obviously we do as well as things currently stand, maybe that gets a little murkier if you land Rice, but I could make an argument it’s still wide open. For his final season does he want to play for a brand new HC that is having to bring in 13 new faces that’s likely projected bottom of the league, or does he want to play for a HOF coach and be a 25-30mpg guy on a Top 5-10 NCAAT team?

I’m sure the money will be more in College Station, and hard to ever fault a kid for that in their last year, but hopefully there’s more to it.

 

[VolHoopsInTheMix]

Vol Hoops looking for that 2 guard & looking to rewrite that no F4 history. We 10 deep rn & hopefully land a couple more. Duke visiting soon, we been in a Rice Race, Aberdeen a champ & reportedly had interest in some more wings/shooting guards. This the list of guards compiled by BTO. Will we add Okparas brother to the 2025 class? How about adding the super athetic former top 50 prospect Passmore? Who will be up next? Anyone on this list?

 

[SPEDVoL14]

Wish we would push for Malik Thomas. Big time scorer

 

[Smokey 77]

Duke Miles may be a real possibility at SG, especially since Rice is dragging our feet.

MSN

www.msn.com

 

[Milehigh_Vol]

Duke Miles may be a real possibility at SG, especially since Rice is dragging our feet.

MSN

www.msn.com

Yeah, Rice is still texting the staff and stuff everyday. Zags had a crazy push for him, but distance from home is kinda a issue, but money solves all problems so they say.

I'd cut bait with him, but the staff still thinks they are in a good spot.

 

[Legion of Doom]

Yeah, Rice is still texting the staff and stuff everyday. Zags had a crazy push for him, but distance from home is kinda a issue, but money solves all problems so they say.

I'd cut bait with him, but the staff still thinks they are in a good spot.

Rice is a much better option than Miles. Miles is in the Aberdeen category of players best to come off bench.

 

[VolsNetClippers2025]

Damn, not the first to say this but Rice and Miles and this team is F4 with a healthy JP.

 

[VolsNetClippers2025]

PG: Gillespie / Boswell / Henderson
SG: Rice / Miles
SF: Ament / Evans
PF: Carey / Phillips
C: Okpara / JP / Brown

sheesh!

 

[Jean-Claude van Manning]

Duke Miles is ok. Not in love with his game.

I really like:
Denzel Aberdeen
Jestin Porter
Malik Thomas

Im fine if they move on from Rice. Actually think we really need someone who can get to the basket consistently. I think all three would be good enough from 3 at the SEC level

 

[Legion of Doom]

Duke Miles is ok. Not in love with his game.

I really like:
Denzel Aberdeen
Jestin Porter
Malik Thomas

Im fine if they move on from Rice. Actually think we really need someone who can get to the basket consistently. I think all three would be good enough from 3 at the SEC level

Yeah I agree. I like those 3 all better than Miles.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

Aberdeen is only coming here to start. What I find odd is Clayton, Martin and Richard are all seniors...so you would think there would be a starting role at Florida, but who knows.

I don't think Miles is just an off the bench guy. Dude was 61% in efficient FG % which would have lead the SEC if he had taken enough shots to qualify. He can flat out score, at OU that simply wasn't his role. Unlike Mashack he actually averaged over 10 attempts a game in 2 previous seasons. His last year at Troy and his one season at High Point. So I think giving him a green light you'd see Miles more that capable of scoring at a high clip here.

But...not sure either is a better pick than Rice with him having played with Ja'Kobi for a full season.

A small concern I'd point out for Rice specifically though is that at Maryland they had 2 bigs who took a lot of pressure off the guards to score. Queen lead the team in attempts and scoring, Reese was right behind Rice in PPG and 2nd on the team in FT Attempts. Pair that with a great scoring PG in Ja'Kobi and Rice was rarely seeing the sort of attention that Chaz did here. Of course with us landing Ament and Carey I'm less worried about Rice being capable of scoring here than I was originally.

 

[rdk4121]

A couple of posters have said the ‘no inter conference transfer’ rule only applies to football, which I think is correct and maybe only for the spring window, not sure. We’ve seen instances where players transfer within the conf in basketball, a la Aidoo, but I don’t know all the particulars.

I mean we literally have a transfer from Vanderbilt this cycle, so yes just for football. It really just comes down to when each season ends.

 

[cncchris33]

Wish we would push for Malik Thomas. Big time scorer

I agree. Thomas is one of those bully guards Kentucky always seems to have one of, much like Otega Oweh, this year. A guy who can just push his way thru the paint and not get stopped until he gets to the rim or pulls up. A very respectable shooter with a little awkward form, but effective. He can pass and defend a little, as well.

 

[VolsNetClippers2025]

Regardless, trust Barnes to get two quality guards to fill the gap. Team looking electric!

 

[Luke Joiner]

I would love to get Duke Miles. I think he would bring a ton of energy off the bench. He’s an efficient scorer, gets downhill, plays with a lot of energy, and is really good defensively.

 

[CornbreadVol]

I’d rather have Gainey than Miles but I understand that it’s a little risky to bank on the 5th year thing.

 

[cncchris33]

Aberdeen is only coming here to start. What I find odd is Clayton, Martin and Richard are all seniors...so you would think there would be a starting role at Florida, but who knows.

I don't think Miles is just an off the bench guy. Dude was 61% in efficient FG % which would have lead the SEC if he had taken enough shots to qualify. He can flat out score, at OU that simply wasn't his role. Unlike Mashack he actually averaged over 10 attempts a game in 2 previous seasons. His last year at Troy and his one season at High Point. So I think giving him a green light you'd see Miles more that capable of scoring at a high clip here.

But...not sure either is a better pick than Rice with him having played with Ja'Kobi for a full season.

A small concern I'd point out for Rice specifically though is that at Maryland they had 2 bigs who took a lot of pressure off the guards to score. Queen lead the team in attempts and scoring, Reese was right behind Rice in PPG and 2nd on the team in FT Attempts. Pair that with a great scoring PG in Ja'Kobi and Rice was rarely seeing the sort of attention that Chaz did here. Of course with us landing Ament and Carey I'm less worried about Rice being capable of scoring here than I was originally.

Much like Aberdeen, I don't think Miles is coming here to play off the bench. He started all 34 games for Oklahoma, last year. If we land Rice, I don't see Miles coming here, but if we don't land Rice, I think the drop-off to Miles is significant. I'd prefer we swing for Malik Thomas first in that case.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

Of the names mentioned this would be the order I'd rank them

1. Rice (size, talent, played for a good P4 team and with JG)
2. Aberdeen (size, played for a natty)
3a. Miles (great % everywhere he's been, full year starting in SEC)
3b. Thomas (size, shooting % are great and played 36 games in PAC12)
5. Porter (smallest guy of the bunch, only played at G5 level)

 

[cncchris33]

Of the names mentioned this would be the order I'd rank them

1. Rice (size, talent, played for a good P4 team and with JG)
2. Aberdeen (size, played for a natty)
3a. Miles (great % everywhere he's been, full year starting in SEC)
3b. Thomas (size, shooting % are great and played 36 games in PAC12)
5. Porter (smallest guy of the bunch, only played at G5 level)

If have Thomas over Miles, but it seems like you have them pretty equal, so I agree with this premise.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

Much like Aberdeen, I don't think Miles is coming here to play off the bench. He started all 34 games for Oklahoma, last year. If we land Rice, I don't see Miles coming here, but if we don't land Rice, I think the drop-off to Miles is significant. I'd prefer we swing for Malik Thomas first in that case.

Yeah...and if it comes down to Miles or Thomas I'd lean Thomas myself mainly because he's likely cheaper and he's got better size and I think his style of game fits our need from that position more.

Edit: Also Thomas is a former top 100 player with 103 games under his belt... and WCC is a pretty competitive conference even if it's not quite a "power 4/5" conference

 

[VolsNetClippers2025]

Think we can all agree team needs two though, and I think selling the second on a Gainey role minutes-wise is totally realistic and should hopefully quell some concerns about playing time from whomever ends up taking that spot.