The transfer portal’s growing impact on college basketball recruiting has reshaped the newcomer landscape across the sport. In a world where more than half of all points scored this season are likely to be scored by transfers and experience is valued heavily by college coaches, using the incoming high school player rankings isn’t a good barometer for the best “newcomers” in the sport. That’s why we set out to rank the 20 best men’s players in new homes this season, with both freshmen and transfers included. Consider these the true five-star additions to college hoops rosters this season.
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1. Hunter Dickinson, Kansas
Dickinson’s transfer portal move was one of the most-followed recruitments ever, a month-long saga that ended in him choosing Bill Self and Kansas. Beyond his off-court villain persona that undoubtedly increased attention to his decision, Dickinson is the rare former All-American to switch teams. He was remarkably productive for three years at Michigan and took the Wolverines to the second weekend of the NCAA tournament twice. He’ll be the centerpiece of the Kansas offense in 2023–24 and profiles as a potential top-10 player in the sport this season.
2. Ryan Nembhard, Gonzaga
After two years as the starting point guard at Creighton, Nembhard is off to Gonzaga, where he’ll play for the same program his brother Andrew used to launch himself onto NBA draft boards. Ryan Nembhard is one of the better returning floor generals in the nation, a mature playmaker who stirred the drink for a top-25 offense that went to the Elite Eight last season. He should be a major upgrade at point guard for the Bulldogs, who struggled at that spot last season with Nolan Hickman.
3. L.J. Cryer, Houston
Kelvin Sampson made quite the splash in adding Cryer to the Houston roster ahead of the Cougars’ first year in the Big 12. A third-team All-Big-12 selection last season, Cryer is one of just two all-league players returning to college from last season. He goes from one guard-friendly system to another: Expect Cryer to be next in the long line of high-scoring combo guards who have starred at Houston recently, from Marcus Sasser to Quentin Grimes to Corey Davis to Rob Gray.
4. Isaiah Collier, USC
The first freshman on our list, Collier is the highest-rated college signee in the 2023 HS class and a potential top-10 pick in the NBA draft next June. His poise running the show was evident when evaluating Collier as a high school prospect, and he has the combination of strength, skill level and unselfishness to create for himself and others at the college level. Point guard play is at a premium throughout the country, and Collier should be one of the nation’s best.
