Photograph per CBS Sports/NCAA
With March Madness wrapping up, college basketball’s transfer portal sweepstakes will re-open. Starting Monday Apr. 7, some of the NCAA’s biggest risers of the 2025-26 season will enter the transfer portal. Here are some names to watch in the coming days, and what teams to watch for their commitment.
This article will be updated regularly as we rapidly approach the April 7 (12:00 A.M.) deadline and portal season in full-force.
The names in question:
Somto Cyril – Sophomore (6’11”, 260 lbs) – Center
Following a disappointing tournament loss to Saint Louis, Georgia’s former four star recruit has entered the transfer portal. Though his role was expanded by Head Coach Mike White for the 2025-26 campaign, it would appear that Cyril’s ceiling has remained untouched. Despite establishing himself as one of the SEC’s top shot blockers this year, Cyril’s ability to rebound the ball saw marginal improvement. The programs that will likely emerge as top suitors for a defensive minded “project” big-man are:
Kentucky → Cyril, a former Kentucky signee, will undoubtedly attract attention from a team that ranked 102nd in total rebounding and 252nd in blocked shots this season. Head Coach Mark Pope’s infatuation with combo-wings has placed Kentucky in a precarious position for the upcoming season, forcing them to address their dire need of a rim-protector.
Arkansas → Head Coach John Calipari was pivotal in Cyril’s recruitment to Kentucky, as such Cyril chose not to commit in spite of his departure to Arkansas. After a crushing sweet-sixteen exit, Arkansas has reportedly lost senior Trevon Brazille (1.7 blocks per game) to the NBA Draft. Coach Calipari, one of the nation’s finest recruiters, will absolutely pursue Cyril in this upcoming portal cycle.
LSU → Will Wade’s arrival marks a new era for LSU basketball, bringing NCAA tournament hopes back to Baton Rouge. A roster without a single true center and only one player averaging above one block per game, LSU needs all the help they can get under the rim.
Kwame Evans Jr. – Junior (6’10” – 220 lbs) – Forward
Another disappointing season for the Oregon Ducks has forced Head Coach Dana Altman into a full roster reconstruction. With Jackson Shelstad and Nate Bittle departing, Evans Jr.’s decision seems fairly logical. Evans Jr.’s emergent 2025-26 season (13.3 points per game) is certain to attract attention from a Power Four team, but there are some intangibles that he notably lacks. Largest of which is his inability to perform in big-games, across four NCAA Tournament games Evans Jr. is averaging 5 points in 25 minutes per game. Nonetheless, here are three probable bidders:
Florida → With Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon, and Olivier Rioux all departing, Florida is confronted with a very pressing size issue. Evans Jr.’s ability to rebound and score at the forward position likely places him on Head Coach Todd Goldin’s “wishlist”. With that being said, Florida’s offense ranked 32nd in pace for the 2025-26 season, which should present a sizable adjustment for Evans Jr. coming from Oregon (ranked 285 in pace).
Maryland → A frustrating season and one player above 6’10” on the current roster can not be attractive to a player coming from nearly the same situation; however, Evans Jr. was born in Baltimore, Maryland. Consequently, if the Terrapins’ Head Coach Buzz Williams can sell him on their vision for 2026-27, there could be a hometown hero plotline in store.
Tennessee → Always active in the transfer portal, Tennessee will assuredly pursue Evans Jr. who they coincidentally offered out of high school. Nate Ament’s likely entrance to the NBA coupled with Ja’Kobi Gillespie’s departure due to eligibility leaves Head Coach Rick Barnes in dire need of a scoring replacement. Fresh off shooting the best splits of his career (45/30/80), Evans Jr. could be Tennessee’s answer.
Stefan Vaaks – Freshman (6’7” – 206 lbs) – Guard
Having seen Vaaks’ game up close at the Big East tournament, I can personally attest to his abilities. Vaaks is one of the best three point shooting college prospects (35.0% on 8.4 attempts per game) I’ve seen with my two eyes. Vaaks’ entry to the transfer portal should come as no surprise to Friar nation who just experienced one of their most disappointing seasons in recent memory. Here are three teams to watch for Vaaks’ commitment:
St. John’s → Vaaks’ 23 point outing against St. John’s at the Big East tournament assuredly caught Red Storm Head Coach Rick Pitino’s attention. A program that ranked 271st in three point field goal attempt rate should absolutely be in the hunt for the portal’s best available shooter. The losses of Oziyah Sellers, Zuby Ejiofor, Bryce Hopkins, and Dillon Mitchell will also be key in Coach Pitino’s recruiting efforts.
Kentucky → Previously mentioned, Head Coach Mark Pope has a strong affinity with combo-wings, as such I find it incredibly likely that Vaaks is among the highest on his wishlist. Ranked 179th in three point attempt rate this season, the Wildcats will look to add a volume shooter that can propel their offense back into contention.
Purdue → Unlike the aforementioned programs, Matt Painter’s Boilermakers can really shoot the ball (38.3% from 3PT – 14th in the country). The departures of near irreplaceable Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer put Purdue at risk of falling out of tournament contention in the upcoming season. Vaaks’ addition should ease Painter and Boilermaker nations’ minds, replenishing some much needed shooting losses.
Flory Bidunga – Sophomore (6’10” – 235 lbs) – Center
Bidunga’s finishing (13.3 PPG on 64% FG) and rim protection (2.6 BPG) skills are near impossible to come by in the transfer portal. Bidunga allegedly will explore his NBA hopes before considering a return to college basketball. 26th in the country in total rebounds, Bill Self’s Jayhawks would have been lost without Bidunga, who contributed 23% of Kansas’ total rebounds. Here are three programs to watch for Bidunga’s admission:
Kansas → All of the above being said, it is entirely possible that Flory dislikes his draft prospects and chooses to return to Kansas. Despite recent reports that Bidunga’s asking price is 5 million dollars, sources closer to Bidunga’s camp estimate that 2.5 million should get it done. A reported 19.7 million dollar total basketball operations expenditure by Kansas indicates that 2.5 should be no issue to match.
Michigan → A roster competing for a national championship that consists of 5 players above 6’8”, the Wolverines will look to add size following this tournament run. The Wolverines are no stranger to high impact transfers, as some of their top players found themselves entering their names into the portal not too long ago (Lendeborg, Cadeau, Mara, Johnson Jr.). Fourth in the country in total rebounds, Bidunga will get some much needed assistance on the glass if he chooses Ann Arbor to be his next home.
Kentucky → Becoming a commonality on this list, the Kentucky Wildcats are always a team to watch for the top players in the portal. With Brandon Garrison’s entry into the portal, Mark Pope needs answers on the glass. Similar to Kansas’ likely pitch to Bidunga, I see no way Kentucky is outbid for Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year.
Paulius Murauskas – Junior (6’8” – 235 lbs) – Forward
Murauskas’ decision to enter the portal came as no surprise to anyone after longtime Head Coach Randy Bennett announced his departure for Arizona State earlier this offseason. Murauskas (18.4 PPG) a prolific scorer with a unique sense of touch, playstyle, and passion for the game heads for what seems like a near predetermined outcome. Here is the only team to watch for Murauskas’ commitment:
Arizona State → With Randy Bennett’s hiring and Murauskas’ entrance into the portal, all that stands between this reunion are rules and regulations. Coach Bennett is said to be extremely close with the 6’8” forward whom he retooled from a failed Arizona prospect into a Saint Mary’s hero. I expect Murauskas’ camp to announce this at 12 A.M. exactly or thereabouts on Tuesday.
Jasper Johnson – Freshman (6’5” – 180 lbs) – Guard
A frustrating start to an otherwise impressive career to this point, Johnson’s first year enrolled at Kentucky went completely sideways. The 6’5” wing, a Lexington Kentucky native, went from the 25th ranked recruit in the nation to playing just 12 minutes a game for Mark Pope’s Wildcats. Despite the combination of Johnson’s youth and abilities, Coach Pope didn’t see enough out of the former five star recruit to warrant an increased role. Johnson’s brief tournament stints were also forgettable with a collective eight minutes in two games, including two turnovers and just three points. Watch for Johnson’s decision between these three teams:
Arkansas → In January of 2024, Coach Calipari came to watch Johnson drop 37 points on 10 three pointers made. Though he didn’t get the 6’5” playmaker the first time, Calipari is sure to take a larger swing this go around. Johnson is in dire need of structure and direction to revitalize and activate his abilities, Coach Cal is widely known as one of the nation’s finest player development coaches. Should Johnson get a call from a 479 number (Fayetteville, Arkansas) he’ll pick it up if he knows what’s good for him.
Cincinnati → An hour and a half from home, Cincinnati’s pitch should be fairly self-explanatory. Coach Calhoun’s Bearcats were 190th in the country in three point percentage as a team last year. Johnson’s shot creation and making skills will position him front and center in Coach Calhoun’s mind during this portal cycle.
Louisville → With Mikel Brown Jr.’s all but official decision to enter the NBA draft, Louisville will look to the portal for answers. The departures of both Brown Jr. (18.2 PPG) and Ryan Conwell (18.8 PPG) cut deep for a team that ranked 28th in total points for. Head coach Pat Kelsey is already mulling his options for the 2026-27 season, and without a top 100 recruit to speak of Kelsey is in desperate need of reinforcements.
