Good Morning, Illini Nation: 2026-27 CBB Preview - Top 25 transfers
· Yahoo Sports
Oct. 27—Our preview of the 2026-27 college basketball season continues with the top 25 transfers in the country, which includes a number of fifth-year players with tenuous eligibility:
1. Juke Harris, Jr., Guard, Tennessee
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The challenge for Harris in his follow-up season to his 2025-26 emergence at Wake Forest is the depth — particularly from an offensive perspective — at Tennessee. The 6-foot-7 guard might not be able to match the 21.4 points he averaged for the Demon Deacons. If he does, the Vols might be in line for the highest-scoring offense in the country.
2. Flory Bidunga, Jr., Forward, Louisville
Bidunga had the sophomore breakout season every coach talks about wanting from their players last year at Kansas. That's mainly because the 6-9 forward's playing time doubled after playing behind Hunter Dickinson as a freshman. The result was career highs in scoring (13.3 ppg), rebounds (9.0 rpg) and blocked shots (2.6 bpg).
3. John Blackwell, Sr., Guard, Duke
Blackwell showed up at the NBA draft combine in Chicago wearing Duke gear. His plan was clearly to spend his senior season in Durham, N.C., after three years at Wisconsin. If he can replicate his 2025-26 production (19.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game), he'll be a leading ACC Player of the Year candidate.
4. Milan Momcilovic, Sr., Forward, Kentucky
Momcilovic was the national leader in three-point percentage last season at Iowa State, making 48.7 percent of his shots from beyond the arc. Running the 6-8 forward off the line would make sense. While he attempted fewer than four shots per game from two-point range, he did make 54.5 percent of them.
5. PJ Haggerty, 5th, Guard, Texas A&M
Haggerty went from a below average three-point shooter in his one season at Tulsa into a reliable option the last two years at Memphis and Kansas State. He'll get plenty of opportunities to shoot with the Aggies, who put up 1,003 three-point attempts last season in Bucky McMillan's fast-paced style.
6. Stefan Vaaks, So., Guard, Illinois
A more perfect fit for Illinois could only be created in a lab. Vaaks is the type of big guard with a penchant for knocking down threes and just enough playmaking to make Brad Underwood salivate. Crafting the Providence transfer into a more complete player is the Illini staff's welcomed challenge.
7. Trey Kaufman-Renn, 6th, Forward, Kansas
Kaufman-Renn managed to find a friendly judge that gave him a preliminary injunction to get a sixth(!) year of eligibility, and Kansas quickly said, "Welcome to the Jayhawks." Like fifth-year returning players Tre White and Melvin Council Jr., the Purdue transfer drastically changes Kansas' prospects.
8. Tounde Yessoufou, So., Guard, St. John's
Yessoufou had the potential to be a first-round pick had he stayed in the 2026 NBA Draft after putting up 17.8 points and 5.9 rebounds per game for Baylor last season. The allure of St. John's — particularly a reported $6 million deal — will instead give Rick Pitino and the Johnnies one of the best backcourts in the country.
9. Darrion Williams, 5th, Forward, Texas Tech
Williams left Texas Tech following the 2024-25 season only to wind up playing basically the exact same role for N.C. State. Then Will Wade left to return to LSU and Williams did the same going back to the Red Raiders. The rare coach/player boomerang combination. Tech will reap the benefits.
10. David Punch, Jr., Forward, Texas
Punch might not be a one-for-one replacement for Dailyn Swain — especially from a shooting perspective — but the 6-7 TCU transfer should interject some toughness into the Texas rotation. Punch's impact defensively (3.2 stocks per game last season) might be what the Longhorns wind up valuing the most.
11. Donovan Dent, 5th, Guard, LSU
Dent was done with basketball. At least as a player. The former New Mexico and UCLA guard was focused on training the next generation. Then suing for a fifth year became possible. Peak Dent (20.4 points and 6.4 assists per game for the Lobos in 2024-25) would be a massive get for Wade and the Tigers.
12. Massamba Diop, So., Center, Gonzaga
Gonzaga was able to get part of a breakout season out of Braden Huff because he could play next to a physical big man like Graham Ike. Diop will fill that role this season. The 7-1 Arizona State transfer averaged 13.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks for the Sun Devils as a freshman last season.
13. Kayden Mingo, So., Guard, Baylor
Mingo was a huge get for Penn State coach Mike Rhoades last season. Top 35 overall recruits don't typically wind up in Happy Valley. Keeping him was the issue. Mingo averaged 13.7 points, 4.3 assists and 3.5 rebounds for the Nittany Lions and is now a go-to scorer for the Bears.
14. Dedan Thomas Jr., Sr., Guard, Houston
Thomas' junior season — his first at LSU — was cut short by season-ending foot surgery. At the time, the 6-1 guard was putting up 15.3 points and 6.5 assists per game, handling the move to the SEC from UNLV with aplomb. Now, Thomas becomes a critical part of Houston's season, tasked with replacing first-round pick Kingston Flemings.
15. Isaiah Johnson, So., Guard, Texas
The Longhorns needed a point guard this offseason after losing all of theirs that played in 2025-26, and Johnson was the answer. The former Colorado guard was one of the most productive freshmen in the country last season, averaging 16.9 points, three assists and 2.9 rebounds as a part-time starter.
16. Keyshawn Hall, 5th, Forward, St. John's
Hall is going to pull off a unique college career, with St. John's his fifth team in five years after stops at UNLV, George Mason, UCF and Auburn. The 6-7 forward has proven himself at the power conference level, though, averaging 19 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists for the Knights and Tigers.
17. Jaxon Kohler, 5th, Forward, BYU
Kohler felt undervalued nationally for what he did at Michigan State last season, averaging 12.5 points and 8.9 rebounds while turning into a 39 percent three-point shooter (on more than four attempts per game, no less). BYU is going to reap the rewards of that versatility this season.
18. Jackson Shelstad, Sr., Guard, Louisville
A hand injury limited Shelstad to just 12 games last season at Oregon. Not exactly the follow-up the 6-foot guard and the Ducks were looking for after he earned All-Big Ten Third Team honors as a sophomore. Shelstad gets a reset at Louisville on a significantly more talented team.
19. Jaland Lowe, Sr., Guard, Georgetown
Last season was a total wash for Lowe at Kentucky given he played just nine games before season-ending shoulder surgery. But it wasn't that long ago Lowe was a star on the rise at Pittsburgh, putting up 16.8 points, 5.5 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game for the Panthers in 2024-25.
20. Paulius Murauskas, Sr., Forward, Arizona State
Randy Bennett's success in his first season as Arizona State coach will hinge on Murauskas, who followed Bennett from Saint Mary's. The 6-8 Lithuanian followed up a solid sophomore year with the Gaels with a true breakout junior season, averaging 18.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists.
21. Bryce Lindsay, Sr., Guard, Indiana
Picking a single top transfer from the Hoosiers is the difficult part given how much second-year coach Darian DeVries relied on the portal to build another brand new team. Lindsay has staked his claim early, as maybe the only reliable shooter on the roster, going 10 of 23 from deep in three exhibitions.
22. Acaden Lewis, So., Guard, Miami
Lewis' arrival in Coral Gables, Fla., is basically a dream situation for a point guard. The Villanova transfer will have no shortage of options playing alongside a rather stout frontcourt featuring Malik Reneau, Caleb Gaskins and Georgia transfer Somto Cyril plus star wing Shelton Henderson.
23. KJ Lewis, Sr., Guard, USC
The Trojans' backcourt struggled last season when Rodney Rice went down with a season-ending shoulder injury. Lewis' arrival at USC could forestall something similar happening. The former Georgetown guard made real strides last year with the Hoyas, becoming a more efficient scorer and a real two-way threat.
24. Tylen Riley, Sr., Guard, Cincinnati
Riley had his breakout moment last season at Tulsa, doubling his scoring average and turning into an even more reliable playmaker. His production in the Bearcats' first two exhibitions — like 31 points and 13 assists against Illinois — would seem to indicate Cincinnati will get the same kind of shooter, scorer and facilitator.
25. Xaivian Lee, 5th, Guard, Gonzaga
Lee chased prestige when he left Princeton after three seasons to join the then reigning champs, Florida, for the 2025-26 season. It was a total role change for the former Ivy League star, who was put more in a box as a traditional point guard. Regardless, Gonzaga needed a point guard and got Lee on a judicially decided fifth year.