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The SEC features some of the top players in the transfer portal still searching for a home next season as the spring window comes to a close. These players have the potential to change the expectations of an entire program heading into the 2024–25 season.
The college basketball spring transfer portal has been open since March 18 and will come to a close today, May 1, 2024.
Here is a look at the top three players from the SEC who are still available in the spring transfer portal window.
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Top 3 players from the SEC available ahead of the 2024 spring transfer portal window closure
#1 Adou Thiero, SF, Kentucky
Kentucky guard Adou Thiero announced that he would be transferring after two seasons with the program. He is entering his junior season after playing 45 games for the Wildcats and starting 19 of the team's 25 games last season.
Thiero averaged 9.5 minutes per game as a freshman and shot just 34.5% from the field with 2.3 points and 1.1 rebounds. He played well on the defensive end but his offensive game needed improvement.
In his second season, he took on a more important role for Kentucky. He averaged 7.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.1 assists last season. He continued to develop his game as a defender as well, averaging 0.7 steals and 1.1 blocks per game.
He began last season as a starter for the Wildcats but battled injuries that forced him to sit out seven games. The final five teams that Thiero has expressed interest in are Arkansas, Kentucky, Indiana, Pitt, and North Carolina. He could return to Kentucky next season or follow former Wildcats head coach John Calipari to Arkansas.
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#2 D.J. Wagner, G, Kentucky
Kentucky guard D.J. Wagner has entered the transfer portal after spending his freshman season with the Wildcats. Wagner was one of the top recruits in the class of 2023 and played well as a freshman at Kentucky.
He played in 29 games last season and was a starter in 28 of them. He averaged 9.9 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 3.3 assists last season. He struggled from the 3-point range, shooting just 29.2%, but still shot over 40% from the field.
The young star will now look to elevate his game during his sophomore season with a new program. Wagner could follow his head coach, John Calipari, to play at Arkansas next season or look at Louisville and Memphis as possible options.
Both Louisville and Memphis were programs that tried to recruit Wagner out of high school and could look to make a second attempt at bringing him to their program next season.
#3 Dillon Mitchell, F, Texas
The Texas Longhorns will be moving from the Big 12 to the SEC this year, making Dillon Mitchell a top transfer portal target from the conference. Mitchell entered the transfer portal while also declaring for the 2024 NBA Draft after two seasons with the Longhorns.
He was a top recruit in the class of 2022 before committing to Texas. He started all 38 games he played in his freshman season, averaging 4.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 0.4 assists. He was an extremely efficient shooter from the floor but struggled at the free-throw line, shooting just 40.5% from the stripe.
He returned to Texas for a second season after a slightly underwhelming freshman year. His numbers saw a giant leap, as he averaged 9.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists last season. He also showed marked improvement on the defensive side of the ball and averaged 1.0 steals and 0.9 blocks per game.
Mitchell is keeping his options open by declaring for the 2024 NBA Draft while remaining in the transfer portal. Florida State, Ole Miss, and Tennessee could be top landing spots for him next season. Florida State and Tennessee both targeted him out of high school. However, Ole Miss, who brought in his freshman-year coach Chris Beard, could hold the edge.
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Who do you think is the best available player in the transfer portal from the SEC? Let us know in the comments section below.
