Top 5 targets for Wes Moore as NC State look to replace Saniya Rivers

Saniya Rivers' college career has come to a close. The point guard played three seasons at NC State after beginning her college career at South Carolina. Rivers was a dominant two-way force for the Wolfpack and could be a first-round pick if she declares for the 2025 WNBA draft.

In her senior season, Rivers led NC State in assists, steals and blocks per game, with 3.8, 1.6, and 1.3, respectively. She added 11.9 points and 6.6 rebounds. The Wolfpack will be on the hunt for a number of guards this offseason as three of the team's four top-scoring guards have exhausted their eligibility.

Let's take a look at who Wes Moore could pick up to specifically replace Rivers.

Top 5 transfer portal targets for NC State to replace Saniya Rivers

#1, Olivia Miles

Miles made a shocking announcement about her basketball future. On Monday, the Notre Dame guard, who was the projected No. 2 pick in the 2025 WNBA draft, announced she would forgo the draft and return for her final season of college eligibility. However, Miles is not coming back to the Fighting Irish. Instead, she has entered her name into the transfer portal.

Miles would be the perfect pickup for NC State. She is the No. 2-ranked transfer portal player, according to CBS Sports, and the top-ranked point guard in the portal. Moore has seen Miles play a good bit, as both NC State and Notre Dame are in the ACC.

The Fighting Irish star outscores and outassists Rivers, with 15.4 ppg and 5.8 apg. Rivers is the better rebounder, but Miles' 5.6 rpg are still impressive and would be of great use to NC State.

Miles is a better shooter than Rivers and a significantly better 3-point shooter, averaging 40.6% from beyond the arc as compared to Rivers' 27.2%. Like the Wolfpack senior, Miles is a two-way point guard, putting up 1.4 steals per game. Her block value of 0.2 is much lower than Rivers', but she has proven abilities on both sides of the ball.

Picking up Miles would be ideal for NC State as Moore looks to replace Rivers.

#2. Yarden Garzon

Garzon is taking her talent elsewhere after serving as a starter at Indiana for three seasons. As a junior, she put up a team-best 14.4 pg and added 5.4 rpg, 3.2 and 1.3 spg.

This is the type of player who could excel in Rivers' place next season. Garzon has a track record as a successful starter and shares Rivers' rebounding capabilities and defensive success. The 6-foot-3 Israel native is also a strong shooter, making 43.1%, 40.7% from 3-point range this season.

Garzon shares the skill set that has made Rivers so successful at NC State and is also a better shooter. She could fit in nicely on the Wolfpack next season.

#3, Kiyomi McMiller

Freshman phenom McMiller is leaving Rutgers. The point guard made 21 game appearances, including 19 starts, in her sole season with the Scarlet Knights. She proved herself to be a high-scoring guard with rebounding success and the ability to serve as a defensive threat.

McMiller averaged 18.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg and 3.0 apg. She and Rivers have nearly identical shooting averages, and McMiller finds more success from beyond the arc, shooting 33.3% from 3-point range.

Securing a freshman in the transfer portal would provide the Wolfpack with a player who can be developed over several seasons. McMiller shows strong potential, already outscoring Rivers. She could be a good addition to NC State.

#4, Rashunda Jones

After two seasons at Purdue, Jones has entered the transfer portal. This season, she made 29 appearances, including 17 starts, and averaged 27.2 minutes.

Jones is a young point guard who shows potential. As a sophomore, she led Purdue in assists with 3.7 per game, just .1 shy of Rivers. She added 9.8 ppg and 3.3 rpg and served as a two-way force with 1.1 steals per game. However, she put up just 0.1 blocks, while Rivers averaged 1.3.

The Boilermakers guard outshoots Rivers with an admirable 47.1% average but struggles some from 3-point range, shooting 23.1% as compared to Rivers' 27.2%. Jones doesn't have the same skill set as Rivers and would require development but could still be a promising pickup for Moore's N.C. State squad.

#5, Hailey Weaver

If the Wolfpack is willing to take a chance on a combo guard as compared to a true point guard, they could look at Weaver. She is transferring after a standout season at Northwestern.

In her third season with the Wildcats, Weaver averaged 20.3 minutes of playing time over 28 game appearances. She saw improvements in nearly every stat category, putting up 7.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg and 1.4 apg. Weaver highlighted her defensive abilities with 1.0 steals and 0.6 bpg.

Weaver isn't as strong of a shooter as Rivers, shooting 37.9%, but it a more successful 3-point shooter at 36.0%. The Northwestern guard's stats don't live up to Rivers', and the two aren't the same style of player, but Weaver could still be a valuable pickup for N.C. State.