College basketball transfer portal update: April 17

The college basketball transfer portal is back and alive and well. The big headlines are focused on the coaching changes and whether or not each coach’s top players will follow them. Other players have decided to get a fresh start with a new team.

A couple of these players have already made decisions in the early stages of the transfer portal. All of the rankings are based on the 247 Sports transfer portal rankings.

Oumar Ballo, C, Indiana

Ballo is ranked as the top transfer prospect in the country after his third season in Arizona.

Ballo started his collegiate career at Gonzaga before transferring to Arizona in 2021.

The Koulikaro, Mali, native averaged 12.9 points per game as the centerpiece in the paint for one of the top teams in the country.

Tucker DeVries, F, West Virginia

DeVries follows his dad to Morgantown after three incredible seasons with Drake.

DeVries led the Bulldogs to the NCAA tournament, averaging 21.6 points per game.

Ranked as the fourth-best transfer prospect in the portal right now, DeVries will look to lead a Mountaineer team that has not been the same since the departure of Bob Huggins.

Kobe Johnson, G, UCLA

Johnson stays in Los Angeles, moving from USC to UCLA after three seasons with the Trojans.

He made a big jump after his first season and continued to improve into his junior season with the Trojans.

Despite USC having a down year, Johnson was one of the bright lights on the team.

Johnson will look to revitalize UCLA after a slow season, finishing 16-17.

Zeke Mayo, G, Kansas

Mayo makes the jump to the Power Six from South Dakota State to return home.

He was a major factor in the Jackrabbits making the NCAA tournament.

Over the past two seasons, he has averaged 18 points per game while shooting the ball exceptionally well from behind the arc.

Myles Rice, G, Indiana

Indiana coach Mike Woodson hit the portal hard after a disappointing season.

Don’t be surprised to find more of Rice’s teammates from Washington State to join the guard in the portal. The Cougars and Oregon State will drop down a level and join the West Coast Conference.

The West Coast Conference will be a conference to watch in the next two seasons with the addition of these two teams plus Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s.

Rice averaged 14.8 points per game and played a key part in Washington State making the big dance for the first time since 2008.

He will join Ballo in Bloomington to headline a new-look Hoosier squad.

Aaron Bradshaw, C, Ohio State

Bradshaw leaves Kentucky following the departure of John Calipari to join the Buckeyes.

He had a pretty underwhelming season despite being one of the top-ranked high school recruits in the country.

The Roselle, New Jersey, native, averaged just under 14 minutes per game in his freshman season.

He becomes the first big transfer to join the Buckeyes in the Jake Diebler era.

Andrew Deal is a first-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, please email asd5765@psu.edu