NCAA Free Agent Tracker: April 24 Edition

(Photo by Anthony Giacomino/Paint Touches)

It’s back and better than ever! Welcome to the NCAA Free Agent Tracker. This is Paint Touches’ third year of covering the NCAA basketball graduate transfer market. Every player listed here is eligible for either the Graduate Transfer Exception of the Graduate Transfer Waiver, meaning they will be immediately eligible for their new teams in the 17-18 season. This year, Paint Touches will also be tracking regular transfers, that list will come out in the next week. One caveat I’ll give before sharing this list, this is merely one man’s opinion and analysis of which Free Agents are the best available. I am not a former player, I have never coached college basketball, I spent my high school years playing in the pep band not on the hardwood. I am merely some guy on the internet who, from a scary young age, has spent way too many waking hours watching, debating, and obsessing over college basketball. Now that we have that out of the way….to the list!

What a difference a week makes. There was a sudden rush on commits and six players from last week’s top 15 are now committed elsewhere. Most of them came from the bottom third of the list, meaning some of the top grad transfer talent is still available. There have also been some names added in the past week to take the place of those we lost, including a member of last year’s free agent tracker. The top 15 this week are still solid players that could make an impact on most high major rosters. The 10 honorable mentions are starting to get more into role player territory. Either way, it is looking more and more like Marquette will not be getting involved in the grad transfer market this year.

Added:
#10 Cullen Neal
#11 MiKyle McIntosh
#12 Rashad Muhammad
#13 Hans Brase
#14 Jeff Beverly
#15 Malcolm Duvivier

Removed:
#2 Egor Koulechov (Committed to Florida)
#3 Al Freeman (Committed to NC State)
#11 Kendall Smith (Committed to Oklahoma State)
#13 Khris Lane (Committed to VCU)
#14 Sean Obi (Committed to Maryland)
#15 Markel Crawford (Committed to Ole Miss)

1. Cameron Johnson- 6’7” 200 lb RSSO SG from Pittsburgh
33.5 mpg, 11.9 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.3 apg, 0.9 spg, 0.3 bpg, 1.2 tpg, .447 FG%, .811 FT%, .415 3P%

When Kevin Stallings took over Pitt a season ago, he was given a team with proven senior stars and what should have been enough firepower to take Pittsbugh into the postseason. Instead, they missed the NIT, four starters including stars Michael Young and Jamel Artis graduated, and four different players transferred. Stallings now has a full-fledged rebuild on his hands and that was too much for Cameron Johnson, the one starter from last year’s squad that didn’t graduate. Quoting a desire to win right away, Johnson has announced his decision to graduate and transfer immediately. He received a medical redshirt his freshman season and managed to graduate in three years. This means he has two years of eligibility which is extremely valuable as a grad transfer. Johnson is the definition of offensive efficiency. His overall ppp is 1.089, meaning every time a possession ended with him, his team scored an average of 1.089 points. That’s in the 94th percentile of all players. Most of his damage comes as a spot up shooter with range, he hit 78 deep balls with 41.5% accuracy last season. He is also great off the pick and roll, coming off screens, and hitting the trailing three in transition. Pretty much any shot that’s not him taking a man one on one is going to be a good shot for Johnson. His defense is another story. He consistently got burned by outside shooters, failing to close out despite his length. He also lacked the quickness to contain isolation and was often found chasing his assignment all the way to the hoop. Oddly, he was very effective in pick and roll situations, only allowing 21 points in 33 possessions. Pittsburgh was a very large team, so its possible that being sent out to defend the opponent’s two guard could have been a factor in his poor defensive stats. Johnson is a much more natural fit at the wing and could be more effective there. Johnson isn’t the best player on this list, but his two years of eligibility make him the most valuable. A preliminary list has already come out that featured more than 20 schools including Marquette.

Update (4/18): Johnson has yet to narrow down his mighty long list. He has indicated that he plans to take his time and doesn’t expect to make a decision or even take his visits until May.

Update (4/24): Johnson has cut his list down to six: Arizona, Kentucky, Ohio State, Oregon, TCU, and UCLA. This means that Marquette is no longer being mentioned with any grad transfers.

2. Elijah Brown – 6’4” 200 lb RSJR SG from New Mexico
32.3 mpg, 18.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 3.1 apg, 1.3 spg, 0.1 bpg, 3.0 tpg, .379 FG%, .827 FT%, .333 3P%

Elijah Brown holds the top spot on our inaugural edition of the Free Agent Tracker. The Orange County native has spent the past three years in Albuquerque destroying the rest of the Mountain West. He can score from all over the court and racked up nearly 19 points a game in the most recent season. Amazingly, this is a step back from his redshirt sophomore numbers, where he scored an eye-popping 21.7 points per contest. The difference in scoring can be found in his 3P shooting. Brown dropped from an impressive 39.4% from range to a below average 33%. If he were to join a squad where he could lower his usage, that shooting touch could shoot through the roof. On the other side of the ball, Brown is not known as an exemplary defender but Marquette fans would be very appreciative of one part of his defensive game. He is fantastic at guarding ball handlers off the pick and roll. His .543 points per possession in pick and roll defense situations puts him in the 95th percentile of all D1 players. The ability to counter the pick and roll is something Marquette sorely missed in the last season. No early indications on where Brown is looking yet, but being the son of Golden State Warriors coach Mike Brown, he may try to head home to Cali. Whether or not Marquette could get involved is a bit of question mark. Brown started his career at Butler. The Big East prohibits any player who signed an NLI with Big East team to ever transfer and then later return to the Big East. However, when Brown signed his NLI, Butler was a member of the Atlantic 1o. He played his first season in the Big East, but the language in the bylaws specifically talks about the NLI being the main factor. It will be up to the lawyers to determine whether or not Brown could come home to the Big East.

Update (4/1): A friend with a better understanding of transfer rules has informed me that Mr. Brown is not eligible to return to the Big East, despite him signing his NLI when Butler was in the A10. Sorry Marquette fans.

Update (4/12): Brown has listed 5 possible destinations, including 2 schools that were in the most recent final four: Gonzaga, Iowa State, Northwestern, Oregon, and St. Mary’s.

Update (4/18): Brown took a visit to Oregon where he met Snoop Dogg for some reason?

Update (4/24): Brown took an official visit to Northwestern. Still no word on a decision date.

3. Mark Alstork- 6’5” 190 lb RSJR SF from Wright State
30.2 mpg, 19.0 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 3.5 apg, 0.8 spg, 0.6 bpg, 4.3 tpg, .400 FG%, .846 FT%, .387 3P%

Mark Alstork didn’t look like much as a freshman at Ball State. His defense got him some solid playing time (22.6 mpg) but he had trouble getting the ball in the basket. That changed quickly after sitting out a year and transferring to Wright State. Alstork was an instant starter for the Raiders and this past season become one of the best scorers in the Horizon league. Wright State is a team built like a mid-major version of the Golden Eagles. They are fast paced team who loves their offense but struggles on D. They run a two combo guards at the same time rather than a traditional point. They also have a healthy appetite for the three ball with four different players hitting 50+ while shooting 38% or better. The three ball is Alstork’s most reliable weapon with 70 makes and 39% accuracy. But he also loves to attack off the pick and roll, getting to the hoop with ease or dishing to the roll man for an easy deuce. He does have a habit of being overaggressive which led to an awful 4.3 turnovers per game. Since he averages 19 points a game, it would be natural to assume that he is an offense first player. However, his defensive game is ahead of his offense. He is a rabid on ball defender and doesn’t allow for any easy shots. He did get taken in isolation situations but he has strong fundamentals that allow him to guard set up plays like pick and rolls and hand offs very effectively. Alstork is already in high demand, but Michigan seems like the early leader for his services.

Update (4/18): Iowa State, Tennessee, and Georgetown have all been linked to Alstork.

Update (4/24): Add Louisville, South Carolina, and Illinois to the list of programs interested in Alstork’s services.

4. Darius Thompson- 6’4” 196 lb RSJR PG from Virginia
20.8 mpg, 6.2 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 2.2 apg, 0.8 spg, 0.4 bpg, 1.0 tpg, .448 FG%, .605 FT%, .351 3P%
What is going on in Charlottesville? In the span of two days, three Cavaliers have announced their intention to transfer. Darius Thompson might have the most impact of the three. Thompson started at the local University of Tennessee. He was dreadful on offense but carved out 17 minutes a game as a freshman due to his defensive prowess. He left Knoxville and transferred to the mother of all defenses, Tony Bennett’s Cavaliers. Once he was eligible, he made an immediate impact with fundamentally sound, junkyard defense. He even carved his way into the starting lineup this past season. His offense might not be much to look at but he is an elite level defender. Per Synergy, 165 defensive possessions ended with his defensive assignment this past season. In those 165 possessions, his assignments only managed 98 points. That .594 ppp puts him the top 3% of all college basketball players. If he were to join Marquette, he would become that lockdown perimeter defender that the Warriors so sorely lacked this past season. He would start and be assigned to shut down the opponent’s best player.

Update (4/12): Despite being one of the first free agents available, all has been quiet on the Darius Thompson front.

Update (4/18): Thompson took an unofficial visit to VCU a few days ago and is currently on an official visit to Butler.

5. James Daniel III- 5’11” 165 lb SR from Howard
37.2 mpg, 27.1 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 2.8 apg, 2.1 spg, 0.2 bpg, 4.1 tpg, .388 FG%, .846 FT%, .332 3P% (15-16 stats)

Finding yourself rereading that stat line to make sure its correct? Go ahead, google it, it’s not a typo. Meet James “J-Byrd” Daniel III, Division 1’s leading returning scorer from the beginning of this season. In the 15-16 season, Daniel led an injury deplete Bison squad to a dubious 12-20 record in the lowly MEAC. But with return of fellow 2017 grad transfer JT Miller and no graduating seniors on the roster, there were big expectations for the Bison in 16-17. Both Lunardi and us here at Paint Touches picked Howard as the preseason MEAC champions. Then, disaster struck. A high ankle sprain sustained during practice, two weeks before the season started, would keep J-Bryd out until conference play started. He then only managed two games before reinjuring it and being shut down for the rest of the season. What J-Byrd would bring to a team is a dynamic scorer on offense. There were only 3 games in his last full season where he failed to score at least 20 points. He has range, hitting 80 three pointers. But where he is at his best is in isolation and pick and roll situations. While he does have the ability to finish amongst the trees and draw fouls (he led the NCAA in FTAs), he has an old school mid-range game that is fun to watch. His speed gets defenders off balance and his trigger is so quick that he only needs an inch to get a shot off. He also has point guard skills though he hasn’t had anyone to pass to during his entire career at Howard. His defense will be a question mark, but not for why you might think. He is a solid defender with an opponent ppp that Synergy labels as “Very Good.” However, Howard r.uns a unique defense, a sort of high pressure matchup zone that is not commonly utilized by any other team. They played 94% of all possessions in this defense in 15-16. Wherever he goes, Daniel will have to learn a new defensive scheme which could take a lot of time. Assuming he is healthy, Daniel should end up in a high major conference as either a PG or a high scoring combo guard. Marquette may end up seeing him as he’s been quoted as being interested in player in either the Big 10 or Big East.

Update (4/12): Per Jon Rothstein, Daniel is down to Michigan, Ohio State, Tennessee, and Depaul.

Update (4/24): Daniel III has scheduled official visits with Ohio State, Tennessee, and Michigan. He says he will also schedule one with Depaul. His visit with Michigan isn’t until May 29th, so this could be a long recruitment.

6. Geno Thorpe- 6’4” 170 lb RSJR PG from South Florida
33.0 mpg, 15.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 4.6 apg, 1.6 spg, 0.1 bpg, 3.0 tpg, .395 FG%, .846 FT%, .375 3P%

Geno Thorpe spent his first two years as a member of the Nittany Lions. He left University Park for sunny Tampa searching for a bigger role than what he had at Penn State. After the mandatory redshirt year, Thorpe emerged as the premier player for South Florida, racking up 15 points and 4.6 assists per game. Thorpe’s offense isn’t the most efficient but that was a byproduct of not having quality teammates to share the ball with. He is at his best in catch and shoot situations which means that he could thrive in an offense like Marquette’s. Thorpe is know as a tenacious on ball defender and hounded opponents to the tune of 1.6 steals per game. Thorpe’s addition would give Marquette another scoring option as well as a capable ball handler for high pressure situations. His greatest asset would be size on the perimeter and a replacement for the defensive intensity lost when Duane Wilson transferred.

Update (4/18): Thorpe will be visiting Seton Hall in May.

Update (4/24): Thorpe will be visiting Pitt in early May. He is a Pittsburgh native.

7. Casey Benson- 6’3” 185 lb JR PG from Oregon
20.9 mpg, 4.9 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 1.9 apg, 0.6 spg, 0.0 bpg, 0.9 tpg, .444 FG%, .771 FT%, .405 3P%

After their magical run to the Final Four, Oregon is going to look like a very different team next season. Among their top 7 players, two are graduating, two are going pro, and one is transferring, with more departures possibly on the way. Casey Benson is the single transfer from that group. His traditional stats don’t look all that impressive, but he was an important part of Oregon’s run to the Final Four. On offense, he doesn’t have many weapons but is very good efficient with the ones he does have. He is a knockdown, spot up shooter from the outside, whether that is set up in the half court or if he’s hitting the trailing three in transition. He also loves to attack the basket off the pick and roll. The Ducks love to roll with two point guards on the floor at the same time and Benson was one of the three players they would rotate into those positions. Defensively, Benson was known for his ability to keep guards out on the perimeter. He struggled to defend shooters, but was very successful at containing the pick and roll and isolation plays. If he were to come to Marquette, he would bring a much needed defensive specialist while also providing a capable weapon on offense with postseason experience. However, Benson’s decision to transfer likely has something to do with being replaced in the starting lineup by true freshman Payton Pritchard. He likely would not want to transfer to another school where he couldn’t PG because of a talented underclassman. Benson’s brother is also an assistant coach at Grand Canyon. Many are speculating that he will return home and become an Antelope for his final season.

Update (4/24): Benson has narrowed his list to three: Grand Canyon (where his brother is a coach), Butler, and…..Wisconsin? It seems like Coach Gard doesn’t have the same aversion to transfers that his predecessor and mentor did.

8. Jeremy Combs- 6’7” 196 lb JR PF from North Texas
31.6 mpg, 14.9 ppg, 10.5 rpg, 0.8 apg, 1.4 spg, 0.7 bpg, 2.0 tpg, .601 FG%, .584 FT%, .000 3P% (15-16 stats)

Two seasons ago, Jeremy Combs was the monster in the post for the Mean Green. The Dallas native averaged a double double for the season which eventually earned him a spot on the All Conference USA first team. Combs doesn’t have superior size or strength on other post players. He is simply an intelligent rebounder who knows where the ball is going to go and fights with a ferocity that is unmatchable by whatever poor soul is trying to box him out. Combs grabbed an absurd amount of offensive boards and converted them into second chance points. His offense as it its best when the Mean Green got out in transition. It allows him to put his athleticism on full display and he threw down some thunderous dunks with alarming efficiency. On defense, Combs was often able to use good timing and quick hands to create a lot of transition opportunities. He led the team in steals and was second in blocks. His on-ball defense left a lot to be desired. If you could get him away from the hoop he was pretty easy to score on and he showed zero ability to defend the pick and roll. Coming into the 16-17 season, former Marquette assistant Tony Benford, the coach of the Mean Green, had high hopes for Combs. Unfortunately, a nagging ankle injury limited him the entire season and it eventually forced him to miss 16 games, including the last 12. If Combs can come back from the injury and return to his SO year form, he will be a fearsome post presence worthy of a high major roster. If he were to end up at Marquette, he would give them that tough, garbage man type forward that Marquette has been missing since Wojo took over.

Update (4/18): Combs is taking a visit to New Mexico

9. Kassius Robertson- 6’3” 175 lb RSJR SG from Canisius
33.4 mpg, 16.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.4 apg, 0.9 spg, 0.1 bpg, 1.6 tpg, .447 FG%, .803 FT%, .410 3P%

The purest scorer on this list might be this pint sized Canadian from the Golden Griffins. Kassius Robertson can do just about everything on offense. He runs the pick and roll with great efficiency, finding rolling teammates are taking it to the hole. He can beat almost anyone 1 on 1, ranking in the 99th percentile for ppp in isolation plays. He finishes well in transition either by scoring at the rim or finding his way out to the three-point line. But his best skill, and the one that will have the high majors calling, is his outside shot. Robertson hit 98 three pointers, which is the most of anyone on this list, and 33rd most in the country. He also accomplished this with 41% accuracy which is higher than a majority of the 32 players ahead of him on the total 3Ps list. His combination of accuracy and volume makes him one of the top 20 three point shooters in the country. As good as his offense is, that’s about how bad his defense is, hence his lower position on this list. There wasn’t any particular play he was weak against, his defense is just average to below average across the board. Robertson’s season did end on a strange note. In their MAAC quarterfinal loss to St. Peter’s, Robertson was benched for most of the second half for a “lack of effort” per his coach. He finished the game with 2 points, 2 rebounds and 2 turnovers. Canisius ended up losing by 3, a difference that would have likely been made up by Robertson’s presence in the second half. Robertson did bounce back in their next game when he poured in 24 points against Samford in their loss in the opening round of the CIT. Robertson’s offense will have a lot of high majors calling. As tempting as it would be to have yet another prolific three point shooting midget on the roster, Marquette likely will be looking for a different type of player.

Update (4/24): Robertson is taking official visits to both Georgia Tech and Mizzou.

10. Cullen Neal- 6-5” 195 lb RSJR PG from Ole Miss
23.6 mpg 9.4 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 2.2 apg, 0.5 spg, 0.0 bpg, 1.5 tpg, .411 FG%, .876 FT%, .409 3P%

Well this is a first for us here at Paint Touches. A member of last year’s free agent tracker has reappeared on this year’s list. Thanks to a medical redshirt and graduating in three years, Neal was able to graduate and transfer from New Mexico as a redshirt sophomore. Neal was a score first PG as a Lobo and was also playing for his dad. He transferred to a situation “where he could breathe” and by his own account was a lot happier at Ole Miss. Something must have gone sideways because he is on the move again. As a Rebel, Neal played off the ball more with fellow transfer Deandre Burnett running the point. Though he got less minutes, he was an elite offensive presence. He was deadly efficient as a spot up shooter, ranking in the top 10% of all players in that category. Just about 2/3 of his FGs came from three-point range. He could also put the ball on the floor to score or dish. His favorite move was a sweet little curl route that would end up in points at a high rate. Defensively, he was below average, though he was very solid in pick and roll situations. Ole Miss insiders seem to indicate that Neal’s departure was not unexpected. It could be that with Markel Crawford grad transferring in, there was too much of a logjam, or it could signal a more personal unhappiness which could be a red flag for some coaches. Marquette doesn’t seem like a likely destination for Neal….although….Neal does match the blueprint of previous grad transfers in the Wojo era. West coast native? Check. Sharpshooting guard? Check. Played for at least two separate institutions before the transfer? Maybe Neal will be a target after all!

11. MiKyle McIntosh- 6’7” 235 lb RSJR PF from Illinois State
26.7 mpg, 12.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.8 apg, 0.7 spg, 0.9 bpg, 2.5 tpg, .410 FG%, .763 FT%, .348 3P%

You can’t help but feel a little bad for the MVC. They had one last chance to be a two bid league and Illinois State missed by that much. Now Wichita State is off to the AAC and the MVC is probably a one bid league from now on. That will be reinforced next year by the departure of MiKyle McIntosh. McIntosh was the do it all defensive stopper for one of the best defensive teams in the nation. It didn’t matter if he was on the perimeter or in the post, McIntosh stopped them all. He was particularly good against the pick and roll only allowing 9 points on pick and roll plays for the entire season. On the other side of the ball, McIntosh was one of the Redbirds’ better offensive options. He can attack from the perimeter, shoot from the outside, or hit the mid-range jumper. Though he has a face up game, he is actually more efficient with his back to the basket or rolling off a pick and roll. McIntosh’s defensive ability should get him plenty of looks from high majors. Marquette sorely missed a lockdown defender like McIntosh last season and he could be a huge benefit to roster for this upcoming year.

12. Rashad Muhammad- 6”6 160 lb RSJR SG from Miami (FL)
32.3 mpg, 13.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.1 apg, 0.7 spg, 0.1 bpg, 1.4 tpg .381 FG%, .796 FT%, .360 3P% (14-15 stats with San Jose State)

It has been a few years since Rashad Muhammad has played for an NCAA team. The last action for the Las Vegas native was over two seasons ago when he was the leading scorer for an abysmal San Jose State squad. Dedicated basketball fans might remember that San Jose State went winless against D1 competition that season, only managing two wins against lower level programs. Despite his humble surroundings, Muhammad was able to translate his performance into several high major scholarship offers, eventually settling on the Hurricanes of Miami. Mostly, he was coveted for his three-point shooting ability. He made 79 long balls as freshmen with nearly 40% accuracy. Muhammad sat the mandatory redshirt year and was set to debut in Miami this past season. The start did not go as planned as he was suspended for the first three games of the campaign. When he was finally eligible, Miami announced that he had been dismissed from the team, citing a “failure to meet team expectations.” Muhammad served a similar three day suspension his sophomore year as a Spartan. Speculation at that point was that Muhammad’s grades were not up to par and he needed a short stint to get them back on track. Whatever the reason for this most recent suspension, coaches will need to balance the value of Muhammad’s outside shot with the risk of his off the court issues. If he were to come to Marquette, a poor man’s Katin Reinhardt would be the best comparison.

13. Hans Brase- 6”9 235 lb RSJR PF from Princeton
31.1 mpg, 11.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 2.1 apg, 0.6 spg, 0.5 bpg, 1.9 tpg, .424 FG%, .794 FT%, .345 3P% (stats from 14-15)

Only 5 players in and we already have a second Princeton Tiger. Hans Brase was the defensive anchor for a solid Princeton squad two seasons ago. He doesn’t put up a lot of blocks or steals but make no mistake, he is a lockdown defender. In the 226 possessions that Hans defended, he only allowed opponents to score 154 total points. That .681 points per possession was good for top 10% in the country. His raw offensive numbers weren’t elite but his efficiency in the half court was. He ranked in the top 20% for ppp in half court sets, not necessarily scoring a ton but make the most of every possession he finished. He has some range for a big man, stroking 51 three pointers in his most recent complete season. His presence would something Marquette sorely missed this season. A fundamentally sound, big body with lateral quickness who can run Wojo’s pressure man to man defense. Unfortunately, there is a huge caveat to any team perusing Brase. He has torn the same ACL in two consecutive seasons. One ACL tear is hard enough to come back from….two might be too much. If Brase comes back 100% healthy, he is absolutely high major worthy but that is a huge question mark.

14. Jeff Beverly- 6’6” 250 lb RSJR PF from UT-San Antonio
26.9 mpg, 15.8 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.0 apg, 0.4 spg, 0.2 bpg, 2.3 tpg, .397 FG%, .753 FT%, .232 3P%

I’m not entirely sure, but I think Jeff Beverly is the first walk-on to ever make this list. Beverly started his career at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi before transferring to UTSA in hopes of walking on to the football team. While sitting out the mandatory year, it quickly become clear that Beverly skills on the hardwood were much better than on the gridiron and he walked onto the basketball team instead. Beverley was the go to scorer for the offensively challenged Roadrunners, using his wide frame to clear out space and score around the basket. His game resembles that of a smaller Davante Gardner, he has a face up jumper that is pretty decent but his best scoring gets done in the post. He wasn’t the most efficient offensive player but that was mostly due to the lack of weapons around him. He was the only player to average double digits in scoring. He is defensively sound though far from a lock down defender. Coach Steve Henson claims that he planned to put Beverley on scholarship for his last season, but comments from Beverly seem to indicate that the process wasn’t happening as quickly as he thought it should. Beverley would start for most mid-majors and could be a valuable post player off the bench for a high major. He plans to have a short process and has estimated that he will be making a decision in the next two weeks.

15. Malcolm Duvivier- 6’2” 205 lb SR SG from Oregon State
25.3 mpg, 6.1 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2.2 apg, 0.4 spg, 0.2 bpg, 1.6 tpg, .377 FG%, .604 FT%, .361 3P% (15-16 stats)

Malcolm Duvivier was a key piece in Oregon State’s long awaited return to the NCAA tournament during the 15-16 season. His absence was also a key piece of Oregon State’s fall to the worst high major program of the 16-17 season. For unclear reasons, Duvivier took a leave of absence for “personal reasons.” He withdrew from Oregon State in the fall, returned as a student in the winter but did not rejoin the basketball team. That last semester allowed him to graduate and he is now available as graduate transfer. When he was playing, Duvivier was a protypical three and D type player. On offense, his only reliable weapon was his outside shoot, making 30 three pointers with 36% accuracy. Attacking the hoop was not his strong point and it usually resulted in a contested and missed shot. He did sometimes play the role of playmaker in the rare moments when Gary Payton II needed a breather. Where Duvivier shined was on the defensive side of the court. His advanced defensive stats are second only to Darius Thompson’s on this list. His ability to shut down players in isolation was in the top 3% of all division 1 players. That talent alone should help him find a way to a new high major program. It will be interesting to see if his unexplained leave of absences causes any coaches to stay away. If it helps, Coach Wayne Tinkle only had positive things to say of Duvivier when he announced his transfer.

10 other free agents we are watching:
Jack Whitman- 6’9” 235 lb RSJR PF from William & Mary
Kameron Rooks- 7’0” 250 lb RSJR C from California
Donte Clark- 6’4” 180 lb RSJR SG from UMass
Mark Donnal- 6’9” 240 lb RSJR PF from Michigan
Qiydar Davis- 6’6” 220 lb SR SG from Louisiana Tech
Payton Hulsey- 6’5” 215 lb SR PG from College of Charleston
Jevon Thomas- 6’1” 185 lb RSJR PG from Seton Hall
Trey Dickerson- 6’1” 170 lb RSJR PG from South Dakota
Rene Castro- 6’2” 195 lb RSJR SG from Duquesne
Ahmed Hamdy-Mohamed- 6’9” 240 lb RSJR PF from VCU