2019 Transfer Tracker: May 11th Edition

Welcome to Paint Touches’ 2019 Transfer Tracker. This list is our attempt at making sense of the hundreds of transfers that are bound to occur in the 2019 offseason. Every player on this list is a traditional transfer, which is to say that they will need to sit out the 2019-2020 season. If you’re looking for graduate transfers, Paint Touches has you covered. Our NCAA Free Agent Tracker lists the top currently available grad transfers. One caveat I’ll give before sharing this list, this is merely one man’s opinion and analysis of which transfers 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….who is also armed with several subscriptions to various advanced stat services. Now that we have that out of the way….to the list!

Lots of action this past week though it has been mostly on the lower end of the tracker. 9 of the 15 players on last week’s honorable mention list have all found new homes for next season. 3 of the top 15 have also committed, including 2 in the top 10. This means that the there is still a lot of talent at the top but the depth of talent is getting a lot shallower. The three newcomers on this week’s edition all hail from the PAC 12 and include a pair of Ducks.

Added:
#13 Victor Bailey Jr
#14 Connor Vanover
#15 Miles Norris
HM Wabissa Bede
HM J’Raan Brooks
HM Edward “Ed” Chang
HM Logan Johnson
HM Jalen Jordan
HM Keelon “KJ” Lawson
HM Brandon Mahan
HM Quentin Millora-Brown
HM Sean Mobley
HM Uros Plavsic
HM Isaiah Washington
HM Michael Weathers

Removed:
#4 Justice Sueing Jr (committed to Ohio State)
#7 Adam Flagler (committed to Baylor)
#14 D.J. Harvey (committed to Vanderbilt)
HM Keve Aluma (committed to Virginia Tech)
HM Chase Audige (committed to Northwestern)
HM DeAundre Ballard (committed to South Alabama)
HM Nysier Brooks (committed to Miami [FL])
HM Desmond Cambridge (committed to Nevada)
HM Javon Freeman-Liberty (returned to Valparaiso)
HM Braden Norris (committed to Loyola [IL])
HM Marcus Shaver Jr (committed to Boise State)
HM Stanley Umude (returned to South Dakota)

1. Sam Hauser- 6’8” 225 lb JR SF from Marquette
   33.4 mpg, 14.9 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 0.6 apg, 0.5 spg, 0.5 bpg, 1.4 tpg, 53.8 2P%, 88 3PM, 40.2 3P%

Sam is the older of the two Hauser brothers. He is smaller than Joey but much more a deadeye shooter. He’s a career 40%+ shooter from range and has a mid-range game that is unstoppable when he’s feeling it. He’s not a lockdown defender but has a good understanding of team defense and where he needs to be. He will be the more immediate impact player of the two brothers but is not as valuable because he only has one season of eligibility availability. Plugged into the right team, he could take a program from great to heavyweight. Virginia is the frontrunner for both Hauser brothers.

Update (4/28): The Brothers Hauser will visit Wisconsin, Michigan State, Virginia, and Iowa.

Update (5/4): The Brothers Hauser have cancelled their trip to Michigan State, citing a need to focus on finals. Could be the truth or it could mean their decision is made. For what it’s worth, they have said they intend to take their remaining visits.

Update (5/11): The Brothers Hauser rescheduled their Michigan State visit for mid-May. No word on an Iowa visit.

2. Joey Hauser- 6’9” 230 lb RSFR PF from Marquette
   29.2 mpg, 9.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2.4 apg, 0.4 spg, 0.1 bpg, 2.1 tpg, 46.6 2P%, 45 3PM, 42.5 3P%

Joey is the younger of the two Hauser brothers. He’s bigger than his brother and is a little more physical. He has the ability to get out and run despite his size though he can be prone to turnovers. He’s lights out from three and a year off to continue working on his shot and increase his confidence with the ball will only make him a better player. Defense is his weaknesses as he lacks strength to defend the post and lateral quickness to defend the perimeter. He has already used his redshirt year so theoretically this transfer will burn a year of eligibility leaving him with two. Given the redshirt was due to him enrolling early and getting ankle surgery he has a good case to get that year back. Whatever program that lands Joey will potentially get three years of a player with pro potential…not to mention his brother. Virginia is the smart money for landing both Hauser brothers.

Update (4/28): The Brothers Hauser will visit Wisconsin, Michigan State, Virginia, and Iowa.

Update (5/4): The Brothers Hauser have cancelled their trip to Michigan State, citing a need to focus on finals. Could be the truth or it could mean their decision is made. For what it’s worth, they have said they intend to take their remaining visits.

 Update (5/11): The Brothers Hauser rescheduled their Michigan State visit for mid-May. No word on an Iowa visit.

3. David Jenkins Jr – 6’2” 200 lb SO PG from South Dakota State
   33.1 mpg, 19.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 1.5 apg, 0.5 spg, 0.0 bpg, 2.6 tpg, 46.3 2P%, 112 3PM, 45.3 3P%

Two years ago, Jenkins was a virtually unknown recruit from Spokane, WA with only a handful of low-major offers. That didn’t stop him from making an immediate impact for the Jackrabbits. If you haven’t heard of him, it’s probably because he’s been overshadowed by Mike “the Dauminator” Daum. Jenkins served as Daum’s secondhand man, making defenses pay whenever they focused too much attention on the main man. His main weapon is the deep ball with 45% accuracy and 3.5 treys per game which was the 12^th best mark in all of Division 1. He’s less accurate inside the arc but still capable at running the pick and roll and scoring off the bounce. Defense was a struggle for Jenkins as he ranked in the bottom 10% of all players in points per possession allowed. That could be exploited if he goes up to a higher level. Still, his pure scoring ability makes him a sure fire high major player who could impact any roster. He has already narrowed his list to 7: UNLV (following his old coach), Gonzaga (his hometown), UCLA, Oregon, Washington State, Memphis, and South Dakota State.

Update (4/28): Jenkins has taken an official visit to Oregon.

Update (5/4): As this is being written, Jenkins is on campus visiting Gonzaga.

Update (5/11): Jenkins is visiting his former coach at UNLV, his new job

4. Jordan Brown- 6’11” 210 lb FR PF from Nevada
   10.1 mpg, 3.0 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 0.5 apg, 0.3 spg, 0.5 bpg, 0.7 tpg, 51.3 2P%, 0 3PM, 00.0 3P%

Jordan Brown earned a high spot on this tracker almost completely on potential alone. Brown arrived in Reno as a consensus 5-star and was expected to be a major contributor of a veteran Nevada squad primed to make a run at the Final Four. He was even named MWC Preseason Freshman of the Year. Instead, Brown was the last guy in rotation for team that won a lot against mediocre competition and then folded early in the Big Dance. It wasn’t that long ago that Jordan Brown was dominating the McDonald’s All-American game, scoring 26 points and grabbing 8 rebounds. For whatever reason, those skills did not translate into the college game. Brown has incredible length and is extremely quick for man of his height. He lacks almost any shooting range which is challenging because his thin frame doesn’t have the strength you would expect of an elite post player. Still he has excellent post moves and his quickness allows him to do things in the post that other big men simply can’t. A year off to add some muscle and work on his shooting mechanics could mean that 5-star potential gets unlocked at the next stop. During his recruiting process, Brown looked at almost exclusively west coast schools. We’ll see if that trend continues the second time around.

Update (4/28): Brown released a list of Arizona, Kentucky, Miami (FL), Wake Forest, Arizona State, UL Lafayette, St. Mary’s, Cal, Oregon, Baylor, LSU, Pitt, and Ohio State.

Update (5/4): Brown hasn’t officially cut his list yet but the latest update on those involved did not include LSU, Baylor, Ohio State, or Oregon.

5. Jaylen Fisher – 6’2” 200 lb JR PG from TCU
   27.4 mpg, 12.3 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 5.4 apg, 1.1 spg, 0.1 bpg, 2.0 tpg, 55.6 2P%, 30 3PM, 44.1 3P% (17-18 stats)

The story of Jaylen Fisher is filled with adversity, more adversity than a college student should have to handle. Fisher was born with albinism and raised in the Memphis, TN area. He worked his way up to top 100 recruit status, earning high major offers by the dozens. Newly hired TCU coach Jamie Dixon was the one to land the talented PG after poaching the assistant coach who had originally recruited him to UNLV. Per 247 sports, he was the second highest ranked player to ever commit to TCU. Fisher had surgery on his knee before he arrived on campus, the first in a long list of surgeries for him. Fisher’s freshman season would end early due to a wrist injury in the NIT. His sophomore season would end after 17 games due to knee surgery. He had a second surgery on that knee before his junior season…which ended after only 9 games to repair the same knee. When Fisher is fully healthy, he is a dynamic player the can score at all three levels. His 5.4 assists is the highest of any available transfer this offseason. On top of his playmaking and scoring ability he was tenacious defender. Assuming he gets a medical redshirt (it seems like a pretty open shut case), Fisher would have two years of eligibility remaining. With his injury history, he is a huge risk, but if he is healthy, he may just be the top transfer available.

Update (5/4): No clear picture on where Fisher is hearing from. He has entered his name in the NBA draft, he may be waiting until after that process is over to start thinking about the transfer process.

6. Lionel “LJ” Figueroa- 6’6” 195 lb RSSO SG from St. John’s
   32.0 mpg, 14.4 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.7 apg, 1.8 spg, 0.2 bpg, 1.3 tpg, 58.0 2P%, 51 3PM, 38. 3P%

He may only have one season of Division 1 ball under his belt, but LJ Figueroa is already searching for his fourth school. Out of high school, Figueroa was ranked just outside the top 100 by the 247 sports composite and it was a real coup when Paul Weir roped him into signing with New Mexico State. Weir even convinced Figueroa to enroll at NMSU a semester early and redshirt (Marquette fans think Joey Hauser). Unfortunately for all involved, Weir was poached by in state rival New Mexico leading Figueroa to decommit, essentially wasting his redshirt year. Rather than sitting out a season as a transfer, Figueroa ended up at Odessa College where his scoring and shooting talent led to him being named a NJCAA 1^st All American. St. John’s scooped up Figueroa last spring and he became the one of the pieces of St. John’s deadly 5 out offense. He combined deadeye three-point shooting with an impressive driving ability that made him arguably that most difficult Johnnie to stop not named Shamorie Ponds. Figueroa is a bit hard to place on this list because it is unclear how many years of eligibility he would have left. The letter of the law says he has already used his redshirt year which would mean he is a sit one, play one transfer. There may be a way for him to be forgiven for his one semester at New Mexico State which would make him a sit one, play two transfer. If that were to occur, his value would increase dramatically, and he would be one of the top players if not the top available on this list.

Update (4/28): Rothstein tweeted out a list of Arkansas, Dayton, Georgia, Illinois, Miami (FL), Nebraska, UConn, UNLV, and Western Kentucky for Figueroa.

7. Jahvon Quinerly- 6’1” 175 lb FR PG from Villanova
   9.5 mpg, 3.3 ppg, 0.8 rpg, 0.9 apg, 0.2 spg, 0.0 bpg, 0.8 tpg, 45.7 2P%, 12 3PM, 25.0 3P%

Like Jordan Brown who was on this list earlier, Jahvon Quinerly is another story of potential unfulfilled. Coming out of high school Quinerly was a 5-star recruit by most services and en route to Tuscon to be a member of the Arizona Wildcats. Things changed as the Wildcats get caught up in the FBI probe and the tea leaves seemed to suggest the Quinerly was one of the players that put them in the FBI’s sites. Quinerly opened his recruitment and ended up a Wildcat anyway, just in a colder location with a more recent history of winning championships. His addition to Villanova made them perceived locks to win the Big East again and he was named preseason Big East Freshman of the Year. Villanova still won the Big East but Quinerly didn’t have much to do with it. He became a seldom used back of the rotation player and may have even been a locker room issue. There was a social media post in the middle of the season that seemed to be Quinerly publicly expressing some discontent with his role. Still, the skills he displayed to earn his 5-star rating are still there. He should have high majors lining up to give him another shot.

Update (4/28): Quinerly reports interest from Alabama, Arkansas, Baylor, Cincinnati, Colorado, Florida State, Nebraska, Oregon, Pitt, SMU, Wake Forest, and “several others.”

8. Caleb Daniels- 6’4” 205 lb SO PG from Tulane
   33.9 mpg, 16.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.3 apg, 0.8 spg, 0.3 bpg, 2.8 tpg, 49.8 2P%, 47 3PM, 34.6 3P%

Caleb Daniels was the lone bright spot in season that most fans of the Green Wave would rather forget. It started out with so much promise as Tulane played Florida State tight and then won their next two games, including a neutral court victory over the “Dauminator” and the rest of the South Dakota State Jackrabbits. It was all downhill from there as Tulane went 2-26 the rest of the way, including a dismal 0-18 in AAC play. All that losing added to the firing of Coach Mike Dunleavy can led anyone to transfer, even a New Orleans native. Daniels was the first, second, and third priority for every defense but he still found a way to average 17 points a game with excellent efficiency. Daniels excelled at running the pick and roll, could take most defenders 1 on 1, and was an accurate three point shooter when he could catch and shoot. He led the team in points, steals, three pointers, free throw attempts, and was second in assists with 3.3 a contest. This wasn’t against shabby defenses either as the American featured a few of the best team defenses in the game last season. Daniels was also the best perimeter defender the Green Wave had and often drew the toughest assignments. Whatever team lands Daniels will be getting two years of an excellent two ways player who could be a lot more dangerous with better weapons around him.

Update (4/28): Goodman lists Baylor, Georgia Tech, Iowa State, Minnesota, Nevada, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Seton Hall, TCU, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Villanova, & Xavier as those interested in Daniels’ services.

9. R.J. Cole- 6’1” 185 lb SO PG from Howard
   35.6 mpg, 21.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 6.4 apg, 1.9 spg, 0.0 bpg, 3.2 tpg, 43.5 2P%, 84 3PM, 38.7 3P%

R.J. Cole didn’t have many big programs after him coming out of high school, but his signing was a quite a coup for Bison skipper Kevin Nickelberry. Cole was a 3-star recruit in most services and his 247 ranking of #479 made him the third highest rated recruit to ever commit to Howard. He wasted no time making an impact on the program, averaging almost 24 points and 6 assists a game as a FR. Despite his efforts, Howard struggled, finishing towards the bottom of the lowly MEAC. As a sophomore, he actually dropped his usage and his scoring (to a paltry 21.4 a game) and the team flourished (by MEAC standards) finishing with .500 record, their first non-losing season since 14-15. Cole orchestrates the Bison offense primarily out of pick and roll sets. He has superior speed compared to most MEAC defenders and is lights out from deep. His passing is what truly makes him valuable as he can get behind defenses and pick them apart from the paint, which only makes him harder to defend. Defensively, Cole struggled even considering the level of competition and will need to find a roster where he can be hidden on defense. Cole’s big numbers are alluring, but unlike a Bubba Parham, another high scoring low major transfer, Cole padded his numbers against one of the weakest schedules in division 1. However, in his one game against a high major, Cole did go off for 28 points and 6 assists on the road to Georgetown.

Update (4/28): Cole has set official visits with Alabama and UConn

Update (5/11): Cole completed his Alabama visit. His UConn visit has been set for Memorial Day weekend.

10. Rasir Bolton- 6’2” 180 lb FR PG from Penn State
    26.9 mpg, 11.6 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 1.5 apg, 0.6 spg, 0.1 bpg, 2.6 tpg, 40.4 2P%, 52 3PM, 36.1 3P%

Another year and yet another disappointing finish for the Nittany Lions. KenPom said they were a top 50 team but they finished 14-18 well outside of any postseason. If there was any hope for building in the future, it was in true freshman Rasir Bolton. He wasn’t highly rated when he arrived at State College but made an immediate impact. He finished the season as the Nittany Lion’s second leading scorer, second in 3PM and their most accurate 3P shooter. He has monster game potential as poured in 25+ three times in his rookie campaign, including a 25-point performance against NC State. Scoring is about the only the thing that stood out for Bolton as his rebounding, assist, and a defensive numbers were all pretty pedestrian. He is a lights out free throw shooter at 87.6%, one of the top marks in the country. The biggest concern with Bolton is that he was a high usage, low efficiency type player. Players with that profile tend to struggle when moving up in competition levels. When asked for a reason for the transfer, Bolton’s father said it wasn’t basketball or academics related but it was best if Bolton got a fresh start somewhere else. The senior Bolton also mentioned that they will be seeking a waiver so his son can play immediately. We have no insight on the likelihood of that waiver.

Update (5/11): Bolton has set up an official visit with Iowa State

11. Khavon Moore- 6’7 215 lb FR SF from Texas Tech
    2.0 mpg, 0.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg, 0.0 apg, 0.0 spg, 0.0 bpg, 0.0 tpg, 0.0 2P%, 0 3PM, 0.0 3P% (Appeared in 1 game)

It has been a rough road for Georgia native Khavon Moore. Around his sophomore/junior year he was rated as a 5-star can’t miss prospect by almost every service out there. He had NBA height and length but handled and passed the ball like a PG. His highlight reel dunks and assists had schools showing up in droves. He had a rough summer before his senior year with some uninspired showings at major events and he saw his stock drop to the 4-star top 75 range. He ended up committing to Texas Tech and was the highest rated player to ever commit to the Red Raiders (per 247sports). It was shortly before his commitment that Moore suffered a broken leg in the waning seconds of a high school game. This injury kept him out until the middle of Big 12 play. His first and only action was a 2 minute appearance against Iowa State exactly a year after the game he broke his leg. Moore didn’t travel with the team to their next road game and it was announced shortly afterwards that Moore would be shut down and seek a medical redshirt. Moore did send out an interesting tweet at that time. Paraphrasing, he tweeted he was 100% healthy but was just waiting for opportunity. Reading between the lines, this could mean that Moore thought he would get more than 2 minutes a game after burning his redshirt. Given the NCAA’s new found leniency on waivers, it is possible that Moore may have 4 years of eligibility for his next team. Moore tweeted that the transfer was for “family reasons” so he could be seeking a return to the southeast.

12. Joel Ntambwe- 6’8 207 lb FR SF from UNLV
    24.1 mpg, 11.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 0.6 apg, 0.5 spg, 0.4 bpg, 1.2 tpg, 42.4 2P%, 44 3PM, 38.6 3P%

Joel Ntambwe wasn’t ranked coming out of high school but he was one of the worst kept secrets out there. He had some top teams after his services including Tennessee, UCLA, Wichita State, UConn, and Rhode Island. Ultimately he landed at UNLV where he became an instant starter for Marvin Menzies. Ntambwe is a reliable jumpshooter both inside and outside the arc. If he can get his feet set and square up to the hoop he is more likely than not going to knock down the shot. He struggled attacking off the dribble as his ball handling simply wasn’t strong enough to stay in control while attacking. Ntambwe’s numbers may have been hurt by the injury of Skakur Juiston. This forced him to play a lot more in the post than in his natural position on the wing. Defensively, Ntambwe looks every bit the part of a lockdown perimeter defender but the numbers didn’t support it. He often got abused in isolation and was too slow closing out on jumpshooters. Ntambwe transferred after Menzies was fired and received high praise on his way out. Former UNLV assistant Andre LeFleur has said that Ntambwe will “be a pro in two years.” Ntambwe has already taken a visit to UConn and as of this writing is on a visit to TCU.

13. Victor Bailey Jr – 6’4” 190 lb SO PG from Oregon
    19.1 mpg, 7.4 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 0.9 apg, 0.6 spg, 0.0 bpg, 0.8 tpg, 42.3 2P%, 44 3PM, 38.6 3P%

Oregon was expected to be one of the top teams in the country this season but was underwhelming until a late season run landed the Ducks in the Sweet 16. Victor Bailey Jr was a major player off the bench for the first part of Oregon’s system. He is a smooth shooting and hard-nosed defending two guard. Most of his offensive contributions come from beyond the arc though his true strength is in transition. He has elite athleticism that he uses to get to the rim before opposing defenses can get set. At 6’4”, Bailey has good size for a guard and used it well on the defensive end. The concern with Bailey is that Oregon’s end of season win streak directly correlated with a cut in his minutes. During the winning streak, Bailey only averaged 11.7 minutes a game, which likely played a role in motivating his transfer. He may transfer down seeking a larger role, or with year off he likely could be a starter for a solid high major.

14. Connor Vanover- 7’3” 225 lb FR C from California
    17.5 mpg, 7.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 0.2 apg, 0.3 spg, 1.3 bpg, 0.6 tpg, 55.4 2P%, 27 3PM 35.5 3P%

There are very few 7 footers in the world. There are even less 7 footers that can hit a three pointer with confidence. Connor Vanover is a face up big man with a sweet stroke. He moves surprisingly well with the ball for his size. Despite his height, Vanover has almost no game with his back to the basket, he simply lacks the strength. Defense is a struggle as well as he is too slow to guard forwards and too weak to defend centers. Vanover went on an offensive tear to end the season. Vanover’s minutes increased by 10 a game, and averaged 12 points, 4.8 rebounds, and blocked a tremendous 2.1 shots a game. It took Vanover a while to crack the list but he won’t be here long. He is set to decide between Vanderbilt and hometown Arkansas in the near future.

15. Miles Norris- 6’10” 210 lb FR PF from Oregon
    10.5 mpg, 3.3 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 0.1 apg, 0.5 spg, 0.3 bpg, 0.3 tpg, 73.7 2P%, 6 3PM, 24 3P%

Miles Norris was the forgotten member of Oregon’s massive 2018 recruiting class. He was a top 100 recruit out of San Diego. But with a modest 247 composite rating of #74, he was the lowest rated member of the Ducks’ 5-man class. The plan was originally to redshirt Norris but injuries forced him into action. Once active, Norris managed to carve out a small but efficient role towards the back of the Ducks’ rotation. Norris was billed as a stretch 4 with the height of a center. The stretch part of that never really materialized as Norris only managed 6 long range shots with under 25% accuracy. He did have great numbers inside the arc as he made over 73% of his 2P field goals. Norris will have three years remaining at his next destination. A year off could help Norris work on his outside shot and reach the upside he showed coming out of high school.

The next 15 transfers we are watching:
Jemarl Baker Jr- 6’4” 192 RSFR SG from Kentucky
Wabissa Bede- 6’1” 195 lb SO PG from Virginia Tech
J’Raan Brooks- 6’9” 220 lb FR PF from USC
Edward “Ed” Chang- 6’8” 215 lb FR SF from San Diego State
Logan Johnson- 6’2” 175 lb FR PG from Cincinnati
Jalen Jordan- 6’3” 160 lb SO PG from St. Francis (NY)
Teyvion Kirk- 6’4” 185 lb SO PG from Ohio
Keelon “K.J” Lawson- 6’8” 210 RSSO SF from Kansas
Brandon Mahan- 6’5” 200 lb SO SG from Texas A&M
Quentin Millora-Brown-  6’9” 205 lb FR C from Rice
Sean Mobley- 6’8” 225 lb SO PF from VCU
Janaud “J.D.” Notae- 6’2” 185 lb SO SG from Jacksonville
Uros Plavsic- 7’0” 240 lb FR C from Arizona State
Isaiah Washington- 6’1” 195 lb SO PG from Minnesota
Michael Weathers- 6’2” 170 RSSO SG from Oklahoma State