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College basketball transfer portal winners, losers: Louisville up, Kansas down
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- College basketball transfer portal winners, losers: Louisville up, Kansas down
Just over a week after the NCAA transfer portal opened, college basketball fans have a glimpse of what rosters will look like next season.
Another week remains for players to enter the portal until Tuesday, April 21. Even when the portal closes, teams will be able to make additions to the roster ahead of next season.
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As the 2025-26 season taught us with Michigan winning the national title, building through the transfer portal is as important as ever in college basketball.
College basketball transfer portal rankings: Top 40 available players
With the NCAA approving a shortened transfer portal window for the 2026 season, the window for teams to add talent becomes even more crucial.
Here's a look at the list of winners and losers through the early portion of the transfer portal movement for the 2025-26 season:
Transfers by conferences: ACC | Big Ten | Big 12 | SEC | Big East
Winners
Louisville
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Transfers added: PG Jackson Shelstad (15.6 points per game, 4.9 assists per game, 2.9 rebounds per game at Oregon); C Flory Bidunga (13.3 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 1.5 asp at Kansas); G Karter Knox (8.1 ppg, 4.5 aps at Arkansas)
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Key transfers lost:PF Khani Rooths (5.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg); C Sananda Fru (9.0 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.4 bpg);C Vangelis Zougris (2.6 ppg, 2.4 rpg)
There has been no bigger winner in the transfer portal early on than Louisville. The Cardinals have the No. 1 transfer portal recruiting class so far with the addition of Bidunga, who had a case as the best player to enter the portal this cycle.
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Adding Helstad and Knox to the mix helps round out a roster in a big make-or-break season for head coach Pat Kelsey.
Indiana
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Transfers added: PG Markus Burton (18.5 points per game, 3.7 assists per game, 2.8 rebounds per game at Notre Dame), SG Jaeden Mustaf (10.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.4 apg at Georgia Tech); SF Darren Harris (3.3 ppg at Duke)
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Key transfers lost:G Nick Dorn (8.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg); G Jason Drake; SG Jasai Miles; G Aleksa Ristic; PF Josh Harris
The football program is the defending national champion, yet the basketball program has not made the NCAA Tournament since 2022-23. Something isn't adding up. With the addition of a proven scorer in Burden and a couple of potential rotation players, could the Hoosiers put themselves back on the map in the 2026-27 season?
Providence
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Transfers added: Dink Pate (16.0 points per game, 6.7 rebounds per game, 3.6 assists per game with G League's Westchester Knicks); Miles Byrd (10.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.6 apg at San Diego State); Gavin Hightower (4.1 ppg at South Florida)
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Key transfers lost:SG Stefan Vaaks (15.8 ppg, 3.2 apg); SG Jason Edwards (16.5 ppg, 3.0 apg); SG SF Jamier Jones (11.9 ppg, 4.5 rpg); C Oswin Erhunmwunse (6.9 ppg, 9.3 rpg)
With the hiring of Brian Hodgson, the Friars have had a strong portal season. Adding two big-time scorers in Pate and Byrd will help the team replace the production of their second- and third-leading scorers from last season. Adding a player like Hightower, who is familiar with the system, is also a big addition.
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Texas
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Transfers added: PF David Punch (14.1 points per game, 6.8 rebounds per game, 2.0 assists per game at TCU); PG Isaiah Johnson (16.9 ppg, 3.0 aspg at Colorado)
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Key transfers lost:F Cam Heide (5.9 ppg, 2.7 rpg); G Simeon Wilcher (5.6 ppg)
Sean Miller's first season leading Texas basketball featured a ton of ups and downs. The Longhorns did reach the Sweet 16 and so far have a chance to build on that with a strong transfer portal haul. Puch was USA TODAY's No. 5-ranked player available, while Johnson was in the top 20.
Losers
Kansas
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Key lost transfers: F Flory Bidunga (13.3 points per game, 9 rebounds per game, 2.6 blocks per game); F Bryson Tiller (7.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg); G Elmarko Jackson (4.8 ppg); G Jamari McDowell (3.3 ppg); G Jayden Dawson (2.1 ppg)
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Transfers added: n/a
It's been a mass exodus for Kansas basketball despite Bill Self announcing his return to the Jayhawks for the 2026-27 season. Losing Bidunga is the biggest loss for the program, as he was their second-best player and their best player is off to the NBA draft.
Self will have his work cut out to make key additions the rest of the way, as he will be starting from scratch when it comes to rotation players from last season.
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Kentucky
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Key lost transfers: G Denzel Aberdeen (13.5 points per game, 3.4 assists per game, 2.5 rebounds per game); G Collin Chandler (9.7 ppg, 2.8 rpg); F Mouhamed Dioubate (8.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg); G Jaland Lowe (8 ppg, 2.4 apg); F Andrija Jelavic (5.5 ppg, 4 rpg); G Jasper Johnson (4.9 ppg); C Brandon Garrison (4.7 ppg, 4.1 rpg)
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Transfers added: n/a
Is Mark Pope in trouble in Lexington, Kentucky? The Wildcats exited the NCAA Tournament early again in 2026 and have since lost eight players to the transfer portal — including a pair of starters to SEC foes. Kentucky will need to add to its roster to remain competitive in 2026-27.
The good news: Malachi Moreno, the 7-foot center, could return. He did enter the NBA draft while maintaining his eligibility.
LSU
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Key lost transfers: PG Dedan Thomas Jr. (15.3 points per game, 6.5 assists per game); C Mike Nwoko (13.4 ppg, 5.9 rpg); PF Jalen Reed (9.5 ppg, 5.7 pg); SG Mazi Mosley (6.3 ppg);
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Transfers added: n/a
LSU opted to hire and bring back Will Wade while still holding onto Matt McMahon. While the hire might work out for the Tigers in the long run, it has impacted them in the transfer portal with eight players headed out of Baton Rouge and none coming back to the program, yet.
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North Carolina
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Key lost transfers: G Luka Bogavac (9.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg); G Derek Dixon (6.5 ppg, 2.7 apg); W Jonathan Powell (4.8 ppg); G Kyan Evans (4 ppg, 2.5 apg); F Zayden High (3.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg)
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Transfers added: G/F Neoklis Avdalas (12.1 ppg, 4.6 apg, 3.1 rpg at Virginia Tech)
With Hubert Davis out and Mike Malone in, the Tar Heels will have a different look for the 2026-27 season, which includes a brand-new backcourt. On top of that, top recruit Dylan Mingo reopened his commitment.
However, unlike the other teams on this list, Malone has started his rebuild with a strong addition of Neoklis Avdalas.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Winners, losers of college basketball NCAA transfer portal so far
