5 Most Impactful Commits (So Far)

The NCAA Tournament is officially wraps, which means all of our attention can now shift entirely to the transfer portal.

For some teams, the portal has been the immediate priority for nearly a month after conference tournament week ended in mid-March. For teams who competed in the Final Four this past weekend, the portal has been the immediate priority for less than 48 hours.

Generously. 

For now, here are the five most potentially impactful transfer portal commitments of this year’s cycle.

Honorable mentions: Bennett Stirtz, Drake → Iowa; Oscar Cluff, South Dakota State → Purdue; Rob Wright, Baylor → BYU? (unconfirmed).

Donovan Dent, New Mexico → UCLA

The Corona (Calif.) product and former California Mr. Basketball Donovan Dent established himself as one of the best guards in all of college basketball this past season at New Mexico. He led the Lobos to the Mountain West regular season championship and the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament by averaging 20.4 points and 6.4 assists per game, the only player in the country to rank in the top 15 nationally in both categories. 

Now, the Centennial High graduate Dent is going back to the Greater Los Angeles area to finish his college career. If Dent can lead the Bruins to their first national title since 1995, it would be the perfect ending to this chapter of the California kid’s story. With a roster set to include returning starters Skyy Clark and Eric Dailey Jr., as well as Michigan State transfer Xavier Booker, the Bruins will be a legitimate threat to make a run next season.

Yaxel Lendeborg, UAB → Michigan

Yaxel Lendeborg was the No. 1 overall player in the transfer portal this season, according to 247Sports and On3. The New Jersey native ranked fourth nationally in rebounds while averaging 17.7 points per game, leading UAB to its first NCAA Tournament appearance as a member of the American Athletic Conference. Oh, and he’s also won the last two AAC Defensive Player of the Year Awards. 

Lendeborg will head to Ann Arbor to play for a Michigan program that has found its groove again under Dusty May. The Wolverines won the Big 10 tournament this season through the play of their frontcourt, so you can expect Lendeborg to be the centerpiece of the program next season. 

Lendeborg would have likely been a first-round draft pick if he had entered the NBA Draft this year. His ability to attack the rim and control the game on the defensive end will make him a surefire National Player of the Year candidate. 

Jayden Quaintance, Arizona State → Kentucky

Jayden Quaintance may have the highest ceiling of any player who entered the portal this season. Quaintance doesn’t turn 18 for another two months, but he already completed a freshman season of college basketball that saw him earn BIG 12 All-Defensive and All-Freshman team honors. 

The 17-year-old averaged 9.4 points and 7.9 points in 24 games this season before suffering a torn ACL late in Arizona State’s 66-54 win over Kansas State on Feb. 23. Quaintance was having arguably his best game of the season before injury struck that evening, as his 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting were enough to push the Sun Devils past the finish line without him.

Quaintance tallied six double-doubles this season and registered a 14-point, eight-rebound performance against national champion Florida in December. With the exposure he receives playing for a major brand like Kentucky, don’t be surprised to see Quaiantance climb up draft boards next season.

Bryce Hopkins, Providence → St. John’s

The transfer portal may have cost the Johnnies a stalwart in point guard R.J. Luis Jr., but they gained a player who can quickly transform the offense in former Providence forward Bryce Hopkins.

Hopkins earned first-team All-Big East honors as a sophomore by averaging 15.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. However, his next two seasons were plagued by injury. He suffered a torn ACL in January 2024 and returned in early December. He was then ruled out for the season again after just three appearances due to suffering a bone bruise.

Hopkins scored 16 points in his first two appearances of the season against BYU and Rhode Island before scoring a season-high 19 points in his third and final appearance. Hopkins scored a career-high 29 points twice in his freshman season, once in an overtime victory against No. 25 Marquette and the other time against… St. John’s.

Dedan Thomas Jr., UNLV → LSU

DJ Thomas would have been a hotter commodity in the portal if he had entered after winning Mountain West co-Freshman of the Year alongside J.T. Toppin last season. It certainly worked out for Toppin, who left New Mexico for Texas Tech before earning Big 12 Player of the Year honors and a trip to the Elite 8.

Thomas didn’t have the season he or UNLV fans had hoped for this season, but he did increase his scoring by two points per game. He showed enough professional potential to make him a common sight on NBA Draft boards after his freshman season, though that attention has tempered a bit after this past season. A big-time year with LSU will help propel him back into that picture and the Tigers back into the NCAA Tournament. 

Thomas’ skillset represents a classic point guard. His flashiness and flare should make him a quick fan favorite in the Bayou. If he can hold up mentally against the defensive rigors of the SEC, he could be among the biggest draft risers we see next season.