CBS Sports College Basketball 2022-23 All-Transfer Team

[Halldan1]

College basketball rankings: Adding transfer Max Abmas has Texas in Top 25 And 1 even after losing top recruit

Ron Holland's decommitment from the Longhorns comes the day after they landed Oral Roberts' Abmas through the transfer portal

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These players found a good home last season after transferring​

By David Cobb

The proliferation of transferring in college basketball has changed the sport dramatically in recent years with players eligible to play immediately at new schools and coaches able to remake their rosters in a matter of weeks. High school recruiting is no longer the sport's sole lifeblood. In fact, it's arguable that transfer management has become just as important as traditional recruiting in the talent acquisition realm.

Without players like Nijel Pack, Norchad Omier and Jordan Miller, the path to Miami's first-ever Final Four would have looked drastically different this season. The same could be said for San Diego State, which was led in scoring by transfers Matt Bradley and Darrion Trammell, who helped guide the Aztecs to their first Final Four.

It is customary in college basketball for the sport's top freshmen to be honored by their conferences and even some national publications at the end of each season. At CBS Sports, the postseason awards package honors a single great Freshman of the Year each season. While some leagues designate a "Newcomer of the Year," which can include transfers, postseason measures of the sport's top transfers are lacking on the national stage.

So, for the first time ever, CBS Sports is unveiling its Transfer Player of the Year and All-Transfer team. Gary Parrish, Matt Norlander, Kyle Boone and myself voted for the honorees, and the selections were limited to players who were in their first season with their new school.

CBS Sports 2022-23 All-Transfer Team​

Kendric Davis, Memphis (Transfer Player of the Year)​

Davis landed at No. 1 on our preseason ranking of the top transfers of the 2022 offseason following a prolific three-year run at SMU. After transferring within the AAC to Memphis, he also closes the season as the top transfer in college basketball. Davis led the conference and tied for eighth nationally in scoring at 21.9 points per game while leading the Tigers to the AAC Tournament title. The 5-foot-11 offensive dynamo reached or surpassed 20 points in 23 of 34 games and poured in 31 during Memphis' AAC Tournament title victory over No. 1 Houston.

Some of his other biggest games also came against eventual NCAA Tournament teams such as Alabama, Auburn and VCU. Though the Tigers were eliminated in the first round of the Big Dance against FAU, they were only there in the first place because of Davis. He seamlessly slid into the lead guard role for coach Penny Hardaway's squad while keeping a new group of teammates connected around him. It was a near-perfect marriage that made Davis an easy selection as the inaugural CBS Sports Transfer of the Year.

Keyontae Johnson, Kansas State​

The Wildcats were one of the most surprising stories of '22-23, going from being picked last in the preseason Big 12 poll to making the Elite Eight as a No. 3 seed. Though Markquis Nowell took over in the NCAAs for K-State, it was Johnson who was the most stable and reliable force for the entire season: 17.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists per game. Plus, he shot 40.5% from beyond the arc. Once upon a time, Johnson was a first-round NBA prospect; his return to form last season reminded us why. Of course, he did this after spending almost two years away from competitive basketball, following his on-court collapse in December of 2020 while at Florida. Johnson was barely beaten out by Davis for our Transfer of the Year. He was college basketball's comeback story of the year, that's for sure. — Matt Norlander

Baylor Scheierman, Creighton​

Not every super-hyped transfer is going to wind up matching the buzz (plenty miss, in fact), but it's fair to say Scheierman earned his keep and then some. The former Jackrabbit from South Dakota State proved to be a key cog in Creighton's schemes last season. The tweener forward averaged 12.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists, lifting the Jays to the Elite Eight (and only a possession away from the Final Four) as a No. 6 seed. The best news is they won't need a replacement for him just yet. Scheierman recently announced he'll be back for one more season. — MN

Souley Boum, Xavier​

Boum averaged more points (19.8 and 18.8) in his previous two seasons with UTEP, but his value to Xavier from the first few games up through the NCAAs was undeniable. He was one of the shiftiest point guards in the country, giving the Musketeers a speedy attack mechanism that lifted X to having one of the best offenses in the country in Sean Miller's first season back with the Muskies. Boum, whose college career is over, went out with a bang: 16.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 40.4% from 3. — MN

Bryce Hopkins, Providence​

A tough chase to make our All-Transfer First Team, but Hopkins could not be denied thanks to his all-around play and undeniable value. Yes, that's three Big East players of the five listed here. Hopkins came by way of Kentucky and saw his production explode: 15.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists per game for the forward who helped the Friars make the NCAA Tournament for the seventh time under Ed Cooley. Hopkins proved his loyalties remain with the school, not Cooley. He'll be sticking around for his junior season under new PC coach Kim English. — MN

 

[shu67]

It should be noted that none of the SHU kids who left made the top 40 so I guess that is telling us something. We should feel a bit better about them going and replacing them with perhaps potentially better options?