The Transfer Portal is Absolutely Packed and We're Barely Into April

The college basketball transfer portal is getting crowded fast. As of Tuesday, there are now more than 2,150 players in the 2026 portal, which is actually slightly ahead of pace compared to this same day last year when roughly 2,140 players were available. The portal's getting bigger, and the moves keep coming.

Big Dominos Are Falling

Monday was wild. North Carolina made a major splash by landing their first commitment under head coach Mike Malone: No. 22-ranked transfer Neoklis Avdalas. The Tar Heels also parted ways with 2026 five-star guard Dylan Mingo, so they're reshaping the roster on the fly. Meanwhile, Mouhamed Sylla is off the board, heading to West Virginia.

But the real storyline that's going to ripple through the offseason involves Arizona and their point guard hunt. The Wildcats added JJ Mandaquit from Washington and Derek Dixon from North Carolina. Mandaquit's move carries weight beyond just filling a positional need. Dixon checks in at No. 50 in the 247Sports 2026 College Basketball Transfer Portal Rankings, so Arizona is loading up at the guard position with some legit talent.

The Portal's Getting Messy

Here's something to keep an eye on: several transfers currently in the portal are actually out of eligibility and trying to secure another year through an NCAA waiver. So the numbers are bigger, but not all of them are immediately available to play. That said, scouts are tracking some serious talent on the move right now, including Paulius Murauskas, Aiden Sherrell, Curtis Givins III, Cruz Davis, ND Okafor, and Ace Glass. Cruz Davis, one of the top mid-major guards, hit the portal and early suitors are already circling.

The recruiting arms race never stops. Keep watching how these pieces fall into place over the next few weeks.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.