Five ‘splash signings’ the Aggies can make in the transfer portal
Texas A&M finished off the 2022-2023 season with a memorable 25-10 record, a 15-3 finish in the SEC, a second consecutive appearance in the SEC Tournament Championship game, and their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2017.
Even though the Aggies fell to Penn State in the opening round of the tournament, Head coach Buzz Williams has continued to check boxes in his last two seasons, and the program has not been in better shape since he arrived in 2019.
From a roster perspective, three starters including Henry Coleman III, Julius Marble, and Wade Taylor IV, are slated to return, former Wichita State transfer Dexter Dennis will depart after one incredible season with the maroon and white, and his defensive presence will be sorely missed. Senior guard Tyrece “Boots” Radford also has the opportunity to return for a final season, yet his decision is still in flux, opening up a starting spot in the backcourt in need of added depth no matter how his decision plays out.
Referring back to Aggies Wire writer Pete Hernandez’s article detailing who Texas A&M should target in the transfer portal, perimeter shooting and an athletic wing defenders made up a majority of the list, and man oh man, are there some fascinating options in one of the more talented portals in quite some time.
This week, 247Sports writer Travis Branham ranked the Top 50 transfer portal players before the portal officially closes on May 11th, and for the Aggies to finally take the next step in competing for a championship next season, an “immediate impact” signing is needed to complete the roster and push Texas A&M towards contender status. With that, here are five players from Branham’s rankings that are realistic options for the Aggies in the next two months.
5. Amaree Abram, Combo Guard, Ole Miss. Travis Branham ranking: 11th
Mar 8, 2023; Nashville, TN, USA; Mississippi Rebels guard Amaree Abram (1) dribbles past South Carolina Gamecocks guard Zachary Davis (12) during the first half at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports
2022 stats: 8.0 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 2.0 APG
Travis Branham’s take:
One of the hardest things about evaluating transfers is blending in the evaluation of both current impact and long-term impact. Amaree Abram falls into this challenging category as he wasn’t a major impact player in his freshman season on a bad Ole Miss team but there’s a lot of potential that could make him a big impact down the line.
He’s long, fast and plays with a motor on both ends of the floor. He can attack and create off the dribble, can get others involved and has potential to be an impact defender.
4. Jayden Epps, Shooting Guard, Illinois. Travis Branham ranking: 13th
Mar 16, 2023; Des Moines, IA, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Jayden Epps (3) dribbles the ball against Arkansas Razorbacks forward Makhi Mitchell (15) during the first half at Wells Fargo Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
2022 stats: 9.5 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 1.5 APG
Travis Branham’s take:
Illinois suffered a blow with Jayden Epps entering the transfer portal. The freshman had carved out a nice role and had a promising future for the Illinini but is now off to make an impact somewhere else.
He is an aggressive and talented scorer that can play on the ball but is wired to put the ball in the basket. With three years to play, Epps will be a valuable player wherever he lands and be notching double-digit point averages starting next season.
3. Kowacie Reeves, Small Forward, Florida: Travis Branham ranking: 14th
Florida guard Kowacie Reeves (14) shoots over Mississippi State guard Shakeel Moore (3) during the second half of a second round SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament game at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, March 9, 2023.
Syndication The Tennessean
2022 stats: 8.5 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 0.5 APG
Travis Branham’s take:
Another intriguing prospect currently in the portal is Florida transfer, Kowacie Reeves. He has impressive physical tools with his size, length, and athleticism and has shown flashes of ability as a shot-maker and high-level scorer.
However, Reeves did not shoot the ball well this season and has to work on his feel for the game but there’s so much talent and ability here that he can make a major splash if he makes strides in his development.
Caleb Love, Shooting Guard, North Carolina. Travis Branham ranking: 7th
Mar 8, 2023; Greensboro, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Caleb Love (2) shoots as Boston College Eagles forward Devin McGlockton (21) defends in the second half of the second round at Greensboro Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
2022 stats: 16.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 2.8 APG
Travis Branham’s take:
Caleb Love is the biggest name in the portal. He’s a former five-star recruit and the darling of the magical North Carolina March run in 2022.
Despite the numbers, it was a rocky season for Love and the Tar Heels. His shot selection and percentages regressed as the season went on which is the primary reason he finds himself slotted here in these rankings.
Love is still highly talented and can really score the basketball when his shot is falling and it was clear he needed a fresh start at a new home. If Love finds the right situation and makes a jump in his plateaued development, he can find himself among the stars in college basketball.
Kel'el Ware, Center, Oregon. Travis Branham's ranking: 1st
Feb 4, 2023; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Oregon Ducks center Kel’el Ware (10) against the Arizona State Sun Devils in the first half at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
2022 stats: 6.6 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 0.5 APG, 1.3 BPG
Travis Branham’s take:
Kel’el Ware is easily the most talented player in this bunch and despite having a rocky season for the Ducks, he is only a freshman with immense potential. He’s a seven-footer with great length and fluidity to couple with a tantalizing amount of skill.
He can switch on the perimeter, protect the rim at a high level, and score in a variety of ways when his motor is kicked into full gear. Ware will be sought after by all the top programs in the country and could be one of the most impactful players in all of college basketball and play his way into the 2024 NBA Draft lottery.
