Xavier Musketeers' roster rebuild continues through transfer portal. Who's next?

Xavier Musketeers' offseason parlance revolves around a GIF rather than words.

Fans looking for commitments are frequently waiting for Xavier head coach Sean Miller to post the bitmap image of the Musketeer mascot, D'Artagnan, proudly waiving the school's flag at halfcourt of Cintas Center. That post is like white smoke coming out of the Vatican. In Xavier terms: a new Musketeer is on the way.

Miller's Tweeted the all-important GIF twice this week as Xavier's offseason roster restoration heated up with the addition of Oklahoma big man John Hugley IV on Tuesday and Toledo guard Dante Maddox Jr. on Thursday.

Should Xavier fans be on the lookout for another D'Artagnan appearance soon? Here's a recap of Xavier's busy week and a look at who could be next.

Breaking down Xavier's transfer portal trio

For Xavier fans looking for a glimpse into the 2024-25 season since the transfer portal opened and seven Musketeers from last year jumped in, it's paid to be patient. After nearly three weeks since the Musketeers opened their offseason acquisitions by getting a commitment from Furman guard Marcus Foster, Xavier made two splashes in the transfer portal over a three-day span this week.

There's no sugar-coating Xavier's frontcourt struggles last season and the pickup of John Hugley IV was a giant, running leap in the right direction in fixing those woes. Once a group plagued by inexperience, Xavier now has three reliable big men in Zach Freemantle, Jerome Hunter and Hugley, if the trio can stay healthy.

"Best trio of bigs in the country! Mark my words," Hugley Tweeted after committing to the Musketeers. That's a far cry from the team that walked off the court in Athens, Georgia a month ago.

Xavier's backcourt lost the Big East's leading scorer in sharpshooter Quincy Olivari. They've now added two experienced scorers in Foster and Maddox. Foster is a reliable guard who brings stability to the backcourt as a career double-digit scorer. Maddox fills a bigger need for the Musketeers in replacing Olivari as a career 40.1% three-point shooter and someone who can be a spot-up shooter and score off the dribble. Simply put, Maddox is the biggest transfer portal get thus far for Xavier, which has been an attractive program for guards wanting to take the next step.

Maddox was already getting Souley Boum and Olivari comparisons just seconds after announcing his commitment. In Miller's fast-paced scheme, guards are very fond of calling Cintas Center home.

"When he (Miller) says that he sees me in a certain way, I can believe that, because I know he’s seen other people similar to me. It’s very exciting," Maddox said on the live broadcast of his commitment. "I’m very humbled and blessed to be able to say I’m gonna be coached by Sean Miller.”

Following the commitment of Maddox, Xavier now has the 11th-ranked 2024 transfer class in college basketball, according to 247Sports' rankings. Georgetown (No. 10) is the only Big East rival ahead of the Musketeers.

Who is next?

There are still three open scholarship spots on Xavier's roster. The Musketeers would still like to add pieces down low, and the focus is on defense with the next transfer set to visit.

Appalachian State transfer forward Justin Abson will visit Xavier Friday, as first reported by Rivals.com. Abson, a 6-foot-9 sophomore with two years of eligibility remaining, was the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year last season. Appalachian State had the No. 41 defense in KenPom last season and led the nation in blocks (230, 6.8 per game). Abson was at the forefront of the Mountaineers' swat parade, ranking fourth in the country in blocks (2.8 per game).

Additionally, Abson has averaged 7.1 points and 6.5 rebounds in 66 games (56 starts) over two seasons as a full-time starter for Appalachian State while shooting 61.3% from the field. Abson would serve as a solid rim protector for the Musketeers if they were able to reel him in. Xavier ranked seventh in the Big East in blocked shots last season with the conference's smallest lineup.

Abson has already visited Miami and Georgia, according to Rivals, and will visit Michigan on Saturday.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Xavier will host Appalachian State big man Justin Abson Friday