For months college basketball coaches have been warning that the 2021 transfer portal would be unlike anything we have ever seen. The "Wild, Wild West' has been a common phrase.
Those thoughts are beginning to come to fruition even before the start of the spring semester. Two prominent players have decided to change venues, and Kentucky has immediately been mentioned with both.
Although the transfer list will most likely reach into four digits, Oscar Tshiebwe and Caleb Mills are two players worth mentioning as John Calipari looks to add quality pieces to next season's roster.
Five-stars always garner attention and Oscar Tshiebwe is doing just that. The 6-foot-9, 260 pound force from the Congo chose West Virginia over Kentucky and others in 2019, but it wasn't without a stiff battle. The Wildcats were considered to be in the upper tier of contenders. But the big man's relationship with the Mountaineer coaching staff plus living with a host family of WVU grads in Pennsylvania were definite advantages in Bob Huggins' corner.
Tshiebwe was an instant force in Morgantown. He earned All- Big 12 Freshmen honors as well as being named Second Team All-Conference. The Mountaineer averaged 11.2 points, 8.9 rebounds, and a blocked shot per game which led the team in each category. He also shot 55.2% from the field, and 70.8% from the foul line.
Tshiebwe was also an All-Big 12 Academic selection. On the court he started 31 of the team's 32 games. He had ten double-doubles, led the league in offensive rebounds, and was second in overall rebounding.
But freshman success soon turned into sophomore frustration. Tshiebwe reportedly worked out over the summer away from the Morgantown campus over the summer because of COVID, and came in out of shape. He never was able to gain back his freshman form.
He still had decent numbers with 8.5 points and 7.8 rebounds in ten games. He shot 52.3%, and his minutes dropped from 23.3 minutes per game as a freshman to 19.9 as a sophomore. There were reports about him being unhappy, and rumors of a power struggle between he and the coaching staff as they looked to get him back into last season's physical form. That was an all-important component for Tshiebwe. He is a physical, high motor post player who is at his best when he is playing with high energy.
Tshiebwe had a plethora of offers out of high school. The top competition to West Virginia was widely considered to be Kentucky, Illinois, and Baylor with the Wildcats being considered a strong second in some circles.
Sources have told Cats Illustrated that the Wildcats should be considered an option and other outlets have reported that Kentucky has indeed reached out. Sources have also inferred that Tshiebwe would choose schools (perhaps seven to eight) and then do Zoom calls with each one. We have also been told that he would like to make a decision quickly and enroll second semester at his new landing spot.
Caleb Mills is another important name who has entered the transfer portal. In a surprising move the 6-foot-3 sophomore guard decided to transfer from the University of Houston. He was the preseason Player of the Year in the American Athletic Conference.
Mills averaged 13.2 points as a freshman. He shot 36.5% from deep to go along with 2.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists.
Through four games this season Mills averaged 9.8 points. His overall shooting was up to 44%, but his three-point shooting was down to 25%. He battled early ankle injuries and had yet to start a game this year.
"I am grateful to Coach Sampson, my coaches and teammates for the opportunities in Houston," Mills said in the university's announcement. "This decision allows me to play closer to home and is best for me and my family."
Mills was offered by schools in a more immediate range of western North Carolina such as Clemson, Georgia Tech, Florida State, and Wake Forest. He received over twenty offers in all.
Kentucky and North Carolina are two of the more well known programs who have already been mentioned with Mills this time around.
Andy Ray was Mills; coach in both high school at Asheville Christian and in AAU with Team Vision. At the time Cats Illustrated spoke with him Tuesday he was not sure if his former player had yet to clear transfer portal status, and programs could not make contact yet. However, he said he did have reason to believe there is interest from the Wildcats. He also went on to say that he expects that to also be the case for around thirty to thirty-five schools.
Wherever Mills goes, Coach Ray says that team will be a guard who brings a lot to the table soon the offensive end.
"Number one, he's just a competitor. Secondly, he can create offense for himself and for teammates. He's a good rebounding guard too. Defensively he is going to get better. He's putting on some weight, and he goes to have to have a little more strength to finish up his defensive game, but it's coming I think. He's really good in pick and roll stuff, and he's good in the open floor. If you see what he did at Houston he was a really good kid late in the shot clock."
Jamie Shaw identifies Mills' strengths as "overall bucket getting, shooting, scoring, and creating."
Those thoughts are beginning to come to fruition even before the start of the spring semester. Two prominent players have decided to change venues, and Kentucky has immediately been mentioned with both.
Although the transfer list will most likely reach into four digits, Oscar Tshiebwe and Caleb Mills are two players worth mentioning as John Calipari looks to add quality pieces to next season's roster.
Five-stars always garner attention and Oscar Tshiebwe is doing just that. The 6-foot-9, 260 pound force from the Congo chose West Virginia over Kentucky and others in 2019, but it wasn't without a stiff battle. The Wildcats were considered to be in the upper tier of contenders. But the big man's relationship with the Mountaineer coaching staff plus living with a host family of WVU grads in Pennsylvania were definite advantages in Bob Huggins' corner.
Tshiebwe was an instant force in Morgantown. He earned All- Big 12 Freshmen honors as well as being named Second Team All-Conference. The Mountaineer averaged 11.2 points, 8.9 rebounds, and a blocked shot per game which led the team in each category. He also shot 55.2% from the field, and 70.8% from the foul line.
Tshiebwe was also an All-Big 12 Academic selection. On the court he started 31 of the team's 32 games. He had ten double-doubles, led the league in offensive rebounds, and was second in overall rebounding.
But freshman success soon turned into sophomore frustration. Tshiebwe reportedly worked out over the summer away from the Morgantown campus over the summer because of COVID, and came in out of shape. He never was able to gain back his freshman form.
He still had decent numbers with 8.5 points and 7.8 rebounds in ten games. He shot 52.3%, and his minutes dropped from 23.3 minutes per game as a freshman to 19.9 as a sophomore. There were reports about him being unhappy, and rumors of a power struggle between he and the coaching staff as they looked to get him back into last season's physical form. That was an all-important component for Tshiebwe. He is a physical, high motor post player who is at his best when he is playing with high energy.
Tshiebwe had a plethora of offers out of high school. The top competition to West Virginia was widely considered to be Kentucky, Illinois, and Baylor with the Wildcats being considered a strong second in some circles.
Sources have told Cats Illustrated that the Wildcats should be considered an option and other outlets have reported that Kentucky has indeed reached out. Sources have also inferred that Tshiebwe would choose schools (perhaps seven to eight) and then do Zoom calls with each one. We have also been told that he would like to make a decision quickly and enroll second semester at his new landing spot.
Caleb Mills is another important name who has entered the transfer portal. In a surprising move the 6-foot-3 sophomore guard decided to transfer from the University of Houston. He was the preseason Player of the Year in the American Athletic Conference.
Mills averaged 13.2 points as a freshman. He shot 36.5% from deep to go along with 2.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists.
Through four games this season Mills averaged 9.8 points. His overall shooting was up to 44%, but his three-point shooting was down to 25%. He battled early ankle injuries and had yet to start a game this year.
"I am grateful to Coach Sampson, my coaches and teammates for the opportunities in Houston," Mills said in the university's announcement. "This decision allows me to play closer to home and is best for me and my family."
Mills was offered by schools in a more immediate range of western North Carolina such as Clemson, Georgia Tech, Florida State, and Wake Forest. He received over twenty offers in all.
Kentucky and North Carolina are two of the more well known programs who have already been mentioned with Mills this time around.
Andy Ray was Mills; coach in both high school at Asheville Christian and in AAU with Team Vision. At the time Cats Illustrated spoke with him Tuesday he was not sure if his former player had yet to clear transfer portal status, and programs could not make contact yet. However, he said he did have reason to believe there is interest from the Wildcats. He also went on to say that he expects that to also be the case for around thirty to thirty-five schools.
Wherever Mills goes, Coach Ray says that team will be a guard who brings a lot to the table soon the offensive end.
"Number one, he's just a competitor. Secondly, he can create offense for himself and for teammates. He's a good rebounding guard too. Defensively he is going to get better. He's putting on some weight, and he goes to have to have a little more strength to finish up his defensive game, but it's coming I think. He's really good in pick and roll stuff, and he's good in the open floor. If you see what he did at Houston he was a really good kid late in the shot clock."
Jamie Shaw identifies Mills' strengths as "overall bucket getting, shooting, scoring, and creating."
