It’s a new day in college sports, and players are gaining more freedom to operate – and in some cases cook – as they choose. After long being forced to sit out a year when transferring between schools, restrictions are loosening. Now, even undergraduate players who have switched schools multiple times can hit the court – and some of those players are turning the tide for contending teams across the country.
With the granting of a temporary restraining order in mid-December which became a temporary injunction through the end of this year which may eventually become what passes for established law in the age of the transfer portal, all players are now free to play. As a result, over the past few weeks, some newly-arrived stars have finally debuted for their new schools – and they are changing rotations, outlooks, and conference races in the process.
RaeQuan Battle & Noah Farrakhan – West Virginia
During the early part of this season, RaeQuan Battle became one of the faces of the movement which resulted in the court ruling allowing players like himself to play. It was Battle who sued the NCAA in federal court in an attempt to earn the TRO and gain eligibility, and he who spoke both in court and on social media about his ardent desire to continue playing the game he loves. “I started playing basketball when I was 10 years old and once I started playing basketball, everything started to change for me. My life was changed,” Battle, who is a member of the Tulalip Reservation in Washington, has said. “I started traveling around the world, which is something Native American people that come from reservations never begin to think about.” His play since finally hitting the court again has demonstrated that passion for the game; and together with Farrakhan, who is also newly-eligible, Battle is helping the Mountaineers to fight on through a tough season.
West Virginia has been hit hard by frontcourt injuries and a suspension for new guard Kerr Kriisa – all on the heels of having to switch coaches during the summer. It’s made for an uphill climb in the win-loss column, but Battle and Farrakhan have made the Mountaineers much more dangerous. For instance, in Battle’s first three games as a Mountaineer, he scored 29, 29, and 24 points. No other player had ever begun their career in Morgantown by going for at least 24 points three straight times – and WVU has had some dudes over the years. Battle is averaging 20.2 points through his six games so far, while making nearly eight trips to the foul line per contest – and converting 78.7% of his attempts there. He’s yet to truly get cooking from the land of trey – Battle is shooting 28.6% on 3FG’s so far – but has provided a proven go-to scoring option for a team that’s needed one, particularly with star center Jesse Edwards injured. “It’s been a long summer, one of the longest of my life, for sure…but it’s just good to get out there, be with the team,” Battle said of his journey after finally getting back to game action. “I felt like I had a whole army behind me pretty much, especially West Virginia and the fans in general since I touched down in Morgantown in the summer. It’s been all love ever since.”
While Battle was gaining experience at Washington and then Montana State, Farrakhan developed his scoring chops during previous stops at East Carolina and Eastern Michigan. He’s been a valuable addition alongside Battle – and Kriisa, who has served his suspension – in transforming WVU’s perimeter attack. Now, interim head coach Josh Eilert has three proven scoring options, and each brings a bit of something different to the table. Farrakhan likes to get to his mid-range spots off the bounce as much or more than Battle, and is shooting a strong 44.4% on such tries so far. Both Battle and Farrakhan can get all the way to the rim, and Farrakhan also brings some helpful playmaking skill to compliment Kriisa. In West Virginia’s breakthrough win against Texas this weekend, Battle and Farrakhan combined to do some of everything, and Battle’s defensive skills in particular were on display. They’ve already demonstrated the intensity and experience that they’ve gained through difficult years working their way up to the big stage, and both Battle and Farrakhan look committed to making this season a success after all of the effort it has taken to get here.
Efton Reid III – Wake Forest
Though he was actually granted waiver a few days before the primary ruling which allowed other multiple-time transfers to take the floor, Efton Reid III’s presence in the middle for the Demon Deacons has hugely increased Wake’s potential this season. The former LSU and Gonzaga big man is a quality post defender and high-volume rebounder: two of the most glaring things which the Deacs had been lacking. Across Wake’s first seven games this year, the team was allowing nearly 73 points per game while collecting fewer than 30 boards per contest. Over the ten games that Reid has played, Wake is allowing 68 points per game and grabbing nearly 34 team rebounds on average. Many other numbers have been on the rise, as well. The Deacs are handing out two more assists per game lately with Reid as a finishing option inside, and they now rank top 40 in the country in opponent 2FG% and blocks per game; further testament to Reid’s impact in the lane.
It’s got to feel good for Reid after his frustrating season in Spokane. Though he played in 25 games for the Zags, Reid averaged a paltry 4.6 minutes, 2.1 points and 1.0 rebounds per game. These days, Reid is posting 8.1 points, 9.0 boards, and 2.0 blocks per contest – and he’s made 18 of the 21 free throw tries he’s earned so far. Reid has some developing skill away from the rim, too. He’s shown range on his jumper in practice at each of his stops, and is now launching the occasional triple when left open. “[He] obviously gives us a tremendous presence around the basket and can alter shots. He rebounds…got some vice grips for hands.” Demon Deacons’ head coach Steve Forbes said of Reid while speaking to reporters after the first game with their new pivot – a 76-57 win over Rutgers.
“Efton, you know, he has that it-factor for us,” declared Reid’s former teammate at Gonzaga, Hunter Sallis. “There’s a lot of things that a lot of people don’t see. Just the energy he brings – you know, just his aura, his presence – definitely just gets us going.” Reid’s work on the glass stands out, especially his ability to clear the defensive boards, get the ball to Wake’s trio of excellent guards, and get to the other end. Sallis, who also now plays in Winston-Salem, has partnered with Cameron Hildreth and Kevin ‘Boopie’ Miller to form one of America’s most productive backcourts. Reid has allowed each of them to be better versions of themselves, and as a trio, Wake’s star guards are potting 51.9 points per game while handing out 9.2 assists and knocking down an excellent 39.6% of their triole tries. Fellow big man Andrew Carr – who was miscast operating as the Deacs’ primary post defender – has settled nicely into his more familiar role as a stretch-4 since Reid showed up next to him. In the ten games he’s played alongside Reid, Carr is shooting 55%, and he’s found Reid with a couple of slick feeds which have Wake fans eager to see the post duo continue their development. The Demon Deacons are 8-2 with him in the fold, and with Reid anchoring the lineup, Wake is starting to dream big.
Jalen Cook – LSU
Over his first three collegiate seasons, Jalen Cook had played for two different teams in his home state of Louisiana. He started at LSU, but after things fell apart following Will Wade’s ouster from Baton Rouge, Cook headed to Tulane. There, Cook was named first-team All-American Athletic Conference after both of his seasons for the Green Wave, and averaged 19.0 points and 4.2 assists across his time in Uptown, New Orleans. This spring, the Walker, LA, native decided to head back to the Bayou Bengals, but had to wait until December 16 to make his grand reappearance in an LSU jersey.
Not surprisingly, Cook’s return has coincided with the best basketball LSU has played all year. Despite some wobbles during their non-conference schedule, the Tigers are figuring things out around their star guard. Cook scored in double figures in each of his first five games, and went off for 28 points at Vanderbilt. He helped to lead LSU to a take-note 68-53 win at Texas A&M, and Cook’s proven star power is helping the rest of head coach Matt McMahon’s rotation to find its proper orbit. “He (Cook) has made the game easier for us as a team,” McMahon told the Rapides Parish Journal. “Collectively, we’ve just played a lot better on the offensive side of the ball as far as spacing, ball movement, shot selection, taking care of the ball and playing a lot more efficiently.”
Cook has provided both a primary scoring option and is helping to make his teammates better as a quality playmaker. He’s an attacking guard who loves to slip and slither through the lane, and Cook is adept at converting tough looks around the basket. Cook will drive straight at bigger defenders and force them to react, and knows how to put plenty of English on the ball, allowing him to flip up crazy shots and finish off the glass even after he’s already hit the deck. He’s very quick, and Cook excels when he gets a chance to create in the open floor and press any advantages he sees in transition. Some of his slickest feeds come from the wing, where Cook’s drive threat and vision combine to create good opportunities for his buddies closer to the rim, and Cook is also highly capable of creating for others during his flights towards the rim. He has grown as a playmaker each season of his career, and Cook now owns a 26.1% career assist rate. Cook’s ability to make things happen and find open teammates is allowing 5th-year wing Jordan Wright to play his naturally well-rounded game, while taking pressure off of rookie combo guard Mike Williams III, who had been forced straight into a primary ballhandling role to start the season.
“Jalen has eased the game for everyone,” Wright has said of Cook. “He’s so smart, so savvy on the court. He’s able to calm the team and have that sort of confidence that we need. It’s been great for us.” Though red-hot Auburn ended LSU’s four-game win streak on Saturday, the Tigers are clearly going to be a factor in Southeastern Conference play over the next couple of months. Now that he’s on the floor, Cook is going to be impossible to miss, and with Cook in the fold, an already-solid LSU roster has become much more dangerous.
Primo Spears – Florida State
Given the serious injuries, weirdness surrounding Baba Miller’s arrival, and then transfer waivers awaiting approval which Florida State has dealt with the past couple of seasons, the opportunity to finally utilize Primo Spears has been a huge boost for head coach Leonard Hamilton. The Seminoles play as deep a rotation as nearly anyone in the country – Hamilton calls it “winning by committee” – but having the experience and proven productivity of Spears is changing FSU’s fortunes for the better in a noticeable way. Through their first eight games, FSU was an inconsistent 4-4 as some guys struggled to get fully healthy and up to speed, while star forward Cam’Ron Fletcher had just been lost for the rest of the season due to injury – again.
Since Spears officially joined Hamilton’s rotation, though, the Noles are 6-2, including a 4-1 start to Atlantic Coast Conference play. Though he has come off the bench thus far for a team that cycles guys in and out of the game more than most, Spears is playing a significant role – and he’s been hard to miss at the ends of games. In addition to his solid defense, Spears has knocked down clutch free throws to seal games at Notre Dame and against Virginia Tech, and he has been money in the bank attempting late shots from the floor, too. A good and confident ballhandler and scorer, Spears calmly sank a pair of late jumpers off the bounce in South Bend on Saturday to keep FSU in the lead. Asked postgame about how it felt to be facing such high-pressure situations again, Spears grinned. “Happy to be back,” he told reporters. “I feel like my pace is getting better as it goes…I’ve got a great group of guys just supporting me and helping me.”
“We’re still almost like a new team,” Hamilton has said of the adjustments he’s made this year. Given the injuries suffered by Fletcher as well as transfer big man Jaylan Gainey – and others – FSU’s rotation has been a work in progress, but the proven veteran Spears is kicking in steady offense. Outside of Jamir Watkins and Darin Green Jr, consistent scoring had been an adventure earlier on this season. Undoubtedly, his teammates as well as Hamilton appreciate that Spears has scored in double figures in seven out of his eight games so far. “They’re seeing that with a certain individual mindset and everybody’s thinking the same wa,” Hamilton says of the rotation which has coalesced. “There’s synergy and growth and they can play off each other.” As a dangerous mid-range jump shooter, Spears has helped Florida State by using his savvy and wiggle off the bounce to manufacture solid looks. As he becomes more comfortable with his constantly-rotating teammates, Spears should reclaim his place as a strong playmaker – he finished second in the Big East in assist average while at Georgetown last season. Florida State has work to do if they’re going to make an NCAA Tournament run, but the arrival of Spears has led to stronger and more steady performances from the Noles. After watching his teammates struggle while he was wearing street clothes, Spears is just one of the many folks in Tallahassee enjoying FSU hoops a whole lot more lately.
The high majors haven’t been the only programs to benefit from newly-eligible transfers making a big impact. Sean Durugodron has been one of the highest per-game scorers in the nation since his debut for Siena. Joe Bamisile is back in the A-10 and looking to recapture his star for VCU. Last year’s A-Sun champion, Kennesaw State, has maintained success despite having to overhaul most of the roster. Now that former Georgia and Alabama wing Jusaun Holt has been allowed to play, the Owls have considerably more athleticism, versatility, and defensive playmaking. Onetime VMI guard Trey Bonham played for Florida last season, but after finding minutes tough to come by on a struggling Gator team, he decided to join some familiar faces in Chattanooga. Current Mocs coach Dan Earl had been Bonham’s coach to begin with, and the former VMI bench boss had recruited Bonham’s former teammate Honor Huff to play for Chattanooga as well. In his eight games as a Moc, Bonham has become the team’s leader in scoring average and is helping to lead a dangerous backcourt. Together, Bonham and Huff are averaging 32.5 points on 37.5% shooting from downtown – including one very memorable triple. In Bonham’s first game for Chattanooga, he launched a half-court heave as time expired which banked in to give the Mocs an exhilarating win. “I just wanted to come off, catch it clean, and try to get off a good look,” Bonham told the Chattanooga Echo postgame, as he praised his new teammates. “There were two huge plays before that. Jan [Zidek] drove to the basket and then Tyler [Millin] making that corner three. It all set up that last shot.” With all of the players who could have taken the floor and helped their teams to join the race for a ticket to the Madness now eligible, college basketball is better for everyone. As Bonham and his fellow transfers are proving, the excitement and fun are ratcheted up when all of the best players are on the floor.
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