Originally Published: November 13, 2004
Memorable is not always good
How do you narrow down the laundry list of transfers over the last few years to the best of the best?
Sure, you can look at individual awards and team statistics, but long into the process, I realized that the main criterion had to be a question.
"Do I remember you?"
And with that, it became easy. Just as I recalled the studs, I recalled some of the noteworthy flops, as well.
Excluding those players still active in college basketball, here's a list of some of the best and worst recent transfers:
| Good Transfers | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | New School | Year Eligible | Old School | Skinny (on first transfer year) |
| Dahntay Jones | Duke | 2001-02 | Rutgers | 16-ppg scorer came to Duke to play with childhood friend Jason Williams. Averaged 11.2 ppg and 4.2 rpg in only season in Durham, was named to ACC All-Defensive Team as Blue Devils went 31-4 but lost to Indiana in Sweet 16. |
| Luis Flores | Manhattan | 2001-02 | Rutgers | Led team with 19.4 ppg, was first-team All-MAAC in first year when Jaspers went 20-9, lost to Villanova in first-round of NIT. School's all-time leading scorer was later named MAAC POY twice. |
| Ryan Humphrey | Notre Dame | 2000-01 | Oklahoma | Former 3rd-team All-Big 12 paired with Troy Murphy to form dominant frontline. Averaged 14.1 ppg, 9.0 rpg as ND went 20-10, lost to Ole Miss in NCAA second round. |
| Chris Jeffries | Fresno State | 2000-01 | Arkansas | Complemented Marvin Ely in inside-outside combo. Averaged 15.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg, named first-team All-WAC, All-Defensive Team, All-Newcomer Team. Fresno went 26-7, lost to Michigan St. in NCAA second round. |
| Michael Bradley | Villanova | 2000-01 | Kentucky | Averaged 20.8 ppg, 9.8 rpg, Second-team All-American. Villanova went 18-13, lost to Minnesota in NIT first round. |
| Byron Mouton | Maryland | 2000-01 | Tulane | Averaged 9.6 ppg, 4.0 rpg as Maryland went 25-11, lost to Duke in Final Four. Was starter on 2002 national champs. |
| Luke Recker | Iowa | 2000-01 | Indiana, Arizona | Former Hoosier leading scorer became clutch performer at Iowa after terrible car accident. Averaged 18.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg. Hawkeyes went 23-12, won Big Ten tourney, lost to Kentucky in NCAA second round. |
| Loren Woods | Arizona | 1999-00 | Wake Forest | Averaged 15.6 ppg, 7.5 rpg, named to All-Pac-10 team, Pac-10 Newcomer of the Year. Arizona went 27-7, lost to Wisconsin in NCAA second round. |
| Scoonie Penn | Ohio State | 1998-99 | Boston College | Established player came with coach Jim O'Brien from BC. Averaged 16.9 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 4.3 apg, was co-Big Ten Player of the Year (Mateen Cleaves). Buckeyes went 27-9 (after 8-22 year before), lost to UConn in Final Four. |
| Courtney Alexander | Fresno State | 1998-99 | Virginia | Averaged 21.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.6 apg, was first-team All-WAC, made WAC All-Newcomer team. Fresno State went 21-12, lost in NIT first round. Was NCAA scoring leader, WAC POY, second-team All-American as a senior. |
| Lamar Odom | Rhode Island | 1998-99 | UNLV | Averaged 17.6 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 3.8 apg, named A-10 Rookie of the Year. Rhode Island went 20-13, lost in NCAA first round. |
| Disappointing Transfers | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | New School | Year Eligible | Old School | Skinny (on first transfer year) |
| Damian Wilkins | Georgia | 2002-03 | N.C. State | Couldn't live up to expectations set by father (Gerald), uncle (Dominique). Averaged 7.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg. Georgia went 19-8, did not make postseason. |
| Neil Fingleton | Holy Cross | 2002-03 | North Carolina | Had the size (7-6), but not the talent. Averaged 2.9 ppg, 1.6 rpg, despite Holy Cross going 26-5, winning the Patriot League. Lost to Marquette in NCAA first round. |
| Moses Malone, Jr. | South Carolina State | 2001-02 | Texas Tech, Houston | Never lived up to the promise of his namesake. Averaged 14.9 ppg, 3.9 rpg as South Carolina St. went 15-16 and missed the postseason. |
| Chris Burgess | Utah | 2000-01 | Duke | Former Dookie transferred to show his skills; he didn't. Averaged 7.8 ppg, 5.9 rpg as Utah went 21-9, lost to Memphis in NIT first round. |
| Luke Axtell | Kansas | 1999-00 | Texas | After promising freshman season at Texas, it was downhill. Averaged only 8.7 ppg, 2.8 rpg as Kansas went 24-10, lost to Duke in the NCAA second round. |
| Kenny Brunner | Fresno State | 1998-99 | Georgetown | Massive legal issues, including deadly weapon and terrorist threat charges, made Brunner a huge bust. Did not play at Fresno -- transferred to Santa Monica, Southern Idaho, then Salem International. Fresno State went 21-12 without him, losing to Cal in NIT first round. |
| Sam Okey | Iowa | 1998-99 | Wisconsin | Averaged disappointing 7.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg as Iowa went 20-10, lost to UConn in Sweet 16. Broken wrist unceremoniously ended college career. |
| Avondre Jones | Fresno State | 1997-98 | USC | Averaged 9.5 ppg, 6.8 rpg; was eventually kicked off team after legal issues involving guns and samurai swords. Fresno went 20-13, lost to Minnesota in NIT semis. |
| Lester Earl | Kansas | 1997-98 | LSU | Averaged 7.6 ppg, 6.5 rpg as Kansas went 35-4 but lost to Rhode Island in NCAA second round. Earl's illegal recruiting forced LSU to forfeit games and accept probation. |
Peter Newmann is a researcher for ESPN.
ALSO SEE
- Rumors: Bill Self wants more ball movement for KU
- The Mag: Confidential player surveys
- NBA Draft Blog: Most volatile draft stocks
- Pick Center: Simulate the scoreboard