2022 UConn Men’s Basketball Off-Season Transfer Tracker

Due to the graduation and transfer gate, the UConn men’s basketball team is experiencing the highest turnover it has ever had under head coach Dan Hurley. Isaiah Whaley and Tyler Polley left after their extra year of eligibility, while RJ Cole and Tyrese Martin opted out of theirs and turned pro. Combine that with the transfer of guards Jalen Gaffney and Rahsool Diggins and the fact that just one more rookie in 2022 is coming to campus from Donovan Clingan and it’s obvious the Huskies will need to be active in the transfer portal.

With all of those departures, UConn has four scholarships open for next season.

Hurley and the Huskies will need to claw back a good chunk of the score through the gate to replace the gap left by Cole and Martin. A big man would also be nice to take the pressure off Akok Akok and Samson Johnson, especially as Johnson continues to develop. Hurley has been successful in snatching talent from the portal – Cole and Martin being two prime examples – and he’ll have to do it again for UConn to remain a contender in the Big East next season.

Below is a list of transfers that have at least received interest from UConn. This list will be updated with more current goals and goal commits as the offseason progresses, so stay tuned for updates.

Terrance Shannon, Texan Technician

6-foot-6 junior shooting guard

Out of the portal’s thousand literal transfers, Shannon is ranked as the best available according to EvanMiya.com. At 6-foot-6, Shannon was instrumental in leading the Red Raiders defense, which ranked No. 1 in the nation according to KenPom. It ranked just outside the top 30 in Evan Miya’s Bayesian Defensive Performance Rating, and would immediately turn UConn into one of the top perimeter defense teams in the nation alongside Andre Jackson. He also averaged 10.4 points per game last season and shot 38.4 percent on 3-pointers on 84 attempts.

Shannon fits the needs of the Huskies almost perfectly, but again, her skills allow her to fit in just about anywhere. He is interested in several major programs, including Kentucky, North Carolina, and Michigan State.

Andre Curbelo, Illinois

Sophomore, 6-foot-1 playmaker

Curbelo is another highly prized transfer, ranking 8th overall from EvanMiya. The sophomore struggled with injuries this season, playing just 19 games, but was one of the top distributors in the nation as a rookie, where he was 27th in the nation in assist rate. While Curbelo was beaten for most of the season, he put up some great performances against elite opponents – dropping 20 points with six rebounds and three assists against Purdue and a game-high 14 points and six assists against the Iowa. Like Shannon, Curbelo was a target of Hurley before committing to their respective schools, so there is already some familiarity between UConn, Hurley and Curbelo.

Curbelo’s biggest downside is that he struggles as a 3-point shooter. He shot 16.9% from deep for his career, but with just 65 attempts overall. Nonetheless, his athleticism and ball skills make him an intriguing transfer that has attracted interest from Gonzaga, St. John’s and Notre Dame, among others.

Antonio Reeves, State of Illinois

6-foot-6 junior shooting guard

Reeves is arguably one of the best pure scorers on the portal after averaging over 20 points per game for the Redbirds last season. The Chicago native also averaged 3.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game last season and shot over 38% from 3-point range on over 180 attempts. While the Missouri Valley Conference isn’t as competitive as the Big East, Reeves’ scoring ability would almost certainly translate and should be an instant boost for just about any offense in the country. Reeves has also attracted interest from DePaul, Memphis, Kentucky and North Carolina, among others

Tristen Newton, East Carolina

Sophomore, 6-foot-5 point guard

Newton would serve as a very capable backup for a UConn team that lost much of its backcourt this offseason. Although not a knockdown shooter from depth at just 33%, Newton is one of the best distributors on the Portal having averaged five assists per game last year and finished in the top 25 nationally in rate. assistance, according to KenPom. He also averaged 17.7 points per game last season and was The American’s leading free throw shooter last season with 87.9%.

With his size and ability to handle the ball, Newton could help soften the blow from Cole and Martin’s departures. Newton attracted interest from USC, St. John’s, Memphis and Creighton, among other schools.

Devin Carter, South Carolina

Freshman, 6-foot-3 shooting guard

Carter played one season with the Gamecocks, averaging 9.0 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. The Miami native showed flashes of scoring potential last season, scoring 20 or more points on three occasions. Carter is an athletic guard with a size that could handle point guard duties in a pinch — he had four or more assists seven times last season. He has UConn in his last six with Arkansas, Providence, LSU, Oregon and UNLV.

Courtney Ramey, Texas

6-foot-3 senior shooting guard

Ramey was not used frequently on a talented Texas team last season, but still offers a valuable skill set heading into his final season of eligibility. Ramey averaged 9.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 30 minutes per game last season and shot more than 35% from beyond the arc. Two years prior, Ramey shot 41.4 percent on deep shots on 116 attempts. His experience and ability to play on or off the ball offensively and is considered a solid defender by EvanMiya, who ranks him as the 17th-best transfer from the portal.

Ramey has attracted interest from many programs, including Villanova, Marquette, DePaul and Gonzaga.

Will Richard, Belmont

Freshman, 6-foot-5 small forward

Richard capped a great freshman season with a 22-point performance for the Bruins in the NIT, where Belmont fell to Vanderbilt. He averaged 12.1 points and 6.0 rebounds per game as a freshman and is ranked 15th in transfer in the nation by EvanMiya. Richard shot just 31.6% from beyond the arc last season, but excelled as a defender and shot 80% from the free throw line. As a proven scorer with several years of eligibility remaining, Richard can provide instant attack and long-term stability for his next program.

Richard recently made an official visit to Florida, but has also attracted interest from Arizona and the Huskies.