INFORMATION :Top Transfer Raegan Beers: Where Will Women’s Basketball Star Land?…
Top Transfer Raegan Beers: Where Will Women’s Basketball Star Land?…
While college basketball may be finished, transfer portal season has begun and doesn’t seem to be ending anytime soon.
Three weeks have passed since we released our inaugural rating, and a lot has happened in the sports world. A new national champion has been crowned. We no longer have Tara VanDerveer. Knoxville employed Kim Caldwell. We’ll continue to provide updates because it’s difficult to believe that over the course of the next week or two, more well-known gamers will join the portal. In the interim, have a peek at the portal’s top 15 prospects:
1. Raegan Beers
Oregon State sophomore forward
With multiple Beavers in the portal, it felt like only a matter of time for Beers to enter, too. As a first-team All-Pac-12 selection and former Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and conference Sixth Player of the Year, she’s going to hear from a lot of programs. She’s an elite offensive talent and an excellent defender who could be a foundational player for almost any program in the country. She shoots 69 percent at the rim, according to Pivot Analysis, and has a Mackenzie Holmes-like game, except Beers is only a sophomore.For every fan of women’s basketball, the Pac-12 is gone. Beers wasn’t on any nationally televised games until the 2024 postseason because she was playing in the Pac-12 (and at Oregon State, specifically). But, considering her skill set and the quality of clubs that are expected to call her, she could become well-known by the upcoming season.
Princeton senior guard
Chen accessed the portal in early September since players in the Ivy League are not permitted to employ bonus years offered by the pandemic within the league. Her objectives have been known to the coaches. The two-time All-Ivy League first-team selection will be able to choose from a number of colleges. The fact that two classes’ worth of Ivy League players—this season’s trio from USC and last season’s Abby Meyers from Maryland—have succeeded in major leagues is undoubtedly helpful. Chen is an excellent choice for clubs looking to add a high-value, low-risk point guard because of her seasoned expertise, strong motor, and ability to create plays and distribute the ball while protecting the basket.
Oregon State junior guard
It’s not shocking to see several Beavers in the portal given that Oregon State is now a member of the West Coast Conference and is probably looking to hold onto their status as a top conference. Von Oelhoffen will be a desirable addition for a school trying to replace a departing point guard or for a club wanting to supplement a younger point guard with her seasoned experience, as she has one season left of eligibility. She can withstand contact and is a powerful shooter coming off screens and in spot-up scenarios, standing 5-11 and having a good build. This season, she shot a career-high 46 percent from the midrange, according to Pivot Analysis. Although she hasn’t shot well consistently this season, her 3-point percentage as a freshman is 43%.
Oregon State sophomore forward
Gardiner, with his stature, skill, and two seasons left of eligibility, is an intriguing prospect. Since the Beavers didn’t have any nationally televised regular-season games, fans may not be as familiar with her, but if you watched her play in the NCAA Tournament, you’ll see why she’s ranked so highly. Gardiner, a 6-3 forward, is a prolific 3-point shooter with five tries a game. He can also score in the paint against bigger opponents. She will bring strong defensive discipline to her future squad in addition to her exceptional defensive rebounding skills, as playing in Oregon State’s system calls for it.
Texas A&M sophomore forward
Barker has two more years of eligibility and a solid SEC record as a versatile player, so she should be able to choose from a number of universities. She scored 21 points apiece in her two greatest scoring outings of the season against LSU and Ole Miss, two defensive teams. She was among the top four percent of players this season, according to Synergy, giving up just.553 points per possession. Barker needs to reduce her turnovers (2.7 per game), but this 6-4 forward is a highly sought-after transfer because of her defensive prowess and ability to score in the paint.
Penn junior guard
If you’ve heard this before, stop me: A seasoned Penn guard with long-range skill has logged into the transfer site. Indeed, you wouldn’t be incorrect if this sounds like a scene from Kayla Padilla’s past. For her last season, Padilla’s former teammate, who is a superior rebounder but may not be nearly as prolific scorer, is searching for a place to call home.Over the course of her three years at Penn, Obi averaged 33 minutes per game and made 39 percent of her triples. She also has a strong motor. With Padilla’s ability to fit in so well surrounding Watkins at USC, you have to assume that Obi is being watched by Trojans coach Lindsay Gottlieb and others. Padilla has started 82 games for the Quakers.
North Carolina senior guard
As the main weapon for the Tar Heels, Kelly is a proven scorer who has averaged at least 16 points per game over the previous three seasons. She is comfortable shooting in the midrange and in the paint, but her 3-point shooting has never been her strongest suit. She is a capable perimeter defender who can hold her own against 5-8 guards on the glass. Could the native of Texas end up closer to home? Or is it possible that she will join the Big Ten as a perimeter player and potential stopgap scorer for a club that needs a younger guard?