The transfer portal opened today in college basketball, and many took advantage of it, looking for a new home next season. Virginia Cavalier guard Isaac McKneely was among those who entered his name into the portal.
Although he will be open to offers from other programs, it doesn’t mean he will depart Charlottesville as McKneely said there is a possibility he will return to play for the Cavaliers next season. However, if the West Virginia native is to leave, where would his best fit be?
Top 5 Landing Spots for Isaac McKneely
St John’s
The Red Storm are coming off a disappointing upset loss against the Arkansas Razorbacks in the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. St Johns were spectacular all year, earning a two-seed in the tournament, but the Johnnies had issues shooting the ball. Rick Pitino’s squad shot an abysmal 9% from deep against the Razorbacks. This wasn’t an anomaly; the Red Storm ranked 340 out of 364 in three-point percentage in division one.
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Rick Pitino mentioned using the portal to find players who could replace his departing stars, Kadary Richmond and Deivon Smith. McKneely would be a perfect fit in Queens. This season, he shot 42.1% from behind the arc, which ranked 23rd in the nation. He averaged 14.4 ppg, which led the Cavaliers.
St. Johns was stellar on the defensive end but lacked the shooting required to make a deep run in March. Having someone like McKneely who can take and make three-pointers at a high volume could be the missing piece for Pitino and the Red Storm.
Marquette
Similar to St. Johns, the Maquette Golden Eagles had a disappointing March, losing to New Mexico in the Round of 64. With March Madness in the rearview mirror, Shaka Smart must focus on building next season’s roster.
Smart is losing his top three scorers from this season: Kam Jones, David Joplin, and Stevie Mitchell. The three seniors accounted for 44.1 ppg for Marquette last season. Inserting McKneely and his 14.4 ppg into this line-up would be a step in the right direction. Smart is at his best when he has players with experience. Although he would only get McKneely for one season, his experience would be crucial to achieving another tournament bid.
Texas
The Longhorns are looking to re-establish themselves in college basketball. The program just fired Rodney Terry and brought in former Xavier head coach Sean Miller. This season, Texas was eliminated in the First Four after Miller and Xavier knocked them out.
Miller will be looking to fill out his roster through the portal in his inaugural season, and being at Texas will allow him to offer some lucrative NIL packages. Now that Texas is arguably the best conference in the nation, the SEC, Miller will need players who have played in big games at a high level to stay competitive. McKneely’s playing in the ACC qualifies him.
Iowa
Iowa City will be a popular destination for those in the portal looking for a new home. Iowa recently announced that it has hired Ben McCollum, the former head coach of the Drake Bulldogs. McCollum became a prominent coaching figure after he won four Division Two national titles and took Drake to March Madness during his first season in Division One.
Many will want to play under McCollum this season, and McKneely’s shooting ability makes him an attractive transfer. McKneely only has one season of eligibility left, and playing for McCollum for just one season could help him improve his game as he tries to climb the NBA draft boards.
UConn
Dan Hurley and his Huskies lost their 12-game NCAA Tournament win streak on Sunday after falling to the Florida Gators in the Round of 32. In what was considered an off year for the Huskies they struggled to shoot the ball with as much success in the two previous national championship seasons.
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In addition, Hurley will likely lose two of his top three scorers, Liam McNeeley and Alex Karaban, to the NBA draft. McKneely could come in and make an immediate impact for the Huskies. His style of basketball also fits the mold of Hurley’s coaching schemes. If McKneely is looking to play in a program that can make a deep run in March, it doesn’t get much better than playing for Hurley and the Huskies.
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