The frenzy is winding down. Most of the big names have found homes. The college basketball transfer portal is nearly empty — but nearly isn’t completely. Three players are still sitting out there, and any one of them could walk into a program and completely change what that team is capable of next March.
We’re not talking about depth pieces or high-end reserves. We’re talking about game-changers. Program-definers. The kind of additions that shift national perception overnight.
Here’s a full breakdown of who they are, what makes them special, and where they’re likely to land.
1. Milan Momcilovic — The Elite Shooter Nobody Can Stop
Previous School: Iowa State Position: Wing / Small Forward Height: 6’8″ Top Destinations: Louisville Cardinals, Kentucky Wildcats, St. John’s
If you’re building a college basketball team and you could add one player from this portal class, Momcilovic is your guy — and it’s not particularly close.
At 6’8″ with a shooting profile that reads more like a cheat code than a stat line, Momcilovic is the rarest kind of perimeter player: one who is just as dangerous when defenders close out as he is when they leave him open. That’s not an exaggeration. The numbers prove it.
Last season at Iowa State, he shot 48.6% from three on 278 attempts. The volume alone is staggering. But here’s what separates him from every other shooter in this portal class:
- 54.8% on unguarded threes (spectacular, but not the impressive part)
- 44.1% on closely guarded threes (better than most players shoot unguarded)
- 49.3% on pull-up threes off the dribble
That guarded-shooting number is the separator. Most shooters see a dramatic drop-off when a hand gets in their face. Momcilovic barely flinches. At his size, that makes him nearly impossible to game plan against.
Where Does He Land?
All signs point to a return to college — the NBA combine buzz is real, but a late first-round projection likely means he plays another year. Louisville has emerged as the consistent frontrunner, and it makes sense. The Cardinals have already added significant portal talent this offseason, and sliding Momcilovic into that roster transforms them from a good team into a genuine tournament threat.
Kentucky is firmly in the mix as well. Mark Pope is building something in Lexington, and pairing Momcilovic with what’s already there would push the Wildcats into Sweet 16 conversation in a hurry. Don’t sleep on St. John’s either.
Bottom line: Wherever Momcilovic goes, that program’s ceiling goes up — dramatically.
2. Allen Graves — The Do-It-All Four Man
Previous School: TBD (eligible via portal) Position: Power Forward Draft Projection: Late lottery to mid first round Top Destinations: LSU Tigers, Duke Blue Devils, Kentucky Wildcats
If Momcilovic is the most valuable portal piece still available, Graves is the most versatile — and his decision might be the most fascinating of the three.
Right now, it’s a genuine 50/50 between declaring for the NBA Draft and returning to college. The financials matter enormously here. A mid first-round guarantee from an NBA team might be hard to walk away from. But if that feedback slides toward late first or undrafted territory, the NIL money available at a program like LSU or Duke could make college the smarter play.
As a player, Graves is the kind of four man winning basketball is built around. He can shoot it, roll to the rim, rebound on both ends, and he doesn’t need the offense run through him to be effective. Last season he posted:
- 55% from the floor overall
- 41% from three
- 51% at the rim
- 220 total rebounds, including 92 on the offensive glass
That offensive rebounding number tells you everything about how hard he competes. He’s not a passive presence. He goes and gets it.
Where Does He Land?
LSU is the heavy favorite. Will Wade coached Graves’ brother, Graves is from Louisiana, and the Tigers desperately need a centerpiece to build around as they bring in international talent. The connection is real and the need is obvious.
But Duke is right there. It’s hard to turn down that pedigree, and frankly, Graves looks like a Duke player — skilled, versatile, high-IQ. Jon Scheyer would love to build around him. Kentucky remains a third possibility, though LSU and Duke feel like the real race.
Bottom line: If the NBA money isn’t right, Graves in college is a problem for every team that has to guard him.
3. Tounde Yessoufou — The Lockdown Defender Who Could Transform a Defense
Previous School: Baylor Bears Position: Wing / Guard Height: 6’5″ Draft Projection: Early second round (with combine upside) Top Destinations: UCLA Bruins, Baylor Bears, Kentucky Wildcats
Yessoufou is a different kind of player than the first two — and for the right program, he might actually be the most impactful addition of the group.
This isn’t a scorer. This isn’t a guy you’re going to run your offense through. What Yessoufou is, is a 32-possession-per-game nightmare for opposing offenses. At 6’5″ with elite athleticism and an obsessive motor on the defensive end, he racked up 85 combined steals and blocks last season at Baylor. For a wing. That number is absurd.
Watch the film and it becomes immediately clear why — this guy competes on every single defensive possession. He blows up screens. He jumps passing lanes. He reaches into the post and strips bigs. He’s exactly the kind of player that transforms a good defensive team into a great one, and in March, that matters more than almost anything.
On offense, it’s a different story. He shot 29% from three overall, which is a real limitation. But there’s reason for optimism — 39.5% on unguarded looks suggests the mechanics are there, and his 63.8% at the rim shows he can be a serious threat in the paint when he gets downhill.
Where Does He Land?
Yessoufou has been straightforward in his combine interviews — he’s focused on the NBA. Take him at his word. The early second-round projection makes sense given the offensive limitations, but if teams come away from the combine impressed by his athletic testing and defensive tools, that projection could move.
Still, there’s real smoke connecting him to UCLA, where he has California ties and would fit their defensive system perfectly. Baylor hasn’t closed the door on a return, and Kentucky — which keeps appearing in every conversation — is quietly involved as well.
Bottom line: If a program has the resources to lure him back, they’re getting one of the best defensive players available anywhere. On a team that can cover for his offensive limitations, Yessoufou is a game-changer.
The Bigger Picture
Three players. Three completely different profiles. And every elite program in the country is watching.
What makes this moment fascinating is that whichever teams land these guys — especially Momcilovic and Graves — will have genuinely changed their outlook for next season. Not just their depth. Their ceiling. The difference between a first-round exit and a Sweet 16 run. Between an NIT bubble and a top-four seed.
LSU needs a star to rally around. Duke is always recruiting at the highest level. Louisville has built a roster that one elite addition turns dangerous. And Kentucky is sitting there with resources and a hungry fanbase, capable of landing any of the three if they’re willing to spend.
The portal isn’t dead. These last three dominoes just haven’t fallen yet.
Follow along at www.scoutteamsports.com for full film breakdowns, transfer portal rankings, and recruiting coverage all offseason. Subscribe on YouTube so you don’t miss the moment these decisions drop.
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