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If Jones could have had it his way, he’d still be playing basketball. He always had what he coined “hoop dreams,” a passion to play college basketball one day and beyond.

“I grew up loving basketball,” Jones says. “Football was more of a side hobby for me. I was fast, but I just didn’t enjoy football.”

Jones was first drawn to the hardwood by attending practice with his older brother, Zavier Jones. Despite being more than five years younger, J.J. Jones was insistent on not just tagging along, but participating in Zavier’s team practices. Wearing a pair of wide-eye sports goggles that suctioned to J.J.’s face — ones that led to Zavier calling him “James Worthy” — the younger Jones showed no fear during those practice sessions.

“He was the unofficial ball boy, water boy for all the sports I played,” Zavier says. “I have team pictures from the early, mid 2000s and he’s in all of them. Every rec sport, every travel sport, he was there. He was a part of the team and everybody that I played with considered him to be that.”

As J.J. progressed through middle and into high school, his game on the court began to flourish. Despite being around 6-3, J.J. was stationed in the paint. He was a bruiser, relying on his athleticism and physicality that, even as an undersized post player, allowed him to be “a walking double-double.” His dad, Jon Jones, says that J.J. didn’t shoot more than 20 jump shots his entire high school career.

By the end of J.J.’s sophomore year of high school, a decision had to be made. His first love was basketball, there was no denying that, but he also aspired to play Division I college sports. With those two goals in mind, Jon, himself a running back at West Virginia in the early 1990s, offered up his advice.

“There ain’t no 6-3 centers in the NBA, and ain’t no 6-3 centers play college basketball,” J.J. remembers his dad telling him. “But there are 6-3 receivers in the league. So, I took him up on that.”

J.J.’s full shift to football accompanied his move to a new school. For the first two years of high school football, J.J. primarily played safety at Socastee High. He occasionally lined up at receiver on offense, but due to Socastee running the triple-option, it seldom threw the ball. After two years at Socastee, J.J. opted to transfer to nearby Myrtle Beach High.

In the summer before enrolling at his new high school, J.J. attended a camp at West Virginia, his dad’s alma mater. Sometime during the eight-hour drive from Myrtle Beach, S.C., up to camp — connecting from Interstate 74 to Interstate 77, and eventually onto Interstate 79 through the Blue Ridge Mountains — J.J. looked over to his dad and offered a hypothetical.

Dad, let me go to this camp and be a receiver. 

“He convinced me on the drive up,” Jon remembers. “And he had an amazing camp. Going up over guys making catches. What they were impressed with was his catch radius. I mean, he went off. He had a great camp.”

By the end of that weekend, J.J. held an offer to play wide receiver at West Virginia, his first college offer. Up to that point, all the way through his first two seasons of high school, J.J. never trained for football, let alone to be a wide receiver. Not even the simplest of drills, like independent cone work or drawing up route trees. Still, he held a Power 5 offer, but J.J. didn’t see it as an overly celebratory moment.

“I felt like there was a bigger fish to fry,” J.J. Jones says. “This was my first offer… but this is a raw offer off raw potential. Yeah it’d show loyalty, but why go there and be the legacy kid? You are Jon Jones’ son. I didn’t want to be known just as his son.”

At his new school and slotted in at a new position, Jones showcased his athleticism as a big-bodied receiver with a keen ability to high point jump balls. “I was an athlete playing receiver, not a wide receiver,” says Jones. It also helped that he was now in an air-raid offense at Myrtle Beach High, the Seahawks dependent on his production as an outside receiver. By the spring of his junior year, Jones held 32 offers to play college football.

In May 2020, Jones committed to play at UNC and signed his national letter of intent later that same year. He felt that Carolina was a place he, “could make a name for himself,” outside of South Carolina state lines and away from his family legacy at West Virginia. His commitment also paved the way path for a new transition in his senior year of high school football, where for the first time he began to view the sport in a different light.

“I didn’t start enjoying playing football until my senior year of high school,” Jones says. “It took me a long time. I did not like it, I used to hate football.”

A seemingly ordinary proposition altered the course of Jones’ experience at Carolina. After winning at Miami his sophomore year, when Jones scampered down the sideline for a 74-yard touchdown, he was approached by one of UNC football’s student managers. He asked Jones if he would be available to join him for an interview as part of UNC Sports Xtra, the student-run sports broadcast show within the UNC Hussman School. Jones, having already participated in numerous interviews as a football player, saw the request as clockwork — just another interview of sorts — and accepted.

The interview went smoothly, though looking back on it Jones says it wasn’t as conversational as he would have liked it to be. As Jones participated in, and simultaneously observed, Sports Xtra that day, he became hooked.

Soon thereafter, Jones reached out to Dr. Charlie Tuggle, the professor who oversees the production of Sports Xtra, in hopes of possibly being admitted into the course mid-semester. Jones’ wishes, though, were turned down, but he still made the effort to attend Sports Xtra on a volunteer basis for the remainder of that semester and observed from the background.

The next semester, in spring 2023, Jones enrolled in the class. He auditioned for one of the five anchor spots in the production, a stiff selection process where UNC Sports Xtra alumni, many of whom have built careers in broadcasting, assist in judging students via recordings sent in by Dr. Tuggle. Jones felt confident in his audition, reflecting that he read off the provided script well and assumed he was in a good place to earn a spot.

In the coming days, Jones received the results.

“And I didn’t get it,” Jones says. “That was the first time I’ve ever auditioned for something or tried out for something and was cut.”

His failed attempt to crack into the anchor quintet, though, didn’t mark the end of Jones’ on-camera contributions that semester. As one of the top consolation finishers in the audition, Jones was given the opportunity to serve as an analyst. Dr. Tuggle asked Jones which sport he’d be most comfortable with, to which Jones naturally picked basketball. The men’s basketball men analyst spot was already taken, by the sixth-place finisher in the anchor auditions who slotted in one spot ahead of Jones, so he served as the women’s basketball analyst.

While fulfilling his duties as an analyst for the show, Jones had his sights on becoming an anchor the following school year, when a new round of tryouts would occur.

“I was like, ‘I’m actually going to practice,’ ” Jones says. “But how am I going to practice talking? I used to go home, write a random script and look myself in the mirror and read it back. And I’d say, ‘Okay, if somebody’s watching on TV and heard me talk, would they turn it off mid-sentence?’ ”

Jones’ apartment turned into his own impromptu broadcast station. His mirror served as his viewing audience. The next semester, Jones again tried out to become an anchor. This time around, he earned a spot and recorded one of the highest scores across the entire audition pool.

By the time Jones made his first appearance as anchor, he already had appeared on camera multiple times as an interviewee and analyst. He’d started over a dozen football games at Carolina and played on the road at Notre Dame Stadium. Could serving as an anchor, for a production show Jones laughingly acknowledges averages less than 10 live viewers online, be that intimidating?

“I was nervous, probably more nervous than a game,” Jones says. “I remember after I got done, I took my jacket off, it wasn’t even sweat stains. My whole shirt was drenched.”

“And watching back you could tell I was stiff and being a hypocrite, just saying what the script said. … It just didn’t seem like me. Next show, the night before I changed up the script and felt confident. I went in there with confidence instead of being nervous.”

Reading off “he hits a home run” from the provided script soon turned into Jones exclaiming “he blasts a bomb.” His demeanor on air became more natural. Jones even tested out his luck during the NCAA Tournament, correctly predicting Grand Canyon’s first round upset of Saint Mary’s during Sports Xtra’s show prior to the tournament.

As Jones stacked shows being on the anchor desk, the next feeling more comfortable than the previous, he started to expand his footprint in sports broadcast outside of his class responsibilities. He shadowed behind the scenes for ESPN’s College GameDay, helping out with both football and basketball shows last season. Jones was able to meet each show’s panel of analysts, noting those introductions made him feel “like a little kid.” He’s also built professional relationships with prominent sports media figures, Jones specifically pointing to ACC Network’s Wes Durham and Eric Mac Lain, and ESPN’s Booger McFarland as those with which he’s fortified strong connections.

And his success on-air with Sports Extra opened the door to unique opportunities. Jones was approached in April to help assist with the Rammys, the annual awards show for the UNC athletic department held at Carolina Performing Arts. The offer was first for Jones to just present an award. But upon second thought, the offer turned into the chance to co-host the event alongside UNC women’s basketball’s Alyssa Ustby, track and field’s Michael Spragley and gymnastics’ Bella Miller.

On stage at the Rammys, in front of hundreds of his fellow athletes, Jones tackled a new hurdle.

“This was my time to show, and show not just people what I can do, but my fellow peers,” Jones says, beaming with a smile as he reflects on that night. “Like, I’m more than just a football player, I can talk. People don’t see us without the helmet on, but on that stage, they saw me for who I was.”

Jones made his first career start at UNC in the season opener of his sophomore year against Florida A&M. He went on the start in 12 of 14 games that 2022 season, ranking second on the team in yards per receptions (18.08 yards). With a wide receiver room headlined by future NFL Draft picks Josh Downs and Antoine Green, Jones found a way to carve out a role. He wasn’t the featured target, but still a productive piece, and he hauled in his first career touchdown in his second career start at App State.

But toward the latter stages of that season, Jones’ play began to slope downward. And not by gradual decline, but a seismic drop off, one which Jones recalls “dropping 12 out of 15 balls” at one point. Over the last five games of the 2022 season, Jones totaled seven receptions for 97 yards (or 19.4 yards per game).

“I wasn’t the same guy anymore,” Jones says. “And not only that, I messed up the whole end of that season, now I had to get surgery, so I couldn’t even prove myself in the spring. And I remember asking (receivers) coach (Lonnie Galloway) after the season, ‘Are you guys going to go in the portal?’ And he was like, ‘We have to. We’re losing Antoine (Green) and Josh (Downs). Y’all are good, but we need great.’ ”

Any confidence Jones built early in that season soon sunk into a wallow of self-doubt. Coach Galloway’s words — painfully blunt, yet truthful — still were hard to process, ushering in an offseason of questions for Jones.

“That self-doubt was in my mind,” Jones says. “For nine months, I didn’t know who I was as a football player.”

Am I a good football player? Am I good enough to be here? Am I good enough to be a starter? 

In the transfer portal era of college athletics, when players can change schools with less restriction than in past times, Jones’ doubt soon turned into deliberation. Had he run his course at Carolina?

“Yeah, there were always thoughts of leaving,” Jones says. “Just because I felt like I needed a fresh start, or I thought I ruined my opportunity. They say when you have your opportunity, don’t mess it up. I thought I messed it up, I thought I messed up my opportunity. And the fans, fans said stuff on Twitter, and I know they say don’t read it but it’s hard when they tag you in it. ‘Oh, he’s not that good. Put these younger guys in, we don’t need them here.’ That crept into my mind.

“But I felt like if I would have left, that would have been selfish on my part. Just seemed like I’d be running away from my problems. I’m glad I didn’t leave now.”

The next season, Jones’ junior year, he led Carolina in receptions and receiving yards. UNC’s pair of prized portal receivers Tez Walker and Nate McCollum saw delayed starts to their seasons. McCollum missed the first two games due to injury, while Walker’s eligibility battle with the NCAA delayed his Tar Heel debut until early October.

In that time, Jones broke out in the fourth game of the year at Pittsburgh, logging a career-high six receptions for 117 yards. He served as a mark of consistency for the Tar Heels, putting his worrisome drop streak seen the prior year in the rearview, while collecting multiple receptions in every game and surpassing 40 receiving yards in nine contests last season.

Any tangible awards or honors, though, were left for others within Carolina’s receiver room. Walker earned All-ACC third team honors, after leading UNC with seven receiving touchdowns. McCollum was awarded ACC Wide Receiver of the Week twice, after his performances against Minnesota (15 receptions, 165 yards, one touchdown) and Syracuse (seven receptions, 135 yards). For the second straight year, Jones, again an everyday starter, looked on from the back seat.

“I feel like I didn’t get the recognition I deserved here the past three years,” Jones says. “I love Tez, I love Nate. I feel like everybody was in that Tez Walker hysteria and that Nate McCollum versus Minnesota game hysteria. To where I was always like, I wouldn’t say I have a chip on my shoulder because of it, but I’ve been that, ‘He’s definitely our No. 2 guy, or our No. 3 guy. He’ll make a catch or two.’

“But I want to be the guy.”

Unlike last offseason, Carolina opted to stay out of the transfer portal this year when it came to receiver. The Tar Heels instead are banking on their core group of returners, including Jones. He leads all rostered receivers in total receptions and receiving yards at UNC.

Despite having his second hip surgery of college this offseason, and again missing an entire spring, Jones says he’s more at ease with his recovery process this time around. He’s a veteran now, thrown into a new leadership role for the coming season. It’s new territory for Jones, who at 20 years old always has been the youngest and is only a year older than one of Carolina’s early enrollee freshmen.

Carolina’s 31-10 loss to West Virginia in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl to end last season served as a partial preview of the UNC offense to come in 2024. Quarterback Drake Maye and Walker both opted out of the game to focus on their preparations for the NFL Draft. Maye was selected No. 3 overall to the New England Patriots, while Walker landed with the Baltimore Ravens in the 4th round. Starting center Corey Gaynor also opted out, while tight ends Bryson Nesbit and John Copenhaver, who are both returning this year, were sidelined with injuries.

With the UNC offense a shell of what it had been all of last season, Jones saw the game against his parents’ alma mater as an opportunity to showcase his skillset as the top receiving option. He finished with four catches for 53 yards, hauling in UNC’s lone touchdown against the Mountaineers. It reaffirmed to Jones his current trajectory, which he believes leads to becoming a top receiving option at UNC.

But achieving that mark isn’t defined by a single moment, according to Jones. Rather it’s a continuous journey, one that requires the camera in full focus on his ongoing chase for the spotlight.

“I feel like the good part about that is that it’s never going to be fulfilled,” Jones says. “I wasn’t projected to go anywhere in the draft going into last year, and then still I was still pretty low heading into the end of last season. It’s definitely changed now, but I just never felt like I got the recognition I deserve. And I feel like the West Virginia game for me was my coming out party. … Everybody sees when I scored that touchdown and the camera pans over me, I’m saying, ‘This is my s—.’

“I’m not talking about the game. I’m talking about this team, this next season. I’m here now.”

*****

This series of longform player feature stories is brought to you by Heels4Life, the NIL collective for UNC Football. You can learn more about how to get involved at heels4life.org.

1. Myles Rice, from Washington State to Indiana: The lightning-quick point guard should help fix an Indiana pick-and-roll offense that was among the worst in college basketball last season. Rice gets to his spots all day, every day, and he’ll be handed the keys to IU’s backcourt. Being the go-to point guard for Mike Woodson is a heavy burden, but a huge opportunity to put up gaudy numbers. Just ask Jalen Hood-Schifino.

2. Javon Small, from Oklahoma State to West Virginia: Small is a dynamic shooter with real playmaking ability. He should flawlessly slide into a co-star role next to Tucker DeVries, and if he improves finishing at the rim, Small can become a true three-level scorer. New WVU coach Darian DeVries has built one of the most efficient, ball-screen offenses in each of the past four years. Small should help him make that engine hum.

3. Dug McDaniel, from Michigan to Kansas State: No one scored more points in pick-and-rolls last year than McDaniel. Now, he’s headed to Manhattan where short kings like Markquis Nowell (and Tylor Perry to a lesser extent) have put up numbers. McDaniel has legit defensive questions, but he’s such a tough cover due to his speed, deep jumper and nifty floater. Kansas State’s funkily-built roster is dependent on McDaniel being a superstar. His usage rate should be ridiculously high. He will put up numbers. Will it impact winning?

4. Deivon Smith, from Utah to St. John’s: Rick Pitino wants his guards to play with serious pace. Smith won’t need to be told that twice. Smith will provide hellacious rim pressure, and he’s constantly drawing two defenders to create space. Madison Square Garden will love Mr. Triple Double. But he was the best version of himself on a Utah team that shot (and made) a ton of 3-pointers and there aren’t many proven, high-volume snipers on this St. John’s roster.

5. Milos Uzan, from Oklahoma to Houston: Uzan has been well-schooled at Oklahoma, and Houston will benefit. Uzan is a high-level processor who can shoot it far better from downtown than his 29% mark last year will show. Oh, and Uzan can play some defense which is a must for Kelvin Sampson. Houston is loaded with returners, but the Uzan addition is a no-brainer for both sides.

Sleeper: Duke Miles, from High Point to Oklahoma

1. Jeremy Roach, from Duke to Baylor: Stud, veteran guard can score efficiently from all three levels and handle on-ball creation or off-ball spacing. Roach is just a plug-and-play, excellent offensive player. Transferring to Baylor has been a good thing for just about every guard. Roach could make a serious run at Big 12 Player of the Year with the right breaks.

2. Tyrese Hunter, from Texas to Memphis: The talent is still there for Hunter to be a two-way star. The well-traveled guard should instantly be Memphis’ best on-ball defender, and he’s positioned for the biggest role of his career after the Tigers lost their five-best scorers. Hunter hasn’t had a 25% usage rate since his freshman year at Iowa State. Memphis figures to change that.

3. Sean Pedulla, from Virginia Tech to Ole Miss: Pedulla is a flamethrower shooter who can pass it and get to the free throw line. His efficiency numbers might have been better without numerous late-clock heaves that litter his Virginia Tech tape. Now, he walks into a loaded Ole Miss backcourt. Playing with that type of talent will be good for Pedulla’s game, but Pedulla will be good for Ole Miss, too.

4. Aidan Mahaney, from St. Mary’s to UConn: Dan Hurley is outstanding at highlighting the strengths and dousing the weaknesses of his personnel. Mahaney has some athletic questions, but it’s easy to see him succeeding early and often at UConn, zooming off hand-offs for treys or getting to his pull-up jumper in the mid-post area. The best version of Mahaney is an excellent shooter with a knack for making big plays in winning time.

5. Kylan Boswell, from Arizona to Illinois: The streak of lead guards erupting under Brad Underwood makes it easy to bet on a former five-star prospect like Boswell who is coming home and has every opportunity to earn a huge role. Boswell is a dynamic shooter who needs to ramp up his rim pressure to level up. Illinois’ roster is built with a horde of shooters and five-out looks to open the paint so that Boswell has much more room to get all the way to the tin. There’s real upside with this hometown reunion.

Sleeper: Freddie Dilione V, from Tennessee to Penn State

1. Jaxson Robinson, from BYU to Kentucky: Complete no-brainer for Robinson to follow Mark Pope from BYU to Kentucky. The coveted Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year knows the system, can shoot the cover off the ball and will sprint the floor in transition for 3s against scrambling defenses. Robinson is really good at what he does well. Can he add more creation and rim pressure to his repertoire?

2. Chris Youngblood, from South Florida to Alabama: Youngblood has shot over 40% from 3-point range on high volume for three years. Yeah, that’ll play for run-and-gun, ‘Bama. But he’s got more to his game than just shooting. Youngblood will slide right next to Mark Sears and give Nate Oats another elite foul-drawer who can crush drop coverage. Oats doesn’t want to take midrange jumpers, but when you shoot over 50% on middies, that’s an efficient shot. Youngblood adds another layer to an Alabama offense that didn’t need any help.

3. Rylan Griffen, from Alabama to Kansas: Griffen has turned himself into a high-level role player. He shot over 39% on 146 catch-and-shoot 3-pointers. He didn’t get to the rim a ton but he shot 64% amidst the trees. He gives Kansas the elite floor-spacer it desperately needs, and Griffen is expected to ramp it up defensively every night.

4. Chaz Lanier, from North Florida to Tennessee: Lanier has a little hitch in his jumper, but when you drain 105 treys, it’s impossible to argue with the results. Tennessee won’t need Lanier to be Dalton Knecht 2.0, but the dynamic shot-maker should thrive next to Zakai Zeigler. Rick Barnes ran Knecht off a ton of off-ball actions to free him up for triples. Expect more of the same for Lanier.

5. Ryan Conwell, from Indiana State to Xavier: The stage is set for Conwell to be a massive piece for a much-improved Xavier club. Conwell was an efficiency darling from downtown and at the rim. He literally did not take one two-point jumper all year at Indiana State. Xavier should be similarly built to Indiana State with loads of shooting, elite sets and playmaking bigs to invert the floor. Conwell will be a monster.

Sleeper: Connor Hickman, from Bradley to Cincinnati

1. Tucker DeVries, from Drake to West Virginia: DeVries is, simply, a cheat code. The 6-foot-7 wing was a high-major stud playing for his dad in the MVC for the last few years. Now, he’s a high-major stud playing in the Big 12 for his dad again. He just does a bit of everything well, and DeVries has a real shot to be an All-Big 12 hooper in 2024-25.

2. AJ Storr, from Wisconsin to Kansas: The Kevin McCullar role is open for business, and AJ Storr seems tabbed to earn that huge usage rate. Storr has to improve his decision-making offensively and his attention to detail defensively, but he has all the physical tools to be one of the best players in America. The ceiling is super-duper high.

3. Kobe Johnson, from USC to UCLA: The monster defender is going to hoop for Mick Cronin, one of the best defensive coaches in the country. Johnson will put his name in the running for Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year from the jump, but he’s got untapped potential offensively. Johnson is too explosive athletically to let defenders off the hook. Ramping up the rim rate has to be a priority moving forward.

4. Terrence Edwards Jr., from James Madison to Louisville: Edwards is an outstanding piece for new Louisville coach Pat Kelsey to build his roster around. Edwards is so comfortable playing with the ball in his hands. He’s a walking paint touch who could lead the ACC in free throw attempts. But the presence of steady point guard Chucky Hepburn could be a god-send to get an even more efficient version of Edwards onto the floor. Hepburn should create so many long closeouts for Edwards to attack. Louisville’s loaded up on bigs who can space the floor, so Edwards will have driving lanes galore.

5. Roddy Gayle Jr., from Ohio State to Michigan: Gayle shot over 60% at the rim on high volume last year. That’s music to new Michigan coach Dusty May’s ears. Gayle’s constant rim pressure makes him a tough cover, and while the jumper has been so streaky, it’s certainly not broken. Gayle will score. Gayle will rebound. Gayle can create. He can scale up and down the lineup defensively. He’s a jumper away from being a big-time player.

Sleeper: Anthony Dell’Orso, from Campbell to Arizona

1. Johnell ‘Nelly’ Davis, from FAU to Arkansas: Davis is just wired to score, and he can do it in so many ways. Ball screens, post-ups, transition, drives, handoffs, etc. You name it, Davis can do it. Davis should earn a monster usage rate for John Calipari and cement himself as one of the best guards in college basketball.

2. Kadary Richmond, from Seton Hall to St. John’s: Richmond might not ever be a knockdown catch-and-shoot sniper, but his positional size shows up on both ends of the floor. St. John’s should have excellent point-of-attack defense, and Richmond is going to get downhill one way or another. He’s so unselfish and so productive on the boards. The shooting questions for the supporting cast at St. John’s might limit the ceiling just a tad, but the floor remains ridiculously high.

3. Desmond Claude, from Xavier to USC: Eric Musselman has used jumbo guards like Claude routinely throughout his coaching tenure. Arkansas had one of the highest pick-and-roll rates in the last two years, and Claude had the ball in his hands so much at Xavier. He took his lumps in Year 1 as a primary initiator but USC is betting on a big jump from Claude in Year 2 as the unquestioned lead guard. Claude will be the top-of-the-scouting report alpha for the Trojans.

4. JP Pegues, from Furman to Auburn: The jump up into the ultra-athletic SEC will not be an easy challenge, but Pegues has such a smooth jumper to make it work. Auburn believes it upgraded in its backcourt, and Pegues is a huge reason why. The ball will be in his hands from the jump, and he should form a tantalizing pick-and-roll duo with All-American big man Johni Broome. Auburn should insulate Pegues very well with its depth and defense.

5. Pop Isaacs, from Texas Tech to Creighton: The Bluejays are a factory for talent-laden guards to enter the fray and get their game on. Isaacs should hit that jetpack joy ride right away. If healthy, Isaacs is a dynamic sniper who can get into the paint whenever he wants. A lob threat like Ryan Kalkbrenner is a luxury, especially when Creighton can throw so much shooting onto the floor. Isaacs has tons of All-Big East upside.

Sleeper: Damian Dunn, from Houston to Pitt

1. Cade Tyson, from Belmont to North Carolina: It’s hard to find a better big-bodied shooter in the portal than Tyson. The 6-foot-8 wing shot over 46% on 156 catch-and-shoot 3-pointers last season. He’s the perfect complement for UNC’s talent-laden backcourt because Tyson doesn’t need the ball in his hands 24/7 to be impactful. Just attack long closeouts, knock down treys, run the floor in transition and go rebound. UNC can keep it simple for Tyson, and that’s a good thing for both sides. Big shooter Brady Manek thrived in Hubert Davis’ system, Tyson will look to do the same.

2. Brandon Angel, from Stanford to Oregon: Angel is an awesome role player who shot over 43% from downtown and over 70% at the rim. Angel gives Oregon another weapon who can post-up a smaller matchup or drag an extra defender out of the paint due to his shooting gravity.

3. Darlinstone Dubar, from Hofstra to Tennessee: Dubar does not create much offense for himself, but he’s an excellent sniper who can drive long closeouts. The fit with Tennessee makes so much sense. Dubar gives the Vols another veteran who can stretch the floor, move without the basketball and has a high-major frame. Tennessee could even get into some bootyball actions with Dubar if the right matchup presents itself.

4. Chibuzo Agbo, from Boise State to USC: Agbo is a thick, sturdy sniper. Agbo’s dynamic shooting trait should make him impossible to keep off the floor for USC. He’s certainly a play-finisher, but that’s why USC needed to add a piece like Claude. Agbo gives USC’s wing corps an elite shooter with real positional size.

5. Dillon Mitchell, from Texas to Cincinnati: The pogo-stick athlete should buff up Cincinnati’s rim-defense to all-world levels. Mitchell and Aziz Bandaogo both have shooting concerns, but they will build a “Do Not Enter” sign around the rim. Mitchell became an awesome cutter who found open spaces against heavy-trap teams and made ’em pay with decisive decisions.

Sleeper: Xavier Amos, from Northern Illinois to Wisconsin

1. Mark Mitchell, from Duke to Missouri: Mitchell was a piece for Duke, but he will be the piece for Mizzou. It’s an excellent bet by both sides. Mitchell could give Dennis Gates a Kobe Brown-like, jumbo initiator who can be the centerpiece of an offense. Mitchell should put up career-best numbers in his new home.

2. Trazarien White, from UNC Wilmington to TCU: Jamie Dixon has leaned into a heavy-transition offense the last few years, and White can help keep that train rolling. The slashing wing is a good, low-volume shooter, but he’s just an awesome driver who constantly breaks down defenses and gets to the paint. You can find really good transfers from the CAA ranks, and White is up next.

3. Dre Davis, from Seton Hall to Ole Miss: Davis has slowly but surely gotten better and better. Ole Miss is getting the best version of Davis. The 6-foot-6, 210-pound wing is an excellent, havoc-causing defender who’s offensive game has grown leaps and bounds. Chris Beard can use him as a post-up weapon if he wants. Or he can capitalize on all of Ole Miss’ shooting with his drives against the right matchups. His free throw rate should spike since he doesn’t have to share the floor with a similar type of driver like Kadary Richmond.

4. Michael Ajayi, from Pepperdine to Gonzaga: It’s hard to envision Ajayi stumbling at Gonzaga. He’s just too versatile and impactful in numerous areas. Gonzaga can play him at the 3 where he can space the floor and attack long closeouts. The Zags could use him at the 4 because he got used to setting screens and playing out of the short roll. He’s going to be highly efficient even if he’s the No. 3 option (at best) on the loaded Zags.

5. Adou Thiero, from Kentucky to Arkansas: Thiero is just rapidly improving his game. He knows his strengths (defense, rebounding, intensity, effort, drives) and plays to ’em. Arkansas is not the perfect fit because he might have to play more of the 3 than the 4, but Thiero should carve out a huge role if he proves to be the best wing defender on the roster from the jump.

Sleeper: Micah Peavy, from TCU to Georgetown

1. Coleman Hawkins, from Illinois to Kansas State: Hawkins has transformed into an awesome college basketball player. Kansas State’s ball-screen offense should be elite with Dug McDaniel and Hawkins converging repeatedly to put stress on opposing defenses. Hawkins has ridiculous range, and he’s become a highly effective playmaker in space. If he’s healthy and guarding wings or forwards, Hawkins should be much better defensively than trying to body massive centers. Kansas State has added a bunch of bigs, but Hawkins is the best of the bunch. Utilizing Hawkins properly could force some uncomfortable conversations with some of Kansas State’s other prized offseason additions. That’s the cost of doing business when you land the best stretch forward in the portal.

2. Ben Humrichous, from Evansville to Illinois: Humrichous is the big, rangy forward that Illinois’ offense craves. Humrichous shot over 40% on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers and over 65% at the rim last year at Evansville. He’s got some wiggle in pick-and-rolls and the versatility to matchup hunt. Losing Coleman Hawkins stings, but Humrichous is one heckuva replacement.

3. Joshua Jefferson, from Saint Mary’s to Iowa State: Saint Mary’s defense was impenetrable when Jefferson was on the floor. Now, he heads to Iowa State to be a key cog for another elite defense. He’ll guard those rangy forwards in the Big 12 that Milan Momcilovic would’ve had issues with. Jefferson’s playmaking, defense and rebounding give him such a high floor. He’s one of the most talented forwards T.J. Otzelberger has coached at Iowa State, and if the jumper continues to improve, he jumps into a new tier. Jefferson-to-Iowa State is a slam-dunk fit for both sides.

4. Aaron Scott, from North Texas to St. John’s: Phenomenal hooper. Scott shot over 37% on 115 catch-and-shoot 3-pointers last season, and he is very comfortable getting into his post-ups from the slot. Plus, Scott projects to be an outstanding multi-positional defender. His floor-spacing will be invaluable for St. John’s. He might never sit.

5. Brandon Johnson, from East Carolina to Miami: Johnson is severely underrated. He owns deep range and he’s fearless. That’s exactly what Miami is looking for in its free-flowing offense. Johnson is poised for a terrific year for the ‘Canes. Don’t be surprised if he pulls from the ocean (and it goes in).

Sleeper: Ethan Price, from Eastern Washington to Washington State

1. Robbie Avila, from Indiana State to St. Louis: How does this not go well? The jump up from the Missouri Valley to the A-10 isn’t insane. Avila wisely chose to stick with Josh Schertz who knows how to utilize him. There are high-level snipers on this Billikens’ roster, and Avila is one of the best playmaking big men in the sport. There’s little reason to doubt this move.

2. Norchad Omier, from Miami to Baylor: Baylor’s offense could certainly be the best in the country with help from Omier. The Miami transfer is a complete warrior. The offensive rebounding is absurd. His touch around the rim has gotten so much better, and he’s worked hard to become a much-improved floor-spacer. There are defensive limitations due to his size, but Baylor’s best defense might be an offense that forces you to take it out of the net repeatedly.

3. Great Osobor, from Utah State to Washington: Osobor was one of the best post-up scorers in college basketball last season. Will that translate to the Big Ten where every team (except USC) has a 7-footer? The 6-foot-8, 250-pound big man grew a ton as a decision-maker, and that has to be an even bigger part of his appeal at the high-major ranks. Danny Sprinkle has earned the benefit of the doubt that he’ll find a way to keep feeding Osobor in smart ways.

4. JT Toppin, from New Mexico to Texas Tech: This just makes too much sense. Toppin is an outstanding play-finisher who can be a high-level pick-and-roll partner. New Texas Tech point guard Elijah Hawkins is one of the top passers in the country. There’s a ton of shooting on this Tech roster, and Federiko Federiko’s presence should allow Toppin to avoid the beating it takes to guard opposing centers. Toppin could be a flat-out star in 2024-25.

5. Ven-Allen Lubin, from Vanderbilt to North Carolina: Lubin plays so hard while also having a good understanding of the right angles to utilize in the ball-screen game. RJ Davis and Elliot Cadeau should spoon-feed Lubin multiple easy buckets every single night. His motor and rebounding will keep him on the floor even with some questions about high-level rim protection.

Sleeper: Sam Alexis, from Chattanooga to Florida

1. Jonas Aidoo, from Tennessee to Arkansas: Aidoo struggled with the physicality against Zach Edey. Big deal. Who didn’t? That certainly doesn’t change the fact that Aidoo is one of the most ready-to-play big men in this portal cycle. He can protect the rim, he has soft touch, he can post up, he runs the floor, he can pass a bit and he’s a career 67% free throw shooter. There’s just so much to like about his game, and the table is set for Aidoo to be a top-2 option at Arkansas.

2. Cliff Omoruyi, from Rutgers to Alabama: The situation is everything, and Omoruyi is heading into a much better ecosystem for him to be the best version of himself. Omoruyi is an excellent drop-coverage defender who has an insane radius that he uses on both ends. He will be a big-time lob threat who can loom in the dunker spot and a nasty shot-blocker which is vital in the SEC. The space at Alabama should be far different than how packed the paint was at Rutgers. Alabama won’t ask Omoruyi to be a huge post-up engine, either. He can just be one of the best athletes on the floor and impact winning at a huge level. Omoruyi’s dunks will shake the rim for days.

3. Oumar Ballo, from Arizona to Indiana: Ballo is a bit limited. He doesn’t pass. He doesn’t shoot jumpers. He can only play one coverage defensively. But he’s extremely good at what he does. That low-post presence will be utilized by Indiana routinely, and Ballo is an excellent offensive rebounder (an area IU struggled mightily last season). Ballo isn’t the new-school big man, but there’s always room for a big man who can draw fouls, put pressure on the rim and be a physical monster on both ends. If healthy, Ballo will have a big year in Bloomington.

4. Vlad Goldin, from FAU to Michigan: Goldin is a phenomenal post-up scorer and play-finisher in the pick-and-roll game. Michigan’s rim defense should be pretty good when Goldin is on the floor, as well. If he improves as a decision-maker, Goldin can solidify himself as the Big Ten’s best big man.

5. Lynn Kidd, from Virginia Tech to Miami: Kidd is not some awesome defender at the rim, but the 6-foot-10 big man should give Miami’s defense some much-needed size on the back line. But his best asset is his low-post dominance. Kidd was one of the top post-up scorers in college basketball last year, and double-teaming him should be hard with Miami’s cavalry of snipers.

Sleeper: Tarris Reed, from Michigan to UConn