It has been a whirlwind of an offseason with no shortage of headlines as we slowly, but surely, begin to inch toward the 2024-25 NCAA basketball season. As the collegiate landscape continues to change with the transfer portal and NIL era circulating the headlines, many coaches, players, and programs have positioned themselves for success this season thanks to a stellar offseason.
From big-name transfers to key retention to having a first-year head coach immediately make his mark on its program — the list is endless. However, we cut that list to 25, taking a look at the top 25 offseason winners entering the 2024-25 men’s college basketball season.
Many under-the-radar transfer portal classes have not gotten the recognition they deserve. However, the work second-year HC Grant McCasland has done in the transfer portal is noteworthy of that recognition.
The Red Raiders lost key pieces in its frontcourt behind Pop Isaacs (Creighton) and Joe Toussaint to graduation. Isaacs and Toussaint were Texas Tech’s top two scorers last season.
Losing pieces like Isaac and Toussaint in the backcourt is never easy to replace, however, the new-look backcourt in West Texas can surely hold its own in the Big 12. At the point guard, McCasland welcomes Elijah Hawkins (Minnesota), the nation’s third-highest leader in assists per game (7.5). He may not have the scoring pop and fearless range like Isaacs or the aggressiveness like Toussaint, but he will undoubtedly be among the better facilitators in the Big 12 next season.
At SG, Kevin Overton (Drake) will enter the fold playing alongside Kerwin Walton and Chance Mcmillian. Overton averaged 11.3 PPG as a freshman on a team that won 28 games,
The icing on the cake in Lubbock is the addition of J.T. Toppin (New Mexico), the reigning 2023-24 MWC Freshman of the Year who led the conference in RPG at 9.1. Toppin, who shot 62.3% from the field, averaged 12.1 PPG and has found his name on early 2025 NBA Mock Drafts.
Despite some key losses in its backcourt, Grant McCasland’s sneaky-good transfer portal class makes the Red Raiders among the top offseason winners entering the 2024-25 season.
