Ranking the Best Graduate Transfers for the 2015-16 NCAA Basketball Season

While the debate rages on over whether collegiate athletics should become a pay-to-play endeavor or remain truly amateur, there's one way in which college basketball has already become a professional sport: the graduate-transfer loophole.

Any player who has completed his undergraduate degree and has eligibility remaining may transfer to another school and play immediately instead of having to sit out a year (as is the case with non-graduate transfers). The point of the rule is to allow for a student-athlete to pursue a graduate degree at a school that offers a program his current school does not, but in reality, it's become a way for a player to finish out his career with a team that might better fit his playing style and skill set.

In other words, it's basically a form of free agency, where a veteran who has established himself at one school can shop his services to the highest bidder. Instead of a salary, however, the compensation is usually playing time.

Graduate transfers have become a huge part of the annual wave of players who switch schools. According to ESPN's Jeff Goodman and Jeff Borzello, who have been tracking college basketball transfers, more than 600 players have announced their intentions to play for different schools. About 15 percent of those are players who have graduated or intend to do so before the 2015-16 season begins, thus making them eligible to play right away.

While many of these graduate transfers were players who didn't contribute much to their old programs, there are a good number of standouts who figure to make an instant impact with their new teams. We've ranked the best of this lot, using their past performance and projected value to set the order.

20. Max Bielfeldt

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Last played for: Michigan

2015-16 destination: Boston College, Bradley, DePaul, Iowa State, Kansas State or Stanford

A small-bit player his first two seasons at Michigan, Max Bielfeldt had a much larger role for the Wolverines last season as part of a rotation of post players. Though he didn't put up huge numbers, his performance was enough to make him believe he'd have a chance to do more at another school.

And when Caris LeVert announced he was coming back for his senior year, rather than turn pro, that took up Michigan's last remaining scholarship and forced Bielfeldt's hand, according to MLive.com's Brendan F. Quinn. Now he's deciding among a handful of programs that could use a 6'7", 245-pound forward who averaged 5.1 points and 3.6 rebounds in just over 14 minutes per game in 2014-15.

19. Derrick Gordon

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Last played for: Massachusetts

2015-16 destination: Seton Hall

Most people who know of Derrick Gordon do so because of his groundbreaking decision to come out and be the first openly gay men's basketball player in Division I. But he's also been a pretty solid guard throughout his career, first at Western Kentucky and then at Massachusetts.

The 6'3" guard averaged 9.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists last season for the Minutemen, but he decided for his final season he wanted to play somewhere that gave him a chance to win and contribute more. His sexuality had nothing to do with it, he told Cyd Zeigler of SBNation's Outsports blog.

"I appreciate everything the coaches and my teammates have done for me," Gordon said. "They supported me and were there for me. It's a personal decision for me to chase my dreams."

UPDATE: Gordon tweeted on May 17 that he was headed to Seton Hall.

18. Sterling Smith

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Last played for: Coppin State

2015-16 destination: Pittsburgh

One of two graduate transfers Pittsburgh has secured so far this offseason, Sterling Smith might be hard-pressed to match the numbers he had in the MEAC (13.9 points per game, 41.8 percent three-point shooting) against stiffer competition. He averaged 7.4 points and made only eight of 26 threes for the Eagles in their five games against power-conference opponents last season.

But the Panthers can use any help they can get on the offensive end, as in 2014-15 they averaged only 67 points in going 19-15 and missing the NCAA tournament.

The 6'4" Smith effectively replaces Durand Johnson, who was suspended for all of last season and has since transferred from the program.

17. Mark Tollefsen

Last played for: San Francisco

2015-16 destination: Arizona

Despite being able to recruit with the best in the country, Arizona coach Sean Miller hasn't been against bringing in transfers to provide immediate help. He's previously had former Xavier guard Mark Lyons for one season and had ex-Duquesne guard T.J. McConnell the past two years, while former Boston College forward Ryan Anderson becomes eligible in the fall after sitting out 2014-15.

Knowing that he was likely to lose at least four starters from this past Elite Eight team—McConnell graduated, while Brandon Ashley, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Stanley Johnson all turned pro—Miller sought out an impact wing who could score and defend. Drexel's Damion Lee was the first option, but that fell through. He turned his attention to San Francisco forward Mark Tollefsen.

The 6'8" Tollefsen averaged 14 points and 5.4 rebounds on 53.5 percent shooting last season for the Dons, also making 37.8 percent of his three-point shots. Tollefsen also had a reputation for strong defense, which may end up being his main role with Arizona.

16. Tyler Harris

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Last played for: Providence

2015-16 destination: Auburn

After a year at North Carolina State and two more at Providence, Tyler Harris is still looking for a third and final school to wrap up his college career. He announced his decision to transfer in March, yet he's taken his time choosing from a long list of schools that have shown interest in the 6'9" forward.

According to Jeffrey Lee of Rivals.com, Harris plans to visit Oklahoma State this week before making his decision. He's visited or been visited by eight or nine other schools. Having taken his last final on Saturday, Harris told Lee he'll decide no later than May 17.

While Harris' numbers at Providence weren't superb, he did help the Friars reach back-to-back NCAA tournaments for the first time since 1989-90.

UPDATE: Harris tweeted on May 16 he would be an Auburn Tiger.

15. Jermaine Ruttley

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Last played for: Florida A&M

2015-16 destination: Alabama, Eastern Kentucky, Georgia Tech, Memphis, Oklahoma St., Purdue, Tennessee, Tulane or Western Kentucky

Jermaine Ruttley suffered through one of the worst seasons that any team in Division I had last year, as Florida A&M opened on a 23-game losing streak and finished 2-27. The Rattlers were banned from postseason play because of poor APR scores, yet Ruttley still shined with 17.4 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.

The 6'3" guard only spent one season at FAMU after transferring from a junior college, and last month, he committed to play for Louisiana Tech in 2015-16. But after Michael White left that program to coach Florida, Ruttley announced he would re-open his search rather than wait to see who Louisiana Tech hires to replace White, according to ESPN's Jeff Goodman.

The Kentucky native has both power and mid-major teams after him, and wherever he goes, he's likely to take a lot of shots, as he averaged just under 14 per game this past season.

14. Eli Carter

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Last played for: Florida

2015-16 destination: Boston College, Clemson, Creighton, DePaul, Georgetown, Georgia Tech, Iona, Long Beach State, Nevada, North Carolina State, Rutgers, Seton Hall or St. John's

Eli Carter never made much of a mark at Florida, playing on seven games in 2013-14 after recovering from a broken leg suffered after he transferred from Rutgers. Mostly healthy this past season, he averaged just 8.8 points and shot just 36.2 percent from the field, unable to step into a bigger role after the Gators graduated the core of their Final Four team.

Carter's best year came as a freshman at Rutgers, when the 6'2" guard from New Jersey averaged 14.9 points per game.

Had Carter stuck around, he might have been a better fit under new Florida coach Michael White, but instead he's hoping to land with a team that has available minutes for a veteran perimeter player.

13. Trey Lewis

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Last played for: Cleveland State

2015-16 destination: Louisville

Louisville's backcourt began its metamorphosis midway through last season when guard Chris Jones was dismissed from the team. After the season ended, Terry Rozier turned pro early, while Shaqquan Aaron and Anton Gill both transferred.

This prompted coach Rick Pitino to pursue a graduate transfer (or two, as it would turn out) with a specific emphasis on finding scoring ability for the perimeter. Trey Lewis fit that bill, coming off a season at Cleveland State where he set the school record for three-pointers in a season with 96.

The 6'2" Lewis shot 42.3 percent from outside while averaging 16.3 points per game for the Vikings, scoring 24 of their 33 points in a 45-33 loss to Louisville in November.

12. Durand Johnson

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Last played for: Pittsburgh

2015-16 destination: St. John's

Though graduate transfers don't have to sit out a year before playing for their new team, that in effect is what Durand Johnson will have done before he puts on a St. John's uniform for the first time. He didn't play for Pittsburgh in 2014-15 after being suspended just before its season opener, and no reason was ever given for the suspension.

Johnson used that time away from the Panthers to focus on his degree, and rather than try to get back in with Pitt, he opted to play for the Red Storm, where one of his former coaches (assistant Barry Rohrssen) joined new St. John's coach Chris Mullin's staff from Kentucky.

A 6'6" forward who averaged 8.8 points and 3.0 rebounds in 2013-14, Johnson actually hasn't played since tearing his ACL in January 2014. But with St. John's going through a total roster overhaul, even a player with Johnson's rust will be a welcome addition.

11. Ike Nwamu

Last played for: Mercer

2015-16 destination: UNLV

For the second year in a row, UNLV will be bringing in one of the top recruiting classes in the nation. But after two members of last year's group declared for the NBA draft after their freshman seasons, the Runnin' Rebels will once again be a very young team in need of veteran leadership.

San Francisco guard Cody Doolin was that player last year, and this time around, it will be former Mercer guard Ike Nwamu.

Nwamu averaged 15.1 points per game for the Bears last season, and the year before, he was a key contributor to the team that upset Duke in the NCAA tournament. One of the best dunkers in the country, he should fit in well with a system in which coach Dave Rice lets his players freelance.

UNLV lost four of its top five scorers from last season, with the top two—Christian Wood and Rashad Vaughn—turning pro.

10. Ricky Tarrant

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Last played for: Alabama

2015-16 destination: Memphis

A foot injury kept Ricky Tarrant from making a true impact for Alabama in his first season since transferring from Tulane. But even as he continues to rehab from minor knee surgery as well as a ruptured plantar fascia, Tarrant decided he didn't want to have to start over with another head coach.

Following Avery Johnson's hiring to replace the fired Anthony Grant, Tarrant was released from his scholarships and (assuming he's able to graduate this month) will finish out his career with Memphis. Tarrant only played in 19 games for the Crimson Tide, starting 13, while averaging 13.1 points per game.

Tarrant, a 6'2" guard, should give Memphis a reliable scorer in the backcourt who can also run the offense. The Tigers didn't have a perimeter player average better than eight points per game last year, and none had more than 2.7 assists.

9. Anton Grady

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Last played for: Cleveland State

2015-16 destination: Wichita State

With guards Ron Baker and Fred Van Vleet coming back for their senior seasons, it wasn't that surprising that Gregg Marshall chose not to leave Wichita State to coach another program for 2015-16. But in order for the Shockers to be able to get over the hump and return to the Final Four, they needed some size inside to match the veterans outside.

They got that on Friday when Anton Grady chose Wichita over Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Nebraska and others.

Grady, one of two Cleveland State standouts who skipped out for their final seasons, averaged 14.3 points and 7.9 rebounds per game in 2014-15 for the Vikings. He averaged 22.3 points and 12 rebounds over his final three games.

"Anton certainly fills a need within our program with the departure of Darius Carter," Wichita coach Gregg Marshall said in a statement, per Paul Suellentrop of the Wichita Eagle.

Carter led the Shockers at 5.4 rebounds last season.

Read more here: http://www.kansas.com/sports/college/wichita-state/article20503908.html#storylink=cpy

8. Rafael Maia

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Last played for: Brown

2015-16 destination: Pittsburgh

While the Ivy League isn't the same as the ACC, it's a major accomplishment to be able to lead any league in rebounding for three straight seasons. Rafael Maia managed to do that with Brown, and now he can try to give Pittsburgh even more size in the paint.

The 6'9", 245-pound Maia moved from Brazil to Maine for high school, but he had to sit out his freshman year at Brown after being declared ineligible by the NCAA. A three-time captain of Brazilian national teams, Maia averaged 8.7 rebounds along with 9.9 points on 53.8 percent shooting last season.

Maia, 6'9" junior Marcus Young and 6'11" junior college transfer Rozelle Nix will look to improve on the Panthers' poor defensive rebounding from last season.

7. Shonn Miller

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Last played for: Cornell

2015-16 destination: Connecticut

After sitting out the 2013-14 season with a shoulder injury, Shonn Miller came back strong last year with 16.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. That was good enough to land the 6'7" forward on the Ivy League's all-conference team, and it made him worthy of interest from power-conference schools who didn't take a liking to him years earlier.

Miller likely would have stayed with Cornell for his final season, but because the Ivy League doesn't allow players to redshirt or be graduate students, he had to look elsewhere to play. Connecticut had a need for a veteran scorer after Ryan Boatright graduated, and while he's similar in style to Huskies sophomore-to-be Daniel Hamilton, it is likely that Miller will be used at the 4 after having to play as an undersized post in the Ivy League.

6. Adam Smith

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Last played for: Virginia Tech

2015-16 destination: Georgia Tech

One of the few bright spots in Buzz Williams' first season at Virginia Tech was the play of Adam Smith, who led the Hokies in scoring (13.4 points per game) and three-point shooting (42.4 percent). But Smith wasn't happy with that ACC-based technological school and decided that going further south in the conference to Georgia Tech was the answer.

A native of Jonesboro, Georgia, who began his career at UNC-Wilmington, the 6'1" guard figures to be the Yellow Jackets' top outside threat for 2015-16. Georgia Tech made 26.7 of its three-pointers last season, third worst in Division I, and top three-point shooter Chris Bolden isn't expected back for his senior year after being suspended for the final six games.

5. Dylan Ennis

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Last played for: Villanova

2015-16 destination: Oregon

Dylan Ennis had a breakout season for Villanova in 2014-15, going from 5.1 points per game the year before to 9.9 while starting all 36 games. But Ennis played the 2 for the Wildcats alongside Ryan Arcidiacono, and while they both averaged 3.5 assists, Ennis wanted to have the chance to be the sole point guard.

Incoming star recruit Jalen Brunson was likely to prevent that from happening, so Ennis decided to find a place where he could run the offense. 

Oregon just so happens to have an opening at the 1, with Pac-12 player of the year Joseph Young graduating. The school has also had success with past transfers, including Young, and with Ennis making this his third college (he began at Rice), he was looking for a place where other expatriates have thrived.

Ennis' other choices were Baylor and Illinois, other teams in need of a point guard, but the Ducks won out.

4. Rasheed Sulaimon

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Last played for: Duke

2015-16 destination: Maryland

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski had never dismissed a scholarship player from his program until this winter, when junior forward Rasheed Sulaimon was booted for being "unable to consistently live up to the standards required to be a member of our program" (h/t USA Today). Not long after his dismissal, it was learned that Sulaimon had been the subject of a sexual assault investigation the year before, but the incidents appear to be unrelated.

The 6'4" guard last played for the Blue Devils in late January, but rather than leave school, he continued to work on his degree and is on track to graduate this summer. That would leave him with one year of eligibility remaining, though odds are he'll have his destination chosen before he has his diploma.

The Baltimore Sun reported Friday that Sulaimon made a visit to Maryland, a former ACC rival of Duke's that moved into the Big Ten last season. Terrapins coach Mark Turgeon was among the first to offer Sulaimon a scholarship in high school back when Turgeon was coaching at Texas A&M.

A full-time starter as a freshman in 2012-13, Sulaimon saw his minutes and production dip as his career progressed. He went from 11.6 points per game to 9.9 as a sophomore and then 7.5 (in 19.3 minutes) last season before getting dismissed.

Update: Jeff Goodman of ESPN tweeted Monday that Sulaimon will play next season for Maryland.

3. Mike Thorne

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Last played for: Charlotte

2015-16 destination: Illinois

Not many people had heard of Mike Thorne during his time at Charlotte, where he didn't see much playing time during his first two seasons and even as a junior averaged only 10.1 points and 7.3 rebounds in 26.1 minutes per game. But it wasn't those numbers that intrigued teams about Thorne but rather his dimensions, 6'11" and 270 pounds.

When the big man announced his transfer, he had no shortage of teams after his services, including Kentucky, which saw four post players leave early for the pros and was looking for instant contributions. Ultimately, Thorne chose Illinois over Kentucky, Kansas and others.

With the Fighting Illini, he'll be expected to provide an inside presence they lacked this past season in going 19-14 and losing to Alabama in the first round of the NIT. Illinois graduates its top two rebounders, leading scorer Rayvonte Rice and center Nnanna Egwu.

2. Damion Lee

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Last played for: Drexel

2015-16 destination: Louisville

Damion Lee had one of the best seasons of any player in Division I in 2014-15, but because his team was so bad, no one was able to appreciate his effort. With the opportunity to play his final year with a program where he could win, Lee jumped at the chance.

The 6'6" wing averaged 21.4 points per game last season, which ranked tied for fourth in the country. The other players in the top five all made either the NCAA tournament or the NIT, while Lee's Drexel team finished with an 11-19 record that included an embarrassing loss to Division II University of the Sciences.

Lee, who also chipped in 6.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists while shooting 88.7 percent from the free-throw line, ended up choosing Louisville over Arizona, Gonzaga, Maryland and Marquette, all of whom could have benefited from a veteran scorer of his ilk.

"I'm just coming in as an older guy, a guy who's been through the fire, been through it all," Lee told Jeff Greer of the Louisville Courier-Journal.

Lee helps fill the void of departures that took 78 percent of Louisville's scoring with it. He and fellow transfer Trey Lewis figure to both start in the fall.

1. Sterling Gibbs

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Last played for: Seton Hall

2015-16 destination: Baylor, Connecticut, North Carolina State, Ohio State, Pittsburgh or VCU

The biggest graduate transfer on the market also happens to be one of the last to throw his name out for a move, and it was a surprising one at that. Sterling Gibbs played his last game for Seton Hall on March 7, but the 6'2" guard didn't announce he was leaving the Pirates until April 27.

According to Zach Braziler of the New York Post, there was locker room friction between Gibbs and freshman Isaiah Whitehead, and close friend Jaren Sina left the team in February and ended up transferring to George Washington.

Gibbs averaged 16.3 points per game for Seton Hall last season, his second with the program after starting his career at Texas. Having already sat out a year because of that transfer, Gibbs only has one season of eligibility remaining, but his scoring ability and nonstop motor are highly valued by plenty of suitors.

Gibbs' older brother, Ashton, played for Pittsburgh from 2008 to 2012, and younger brother Temple is a 4-star guard who has committed to play for Notre Dame in 2016, according to 247Sports.

Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.