Big East Midseason Transfer Power Rankings: Hits, Misses, and Breakouts

Ranking the top ten most impactful transfers, as well as a look at players thriving elsewhere and how former Friars have fared to date.

The transfer portal hasn’t defined the Big East in 2025-26 — UConn’s dominance is proof of that — but it has reshaped the league beyond the Huskies. As the season hits its midpoint, the impact of newcomers at schools like Butler, Seton Hall, and Villanova is impossible to miss — and just as notable are the classes that haven’t lived up to expectations. Meanwhile, there are several players who departed the league last spring and are thriving elsewhere.

Here’s a look at the league’s most impactful additions and the departures making noise in new conferences.

The Big East’s Top Ten Transfers (as of Dec. 23)

1. Michael Ajayi, Butler: The Bulldogs are off to a surprising 9-3 start behind Ajayi, the Gonzaga transfer who most recently tore up Northwestern to the tune of 19 points and 20 rebounds. The combo forward is putting up 16.8 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game.

2. Duke Brennan, Villanova: Either Ajayi or Brennan could make their case as the top rebounder in the nation. Brennan leads the country with a ridiculous 5.3 offensive rebounds per game and is putting up 12.2 points, 11.6 boards, and 2.0 assists for a 9-2 Villanova club.

3. Silas Demary Jr., UConn: His scoring numbers aren’t as gaudy as others on this list, but that comes with playing on a team with such great talent. Demary Jr. leads the league in assists (5.8), while adding 9.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game for Dan Hurley’s 12-1 Huskies.

4. Tre Carroll, Xavier: Carroll has quietly been one of the more versatile scorers in the league. He’s a tough post player who is capable of stretching defenses beyond the arc (37.9% from three). The FAU transfer is averaging 16.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game.

5. Budd Clark, Seton Hall: Clark has been the tone-setter for a resurgent Seton Hall club that already has four more wins than all of last season. Clark is second in the Big East in assists (5.8), first in steals (2.2), and has the second-best plus/minus mark in the league. The diminutive point guard also adds scoring punch (10.1 PPG) and has made a number of big plays late in games.

6. KJ Lewis, Georgetown: Lewis could very well be the best perimeter defender in the conference. He’s also averaging 14.3 points per game (sixth-best of all transfers), 5.7 rebounds (also sixth-best), 2.8 assists, and 2.1 steals per game (just trailing Clark for tops in the league).

7. Bryce Lindsay, Villanova: Lindsay’s 16.7 points per game are third-best among this transfer class, while he’s hitting threes at an outstanding 44.3% clip.

8. Jaylin Sellers, Providence: Sellers has shot the lights out of late and he’s averaging 16.1 points per game on 50.6% shooting from two and 43.3% beyond the arc. Add in 4.5 rebounds per game, and there’s not much more Kim English could have asked for offensively from Sellers.

9. AJ Staton-McCray, Seton Hall: Staton-McCray has just been rock solid for Shaheen Holloway and the Pirates: 13.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.0 steals, and 36.7% shooting from distance. McCray has the second-best plus/minus mark of any of the players in this Big East transfer class.

10. Jason Edwards, Providence: Edwards’ stats have been great for Providence through 12 games. His 18.5 points per game lead the Big East, he’s shooting 54% inside the arc and 36.5% beyond it, while his 3.5 assists per game are a career high at the D1 level.

Honorable Mention: It’s shocking that St. John’s acclaimed class doesn’t have one player on this list, but Oziyah Sellers has been solid (11.2 points on 41% shooting from three), while Joson Sanon (10.7 PPG) is starting to emerge. Of course, the most glaring omission is Bryce Hopkins — and that’s earned. At 13.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists for a St. John’s team that’s the biggest disappointment in the league at 7-4, it’s tough to give Hopkins the nod over anyone in the top ten. TJ Simpkins of Seton Hall (11.8 points, 50% shooting from three) got a long look.

The Big East’s Top Ten Transfers Having an Impact Elsewhere

1. Ryan Conwell, Louisville: Conwell has shined at Louisville this season, scoring 19.2 points a night on 39.3% from three. He’s also grabbing 4.6 rebounds.

2. Gus Yalden, Vermont: The Gus Bus is getting it done in Burlington: 17.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 41.0% shooting from three for the former Pirate.

3. Jayden Epps, Mississippi State: Once thought to be a cornerstone for Ed Cooley at Georgetown, Epps is averaging 16.9 points on efficient numbers — 60% from two and 38.5% from three at his third stop.

4. Aiden Mahaney, UC Santa Barbara: After falling out of Hurley’s rotation in Storrs, Mahaney has rediscovered his game: 16.5 points, 40.7% from three, and 3.1 assists per game.

5. Justyn Fernandez, Delaware: Fernandez was a signature recruit for English when he was at George Mason, and Fernandez followed English to PC before departing for Delaware. Fernandez is putting up 16.0 points a night on 46.3% shooting from three, to go along with 4.3 rebounds a game. He’s made five 3-pointers in two of the eight games he’s appeared in.

6. Frederick King, Murray State: The longtime backup to Ryan Kalkbrenner has been very good this season: 13.0 points and 8.2 boards a night. The Jays could’ve used his physicality this season.

7. Cam’Ron Fletcher, High Point: Fletcher has found a home at High Point (after stops at Kentucky, Florida State, and Xavier), as he’s putting up 15.7 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, while shooting 63% inside the arc.

8. John Hugley IV, Duquesne: The veteran big man is averaging 15.9 points and 5.6 rebounds per game at his fourth stop in five years (Pitt, Oklahoma, Xavier).

9. Dailyn Swain, Texas: Sean Miller brought Swain with him from Xavier to Texas and has been rewarded. Swain is a 14.8-point-per-game scorer and he’s grabbed 6.4 rebounds.

10. Jordan Burks, UCF: Burks has been efficient in scoring 13.7 points per game, making 57% from two and 40.8% beyond the arc after transferring in from Georgetown.

Honorable Mention: Xavier transfer Trey Green is putting up 12.6 points on 46.2% from three at St. Louis, while former Hoyas Drew Fielder (12.4 points, 4.1 rebounds) and Curtis Williams Jr. (13.6 points, 5.1 rebounds) have settled in well at Boise State and Tulane, respectively. Vince Iwuchukwu had made a solid transition from St. John’s to Georgetown (11.8 points, 2.0 blocks) before being sidelined due to a heart procedure.

Checking in on More Former Friars

Jayden Pierre is scoring 11 points per game on 40.4% shooting beyond the arc at TCU, while Anton Bonke is enjoying averages of 9.9 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks at Charlotte.

Garwey Dual is putting up 8.7 points and 2.5 steals at McNeese State (but has yet to figure out his jumper — 16.7% from three), while Eli DeLaurier has started four games at ECU, but has not made a dent statistically (3.0 points, 1.7 rebounds). Christ Essandoko has started three games at South Carolina, but is shooting sub-30% inside the arc and averaging 2.8 points and 2.0 rebounds per game.