One of the most sought-after guards in the college basketball transfer portal, Acaden Lewis, revealed Tuesday that he will be leaving Villanova University to join the University of Miami basketball program.
Lewis had originally backed out of his commitment to Kentucky last spring, with Miami pursuing him before he ultimately selected Villanova. During his freshman campaign with the Wildcats, the talented guard posted impressive numbers with 12.2 points per game, 5.3 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.9 steals. His standout performance came in the final regular season matchup against Xavier, where he recorded 14 points and 12 assists in a victory. The left-handed point guard earned recognition as a second-team All-Big East selection and was also named to the conference’s all-freshman squad.
When Lewis entered the transfer portal last week, he simultaneously declared his eligibility for the NBA draft as well.
Miami completed their inaugural season under head coach Jai Lucas with a 26-9 record, advancing to the NCAA Tournament’s Round of 32 before falling to Purdue.
Student-athletes have until April 21 to enter the transfer portal, though they are not required to select their new institution by that deadline.
In other transfer news, KJ Lewis is making another move westward after spending one year at Georgetown, announcing his decision to join Southern California. Following two seasons primarily as a reserve player at Arizona, Lewis became a key contributor for the Hoyas, recording 14.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.1 steals per game across 28 contests (27 as a starter). Throughout his 101-game collegiate career, he maintains averages of 10.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.4 assists.
Memphis has secured its first two additions of this transfer period, with former Pittsburgh guard Brandin Cummings announcing his commitment to the Tigers. Multiple sources also report that Washington State sharpshooter Rihards Vavers will be joining coach Penny Hardaway’s squad. Cummings departs Pittsburgh after two seasons, having averaged 12.5 points and 2.1 assists per game before an ankle injury limited his sophomore campaign to just 19 games. Vavers, who hails from Latvia, contributed 11.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game while connecting on 41.2% of his three-point attempts last season. Across his three-year career spanning Quinnipiac and Washington State, Vavers has knocked down 132 three-pointers at a 41.0% success rate.
West Virginia made two significant additions this week, bringing in former Georgia Tech center Mouhamed Sylla on Tuesday, following Monday’s signing of ex-Butler guard Finley Bizjack. The 6-foot-10 Sylla, who represents Senegal, contributed 9.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks across 16 games (15 starts) during his rookie season. Bizjack finished as the Big East’s third-highest scorer with 17.1 points per game, earning All-Big East third-team honors after shooting 42.6% from the field and 34.9% from beyond the arc, while also contributing 2.5 assists and 2.2 rebounds per game. Over his three-year Butler career, he averaged 10.4 points and 2.1 rebounds in 98 appearances (61 starts).
Forward Jamier Jones has chosen to continue his career at Missouri following an impressive freshman campaign at Providence. Jones delivered 11.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists across 31 games (19 starts), while shooting an efficient 57% from the field and 38.7% from three-point territory.
According to ESPN reports, Indiana has expanded its recruiting haul by securing a commitment from SMU center Samet Yigitoglu. The 7-foot-2 Turkish native spent two seasons at SMU, accumulating 10.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks over 66 career games (all starts), including 10.7 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks this past season. At Indiana, he will team up with guards Markus Burton (Notre Dame), Darren Harris (Duke), and Jaeden Mustaf (Georgia Tech), who committed to the Hoosiers on Monday.
Houston has added high-scoring guard Corey Hadnot II from Purdue Fort Wayne. Hadnot earned first-team All-Horizon League recognition after leading the conference with 20.4 points per game. He also contributed 4.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.8 steals across 32 games (all starts) in his third collegiate season, all spent with the Mastodons.
Furman forward Cooper Bowser, who emerged as a breakout star, has committed to Arkansas. The 6-foot-11 Bowser enjoyed his best season in his third year at Furman, posting 13.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game while shooting an impressive 76.6% from the field. During Furman’s first-round NCAA Tournament defeat to eventual runner-up UConn, Bowser recorded nine points, five rebounds, four assists, and two blocks.
Guard Wes Enis will be transferring to Creighton after an outstanding freshman season at South Florida. Enis averaged 16.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game while shooting 35.2% from three-point range across 32 games (29 starts). He recorded 13 games with at least 20 points and reached the 30-point mark twice, making 10 three-pointers in both of those performances.
