College Basketball Drives NBA Draft, 12 Lottery Picks Expected

The 2025 college basketball transfer portal season has seen significant shifts as programs leverage transfers and NIL deals to rebuild and enhance their rosters. BYU's Egor Demin exemplifies the new development pipeline, having moved from Spain to Utah to play under former NBA coach Kevin Young, who offers a professional-style program designed to prepare players for the NBA. NC State, under new head coach Will Wade, has amassed the No. 14 transfer class by securing top talent like former Texas Tech forward Darrion Williams, signaling a major roster upgrade after a disappointing previous season. Meanwhile, TCU's basketball program has been active in the portal, with key transfers such as Vasean Allette and Frankie Collins joining to bolster the squad amid a rapidly changing collegiate sports environment driven by NIL incentives. Virginia Tech is also rebuilding through the transfer portal following a mass departure of players after a subpar season, adding versatile talents like Amani Hansberry and Izaiah Pasha to revitalize the Hokies. Across these programs, the transfer portal and NIL landscape are reshaping college basketball, emphasizing immediate impact and professional preparation.