NBA Draft: Four Mid-Major Transfers to Monitor This Season

Let's dive into four high-major players who transferred from mid-major schools to monitor this season.

Tennessee guard Chaz Lanier (2) tries to get past Indiana guard Kanaan Carlyle (9) during a college basketball exhibition game on Sunday, October 27, 2024, in Knoxville. Tenn. / Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In the increasingly complicated college basketball landscape of Name, Image, and Likeness, many opponents argue that players don't develop at the original program they committed to and often transfer if they don't receive enough playing time or money through Name, Image, and Likeness.

However, the new college basketball landscape, including Name, Image, and Likeness and not having to sit out a year when transferring, has led to an abundance of upward movement -- providing players at mid-majors more opportunity to transfer up to high-major schools. This provides increased opportunity to showcase their skills to a broader audience, receive more money in scholarships or in Name, Image, and Likeness, and also have access to better coaches and facilities.

Many mid-major players did this exact thing this past summer, transferring from their former schools to high-major, Power Five schools and an opportunity to prove that they can play basketball at the same level as the top talent in the country.

Let's take a look at five players who transferred from mid-major schools to Power Five schools that we should monitor as potential NBA prospects this season.

Chaz Lanier, Tennessee

Tennessee guard Chaz Lanier (2) moves towards the basket while guarded by Indiana guard Kanaan Carlyle (9) during a college basketball exhibition game on Sunday, October 27, 2024, in Knoxville. Tenn. / Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Former School: North Florida

Year: Fifth Year

Listed Height/Weight: 6-foot-5/207 pounds

Age at Time of 2025 NBA Draft: 23.5 years old

Chaz Lanier is likely living out a dream come true -- the 6-foot-5 guard was born in Nashville, Tennessee and now gets to return to the University of Tennessee to play basketball at the highest collegiate level. Lanier previously played four years at North Florida where he earned All-A-Sun honors last season. He averaged 19.7 points per game while shooting 68.6% at the rim (118 attempts) and 44% from beyond the arc on 241 total attempts (13 3PA/100 possessions).

While his scoring numbers were off the charts, it will be interesting to see how the rest of his game develops -- as his 11.7 assist percentage, 2.4 stock percentage, and 8.3 total rebound percentage indicates he may be a score-first guard whose playmaking and ability to impact the game in other ways is still developing. His self-creation skills allowed him to be unassisted on around 57% of his made field goals last season, so it will be interesting to see how these skills translate against tougher competition.

Lanier started and scored 18 points and recorded one rebound in Tennessee's first game of the season while converting four of his six three point attempts and three of his six two point attempts.

BJ Freeman, Arizona State

Milwaukee Panthers guard BJ Freeman (10) drives the ball as he is guarded by Detroit Mercy Titans guard Marcus Tankersley (4) during the second half of their game on Thursday January 25, 2024 at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena in Milwaukee, Wis. / Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

Former School: Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Year: Senior

Listed Height/Weight: 6-foot-6/200 pounds

Age at Time of 2025 NBA Draft: 23.0 years old

BJ Freeman played his freshman collegiate season at Dodge City Community College in Kansas before transferring to Milwaukee for two seasons and now Arizona State for his senior season. He averaged 21.1 points, 4.1 assists, 6.6 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game last season for Milwaukee while shooting 35.1% from three (188 attempts; 12.2 three point attempts per 100 possessions) and 82.4% from the free throw line (153 attempts).

Additionally, Freeman recorded an impressive 27.2 assist percentage and solid 3.3 stock percentage last season. One thing to monitor is that Freeman converted 49.7% of his 195 rim attempts last season and only had four dunks -- both potential subpar finishing metrics to monitor this season.

Freeman had 12 points, eight rebounds, four assists, one steal, and two blocks in 22 minutes in his first game with Arizona State.

Kobe Sanders, Nevada

New Nevada basketball player Kobe Sanders (8) participates in practice at the Ramon Sessions Basketball Performance Center at the University of Nevada, Reno on Sept. 26, 2024. / JASON BEAN/RGJ / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Former School: Cal-Poly

Year: Fifth Year

Listed Height/Weight: 6-foot-9/207 pounds

Kobe Sanders is a 6-foot-9 guard who averaged 19.6 points, 3.2 assists, 1.1 stocks, and 2.9 turnovers per game last season with Cal-Poly while converting 34% of his threes (112 attempts; 6.9 three point attempts per 100 possessions) and 87.4% of his free throws (199 attempts). A stellar statistical profile, Sanders also recorded a 25.3 assist percentage last season while being unassisted on 71.3% of his made field goals last season.

In his first game, Sanders started and scored 27 points in 34 minutes to go along with four assists, six rebounds, one steal, and one block while converting nine of his 14 field goal attempts -- including going two for three from beyond the arc and hitting seven of his eight free throws.

Frankie Fidler, Michigan State

Nov 7, 2024; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans forward Frankie Fidler (8) makes the shot and draws a foul too during the second half against the Niagara Purple Eagles at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-Imagn Images / Dale Young-Imagn Images

Former School: Omaha

Year: Senior

Listed Height/Weight: 6-foot-7/217 pounds

Age at Time of 2025 NBA Draft: 22.2 years old

Fidler previously played three seasons at Omaha, where he averaged 20.1 points, 2.6 assists, 6.3 rebounds, 1.6 stocks, and 2.3 turnovers per game while shooting 35.6% from three (146 attempts; 7.2 three point attempts per 100 possessions) and 85.4% from the free throw line (253 attempts). He also converted 62.6% of his rim attempts (99 attempts) and recorded a15.4 assist percentage, 3.3 stock percentage and low 8.8 turnover percentage last season.

Fidler has started both games for the Spartans, averaging 10 points, 3.5 rebounds, and one assist in 19.5 minutes per game while shooting 35.7% from the field (14 attempts), 20% from three (five attempts), and 75% (12 attempts) from the free throw line. His shooting efficiency hasn't been great, but it's only been a small sample size of two games.

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