Triangle college basketball transfer portal tracker: Latest on Duke, UNC and NC State
College basketball’s free agency period is in full swing, and Duke, North Carolina and N.C. State are all impacted.
The NCAA transfer portal is the place where players seeking a new home get connected with schools seeking their services.
With more than 1,400 players having entered their names in the portal, The News and Observer sports team will keep track of the comings and goings from the Triangle’s three ACC schools here. This story will be updated regularly as the Blue Devils, Tar Heels and Wolfpack add players or see their own players put their names in the NCAA transfer portal.
The deadline for players to enter their names the portal is May 1. But players still in the portal after May 1 can continue to choose their new schools and transfer.
Duke
The Blue Devils have seen one player enter the transfer portal and have added two transfers.
On the way out —
Michael Savarino, guard: The 6-foot Savarino, who is Mike Krzyzewski’s grandson, was a walk-on at Duke following his high school career at Durham Academy. Following two years in that role from 2019-21, Savarino was given a scholarship for the 2021-22 season. He played in 11 games last season. He’s on track to complete his Duke degree this summer and is looking to transfer to a smaller program where he can compete for playing time.
Joey Baker, forward: Baker played in 34 games last season as Duke went 32-7, won the ACC regular-season championship and reached the Final Four. He averaged 4.5 points per game. For his career, he averaged 4.1 points per game over 88 games while making 39.4% of his shots, including 37.9% of his 3-point shots.
On the way in —
Kale Catchings, forward: After four seasons playing for Tommy Amaker at Harvard, Catchings has one season of eligibility remaining due the NCAA’s COVID-19 guidelines. Since the Ivy League doesn’t allow graduates to continue playing, he announced on April 26 that he would use his final season to play at Duke. The 6-6, 220-pound Catchings, from O’Fallon, Missouri, in suburban St. Louis, started 24 games for Harvard last season, averaging 9.1 points and four rebounds.
He arrives at Duke with a solid basketball pedigree. His aunt is Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer Tamika Catchings, the former Tennessee and WNBA star. Kale’s grandfather is Harvey Catchings, who played in the NBA from 1974-85.
Ryan Young, center: The 6-10, 240-pound Young, formerly at Northwestern, visited the Duke campus on April 28 and committed to the Blue Devils on April 30.
Young averaged nine points and 4.2 rebounds in 31 games last season as a junior with the Wildcats, playing 17.1 minutes per game as a reserve. Young scored 20 points twice last season, in games against High Point and Fairleigh Dickinson. But his most impressive performance came on Jan. 15 when he scored 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds in Northwestern’s 64-62 win at Michigan State.
Young entered the transfer portal on March 24 and has two years of eligibility remaining. Duke sought an experienced post player to fill the role Theo John played behind Mark Williams last season. This looks like a good fit.
N.C. State
The Wolfpack has seen four of its players enter the transfer portal and the program has received commitments from two players who are coming to N.C. State for next season.
On the way out —
Manny Bates, center: Missed all of last season after suffering a shoulder injury during N.C. State’s season-opening game on Nov. 9. The 6-11, 230-pound Bates was among the ACC’s top defensive centers in 2020-21. He’s committed to play at Butler.
Cam Hayes, guard: Has committed to play at LSU next season. The 6-3, 180-pound Hayes averaged seven points and 2.1 assists per game last season for the Wolfpack as a sophomore.
Jaylon Gibson, forward: After playing in 17 games as a freshman for the Wolfpack last season, averaging 0.8 points and 0.9 rebounds per game, the 6-10, 220-pound Gibson committed to play at Division II Winston-Salem State.
Thomas Allen, guard: Following two seasons at Nebraska and two at N.C. State, Allen entered the portal to use his fifth season of eligibility at a new school. He committed to Ball State on May 11. The 6-1 Allen averaged 3.8 points per game last season in a reserve role for the Wolfpack.
On the way in —
Jarkel Joiner, guard: An Oxford, Mississippi, native, Joiner played the past two seasons at Mississippi after playing two seasons at Cal-State Bakersfield. The 6-1 point guard, who has committed to join N.C. State this summer, scored 13.2 points per game while hitting 41% of his shots for the Rebels last season. He averaged double-figures in scoring all four of his collegiate seasons.
Jack Clark, guard: At La Salle last season, the 6-8 Clark averaged 12 points and 5.8 rebounds per game as a junior. He committed to N.C. State and gives the Wolfpack a much-needed perimeter scoring threat.
Dusan Mahorcic, forward: Played 13 games at Utah last season, averaging 5.5 points per game. The 6-10 Mahorcic started his college career at Illinois State. Was suspended in January for a violation of team rules and never returned to the Utes. Will provided much needed depth in N.C. State front court.
D.J. Burns, forward: Averaged 12.4 points per game during his career at Winthrop. The 6-9 Burns was named the Big South Player of The Year after the 2021-22 season.
North Carolina
On the way out —
Kerwin Walton, guard: The Hopkins, Minnesota native started 20 games as a freshman and was the Tar Heels most consistent 3-point threat, leading the team with 58 makes and a 42.0 3-point shooting percentage. But that didn’t translate into him taking a bigger role as a sophomore this past season. Walton started just one game and played only sparingly when Davis tightened his rotation to close out the season. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard averaged just 3.4 points per game after averaging 8.2 points as a freshman.
Dawson Garcia, forward: The 6-11, 235-pound Garcia left UNC’s team during the season, citing a family medical situation. He’s committed to play at Minnesota next season, allowing him to return to his home state. He starred at Prior Lake High School at Savage, Minnesota, before playing his freshman season at Marquette in 2020-21.
Anthony Harris, guard: Originally a Virginia Tech commit in 2019, the 6-4 Harris came to UNC instead but tore the ACL in his right knee in a December 2019 game as a freshman. He played in 16 games during the 2020-21 season but only 14 last season.
Ryan McAdoo, guard/forward: The 6-foot-5 wing and son of Hall of Famer Bob McAdoo played his freshman season at Florida Gulf Coast before following his father’s footsteps and transferring to UNC. McAdoo played in just 26 games total in three years at Carolina. He’ll enter the portal as a graduate transfer and have one season of eligibility remaining.
This story was originally published April 26, 2022 at 1:00 PM.