NCAAB · 1 year ago

CBB Transfer Portal: 5 Landing Spots for DJ Wagner

TJ Inman

Host · Writer

5. Memphis Tigers
Very few things about the current Memphis Tigers basketball program have anything to do with the Memphis program. DJ Wagner’s father (Dajuan Wagner) played for more than 20 years ago, but nostalgia is an interesting thing. Head coach Penny Hardaway is a good recruiter, and the Memphis Tigers have a pretty good portal haul. The program has strong support and a very robust NIL program, plus a step down to the American Athletic Conference would make a lot of sense for a player who needs to regain his confidence.

Memphis 2025 NCAA Title Odds: +6500
1. Arkansas Razorbacks
The obvious destination would be the Arkansas Razorbacks. John Calipari won the DJ Wagner sweepstakes the first time around and gave the young guard a ton of leeway despite fellow freshmen Rob Dillingham and Reed Sheppard consistently outplaying him. Calipari still has a skeleton of a roster in Fayetteville as he works to try to bring the high-profile incoming freshman class he recruited to Kentucky with him to Arkansas, plus talent through the transfer portal. Wagner still has a lot of upside, and Calipari coached his father at Memphis, so the relationship goes a long way back. Wagner visited Arkansas in mid-May, and the Razorbacks felt great about their chances. Wagner is not one to make a flashy announcement, but the longer it goes without a public commitment to Arkansas, the more it appears the Razorbacks might need to move to other targets.

Arkansas 2025 NCAA Title Odds: +3500
2. Louisville Cardinals
DJ Wagner was the No. 6 overall recruit in the 2023 class and spent significant time ranked first. Wagner chose Kentucky over Louisville in a major battle between the Bluegrass State rivals. Despite being given a long leash, Wagner struggled in his freshman campaign. He averaged 9.9 points and shot only 40.5% from the field. While he never expected to be in college for a second season, it was necessary after his rocky 2023-2024. Pat Kelsey is the new coach at Louisville, and Wagner nearly chose the Cardinals the first time around. Louisville would make sense if he is comfortable in Kentucky and wants to be a vital piece of a rebuilding roster. The Cardinals have taken other guards and might no longer be in play for Wagner's services.

Louisville 2025 NCAA Title Odds: +10000
3. Seton Hall Pirates
DJ Wagner committed to Kentucky but is originally from Camden, New Jersey. The Garden State presents two in-state high-major college basketball options that could appeal to Wagner. The first one would be Shaheen Holloway’s Seton Hall Pirates. Seton Hall just won the NIT and is considered a program on the rise under Holloway's guidance. Dre Davis is transferring, and Al-Amir Dawes is out of eligibility, so the Pirates could use the potential firepower that Wagner could bring to the Big East. The Pirates still need playmakers, and Wagner could be the focal point of the attack.
4. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
The other New Jersey option would be a trip to Piscataway to play for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. Rutgers lost a lot of production from a pretty bad team in 2023-2024, but they are bringing in a pair of elite recruits who have injected some much-needed energy into the Scarlet Knights program. Rutgers has not played an attractive brand of basketball, but that could change with the increase in talent on the roster. DJ Wagner would answer a significant question at guard and raise the ceiling for the team as another elite recruit added to the mix.

Rutgers 2025 NCAA Title Odds: +5000
5. Memphis Tigers
Very few things about the current Memphis Tigers basketball program have anything to do with the Memphis program. DJ Wagner’s father (Dajuan Wagner) played for more than 20 years ago, but nostalgia is an interesting thing. Head coach Penny Hardaway is a good recruiter, and the Memphis Tigers have a pretty good portal haul. The program has strong support and a very robust NIL program, plus a step down to the American Athletic Conference would make a lot of sense for a player who needs to regain his confidence.

Memphis 2025 NCAA Title Odds: +6500
1. Arkansas Razorbacks
The obvious destination would be the Arkansas Razorbacks. John Calipari won the DJ Wagner sweepstakes the first time around and gave the young guard a ton of leeway despite fellow freshmen Rob Dillingham and Reed Sheppard consistently outplaying him. Calipari still has a skeleton of a roster in Fayetteville as he works to try to bring the high-profile incoming freshman class he recruited to Kentucky with him to Arkansas, plus talent through the transfer portal. Wagner still has a lot of upside, and Calipari coached his father at Memphis, so the relationship goes a long way back. Wagner visited Arkansas in mid-May, and the Razorbacks felt great about their chances. Wagner is not one to make a flashy announcement, but the longer it goes without a public commitment to Arkansas, the more it appears the Razorbacks might need to move to other targets.

Arkansas 2025 NCAA Title Odds: +3500

CBB Transfer Portal: 5 Landing Spots for DJ Wagner

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