Every year I get asked questions around this topic. It started when Oakland really seemed, to some, to have a problem with transfers leaving at the end of the season. I really think it just went back to Jaevin Cumberland and Braden Norris leaving and with it, the taste that was left in many Oakland fan’s mouths. That said, it has become a tradition that I take a stab at the who is going to enter their name into the transfer portal.
So based on absolutely nothing other than gut instinct here’s my best guesses at who stays around at Oakland for the 23-24 season:
Lorne Bowman – I think he will be gone. Lorne has a lot going on in his life. Sometimes there’s things bigger than basketball. The talent is there but end of the day, I’m not sure this is going to end up the fit everyone hoped it would be.
Rocket Watts – Will be wearing the black and gold next year. Hopefully he can build on his first year here and become the player he was expected to be for many years. Time is running out to make an impact for a professional career.
Will Shepard – I like Will Shepard a lot. He seems like a great kid and does very well in the classroom. After two years with only minimal playing time, I think the Texas native transfers home. He doesn’t seem to have a place at Oakland as a big with shooting being the main weapon.
Trey Townsend– …. come on.
Blake Lampman – Will be back for Oakland for another year. He has a place in the makeup of any Kampe team. Any transfer would likely be down and I don’t see any reason he would do that. Hopefully after his surgery and recovery he comes back ready to shoot the way he’s looked to.
Osei Price – This was the most difficult one for me. I go back and forth every time I think about it, but I am going to guess he stays. I think he has a great role within Oakland and I don’t think a transfer anywhere else would be a move up from the Horizon. I think Oakland is probably a great place unless he wants to play closer to home and transfer to a school in the NEC.
Brody Parker – I think he will continue to be a part of Oakland basketball. From expecting to be a redshirt to playing minutes down the stretch, I think he will continue to serve as a depth guard piece for Kampe.
Chris Conway – This is a big one for the Golden Grizzlies. They need Conway to return. He has a great friendship with Townsend and I think that’s a factor in him staying. The ability to have Conway, Townsend and Aundre Polk in the middle next year for Oakland could mean an advantage in the middle.
Darius Sherman – It pains me to say I think we have seen the last of the high flyer on the blacktop. He just never got the opportunity as he redshirted as a freshman and then rode the bench this season. It’s too bad. This kid is ELECTRIC when given the chance to dunk.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/1gDSb06ARHI
Cooper Craggs – A redshirt freshman, I think he sticks around for another year. I don’t know that he contributed next year but I think he sticks around.
Chuol Deng – Another bigger body that didn’t get the playing time they needed, I think they stick around for another year and get some minutes down low. Would I be shocked to see them transfer? Not at all. But I just have a feeling we see another go around.
Dominic Capriotti – A sharpshooter out of Arizona that redshirted this year. I think he sticks around to see if he can become the next “the shooter” for Oakland.
It’s been talked about a lot. Oakland has to win the transfer portal. Part of that is they need a point guard. They probably need two. They also need to keep the pieces to build the roster. Sometimes players transfer because they’re told they are not a part of the future at Oakland. You can’t forget that is a factor to the portal. Add a PG or two and then you’re looking at depth to hopefully cut down on minutes for starters.
Who can crack a Kampe 8 or 9-man rotation?
