QuoteKentucky Wildcats and newly appointed head coach Mark Pope are zeroing in on another top-tier player currently in the transfer portal. According to Matt Norlander of CBS Sports, the Wildcats are close to landing North Florida guard Chaz Lanier. Lanier opted to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal back in late April and has been the target of several elite men's college basketball programs, including some of the Wildcats' rivals in the SEC, like the Tennessee Volunteers.

Six-foot-four shooting guard was nearly a lock to commit to the Volunteers. Many experts believe that, given that Lanier is a product of Tennessee, growing up in Nashville and attending Enworth High School, it all but assured that he would join Rick Barnes and company in Knoxville for the upcoming 2024-25 campaign.

According to On3's transfer portal rankings, Lanier is currently ranked as the 8th best player in the college basketball transfer portal and second among shooting guards.

Quote from: logic on Today at 09:06:42 pmNeither made the ESPN top 100.  Most of our players are better than that.  After all, before all the transfers, etc. at the beginning of the year including Sasha  we had 5 McDonald All Americans.  When you can't compete with 5 McDonald All Americans, something is seriously wrong.

Quote"Players Era Festival," a Thanksgiving-week event on the Las Vegas Strip is generating a lot of buzz in the college basketball world. In addition to three days of games (off on Thanksgiving Day) featuring eight schools in 2024, the festival is set to feature live music and other events for fans. What's truly setting "Players Era" apart from other "feast week" hoops events is NIL.

According to Matt Norlander and Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports, Players Era is offering some big-time NIL contributions. The eight participating schools in 2024 will receive $1 million payouts to NIL collectives. In addition, player participants will have the opportunity to sign long-term NIL contract for further earning opportunities.

Alabama and Texas A&M will reportedly be part of the 2024 event, along with Houston, Notre Dame, Oregon, Rutgers and San Diego State. The eighth team is reportedly being decided from a "small group."

Tuesday's report indicates that the above seven schools have signed a three-year agreement. In 2025, plans are to expand to 16 teams. Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas, Michigan, Syracuse and Virginia have reportedly engaged in discussions for 2025.

QuoteFormer Texas A&M guard Bryce Lindsay will transfer to play for James Madison in 2024-25, he announced Tuesday. He spent just one year with the Aggies but had his freshman season cut short due to injury.

QuoteFormer DePaul guard Elijah Fisher has committed to Pacific.

This will be Fisher's third school in as many seasons.