The transfer portal keeps reshaping the college basketball map, and a few mid-major programs have found themselves with real difference-makers for 2026-27. Gonzaga, Saint Louis, Saint Mary’s, Grand Canyon and UNLV all landed players who have already shown they can produce at the high-major level, and in some cases, far beyond it.
Gonzaga may have come out with the most complete haul. Massamba Diop arrives after a freshman season at Arizona State in which he averaged 13.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks while shooting 56.9% from the field. He blocked 69 shots, which ranked second in the Big 12, and that kind of rim protection gives the Zags an established interior anchor with plenty of room to grow.
Alongside him is Xaivian Lee, who brings a different kind of value. Last season at Florida, he posted 11.6 points, 4.2 assists and 3.7 rebounds.
Before that, he built his reputation at Princeton, where he became a two-time First Team All-Ivy League selection. As a junior there, he put up 16.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists.
He also received a temporary restraining order granting him a fifth season of eligibility, giving Gonzaga a seasoned point guard with a long track record.
Saint Louis added another proven frontcourt option in Elijah Strong. He spent the past three seasons between Boston College and South Carolina, and last season with the Gamecocks he averaged 10.0 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.9 assists while shooting 44.4% from the field and 75.9% from the free-throw line. His best outing came against LSU, when he scored a career-high 30 points.
Saint Mary’s, meanwhile, brought in Myles Che, a player whose potential is tied closely to health. He missed the entire 2025-26 season at UNLV because of a preseason injury, but before that he was a steady contributor at UC Irvine in 2024-25.
Che started all 38 games, averaged 12.1 points, 2.8 assists and 2.4 rebounds, and shot 42.9% from three. He also earned All-Big West honorable mention recognition.
If he gets back to that level, Saint Mary’s has added a reliable perimeter scorer who can help right away in the WCC.
Grand Canyon picked up Dylan Darling, who has done damage at both the high-major and mid-major levels. At St.
John’s last season, he averaged 6.9 points and 2.6 assists in 35 games, including 15 starts. But his earlier season at Idaho State showed what he can do with more responsibility: 19.8 points per game in 2024-25, along with Big Sky Player of the Year honors.
A bigger offensive role could put him right back in that kind of groove.
UNLV added perhaps the most recognizable name of the group in AJ Storr. The former Wisconsin standout averaged 15.5 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists at Ole Miss last season. The year before, he posted 16.8 points and 3.9 rebounds at Wisconsin and earned All-Big Ten recognition.
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The timing makes the trip even more interesting for Gonzaga, because the test comes well ahead of the official season opener against Purdue in Las Vegas. It also adds another layer to a series that has already carried some real history between the two programs and their head coaches, turning what could have been a simple preseason scrimmage into something fans will be watching closely for clues about where this team stands. [Read more 🡒]