Maryland basketball hit the reset button last spring, diving deep into the transfer portal to rebuild its roster from the ground up. Head coach Buzz Williams brought in 10 transfers and five freshmen, essentially constructing a brand-new team. But through 12 games, the results haven’t quite lived up to the effort - a 6-6 record and a lineup still searching for rhythm.
While much of the focus has been on who did come to College Park, it’s worth taking a look at the players who didn’t - the transfer targets Maryland pursued but couldn’t land. Some of them are thriving elsewhere, and their performances raise questions about what could’ve been for the Terps.
Jahari Lindsay: The One That Got Away - Twice
Few misses sting like this one. Jahari Lindsay, a Baltimore native and former Texas A&M guard, looked like a near-lock to rejoin Buzz Williams in College Park. Instead, he landed at Villanova under Kevin Willard - a double gut punch for Maryland fans.
Lindsay’s been lights out for the Wildcats, averaging 16.6 points per game while shooting a blistering 44.2% from beyond the arc. He’s hit double figures in all but one game, proving that his scoring in the Sun Belt last season (13.4 PPG on 40.8% from three) wasn’t a fluke. The jump to a high-major program hasn’t slowed him down - it’s elevated him.
He redshirted his freshman year at Texas A&M and only played eight games, so there wasn’t a huge sample size to evaluate. But if anyone knew what Lindsay could become, it was likely Williams. NIL money played a role, as it often does now, but given Maryland’s shooting woes, this is one that probably keeps the staff up at night.
Alex Ward: Big Name, Limited Production
Coming out of DeMatha as the No. 34 composite recruit in his class, Alex Ward was expected to be a difference-maker. But after two underwhelming seasons at LSU (6.8 PPG average) and stepping away from the game for mental health reasons last year, he’s still searching for consistency.
Williams reportedly considered bringing him in, but ultimately passed - and so far, that decision looks justified. Ward is averaging just four points per game at VCU, shooting under 35% from the field. He’s struggled to find a rhythm in a new system and hasn’t looked like the player many expected him to be out of high school.
Meanwhile, his DeMatha teammate and former Terp Rodney Rice has shown flashes at USC. Rice averaged 20.3 points and six assists across six games before a shoulder injury ended his season.
The efficiency wasn’t great, and most of those numbers came against mid-major competition, but the talent is still there. Maryland didn’t make a strong push to bring Rice back, and that decision may be revisited depending on how the rest of the season unfolds.
Malik Messina-Moore: From Sharpshooter to Struggling Starter
At Montana, Malik Messina-Moore built a reputation as a three-point sniper - 39.2% from deep over three seasons, including 40.9% last year on five attempts per game. But since arriving at Xavier, the shot hasn’t traveled with him.
Through 13 starts, he’s shooting just 27.1% from three and 39.6% overall. His assist-to-turnover ratio (3.8:1.2) is solid, and he’s clearly trusted by the coaching staff, but the scoring efficiency hasn’t been there. For a Maryland team that desperately needs floor spacing and offensive punch, it’s hard to say Messina-Moore would’ve been the fix.
CJ Wilcher’s Brother: Dependability Over Stardom
The younger brother of CJ Wilcher - who played for Williams at Texas A&M and is now a graduate assistant at Maryland - had the Terps on his finalist list before committing to Texas just two hours later.
He’s not putting up superstar numbers, but his role has value. He’s averaging a career-high 9.3 points in just 21 minutes per game and is shooting over 40% from three after hitting just under 30% last season. That kind of dependable production off the bench is exactly what Maryland’s backcourt is missing right now - not a game-changer, but a steady hand.
Sean Dorn: Elite Efficiency in a Limited Role
Sean Dorn made a visit to Maryland but ultimately chose Indiana, where he’s become a high-impact bench piece under first-year coach Darian DeVries. Dorn’s numbers don’t leap off the page - 8.2 points per game in just under 16 minutes - but the efficiency is eye-popping. He’s shooting 44.7% from three, and his advanced shooting metrics would lead the Terps.
At Elon, Dorn was a high-volume shooter (8.4 threes per game), so the question is whether that efficiency would hold up in a larger role. Still, for a Maryland offense that often bogs down in the halfcourt, Dorn’s shooting would be a welcome addition.
Curtis Givens: A Fresh Start in Memphis
After a quiet freshman year at LSU, Curtis Givens has found his groove at Memphis. He’s doubled his scoring output to 10.6 points per game while making 48.2% of his shots and 40.7% from three. He’s also playing more - 22 minutes per game - and just dropped back-to-back 18-point performances.
Givens has become a key scoring option in a backcourt that includes DMV native Dug McDaniel. Memphis as a team has struggled, but Givens looks like a player who’s found the right fit - and one who might’ve made a difference at Maryland.
Tyler Perry: A Miss That Might’ve Been a Blessing
Tyler Perry was mostly used as a three-point specialist at Ole Miss - and that’s being generous. Of his 65 field goal attempts, 53 have come from beyond the arc, but he’s only hit 34% of them. He’s averaging 5.6 points and has started half of the team’s 12 games.
Maryland pulled out of his recruitment late, and based on the early returns, that decision looks like the right one. Perry hasn’t shown the kind of offensive spark the Terps need, and while he might’ve added depth, he wouldn’t have solved any of the team’s bigger issues.
Final Takeaway
The transfer portal is a high-stakes game, and Maryland came into last offseason needing to hit on almost every move. That didn’t happen. But looking at the players they missed on, it’s a mixed bag - some would clearly help, others not so much.
Jahari Lindsay is the one that looms largest. His shooting and scoring would’ve fit perfectly in College Park, and seeing him thrive at Villanova only adds salt to the wound. Dorn’s efficiency, Givens’ breakout, and Wilcher’s steady shooting all represent missed opportunities for a team that’s still searching for offensive identity.
As the season moves on, Maryland will keep trying to find answers with the group they have. But it’s hard not to wonder what things might look like if just one or two of these portal targets had landed in College Park instead.