Probing The Portal: Multiple VCU Players Announce Intentions To Transfer

Mar 31, 2023 - 1:35 PM

The first wave of VCU Rams entered the transfer portal yesterday, with five of Mike Rhoades’ former players announcing their intentions to depart the VCU program. While it’s been hoped for that a few of the VCU players will make their way to Happy Valley, right now it’s just that — hope. VCU was a good basketball team with good basketball players, and as it turns out, schools beyond Penn State will be pushing for them. So yes, it’s great that Rhoades and his staff have longstanding relationships with these guys, but in the NIL era, that’s only half the battle.

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ADRIAN “ACE” BALDWIN
School/Hometown: VCU (Baltimore, MD)
Eligibility Remaining: 2 years
Height/Weight: 6-foot-1, 190 pounds

Atlantic-10 Player of the Year. Atlantic-10 Defensive Player of the Year. Simply put, the prize of the potential VCU transfer candidates. Offensively, he’s a true point guard that runs the offense, pushes the pace, and does a great job getting everyone involved. Baldwin has exemplary vision, especially when he’s in the lane. He just sees angles and openings were most players can’t.

Make no mistake about it though, it’ll be a dogfight to get Baldwin to Penn State. He’ll be one of the most sought after players in the portal, and will certainly have offers from more esteemed programs that have better NIL offerings.

JAYDEN NUNN
School/Hometown: VCU (Flint, MI)
Eligibility Remaining: 2 years
Height/Weight: 6-foot-4, 190 pounds

Playing alongside Baldwin, Nunn is off the ball quite a bit, but he’s not simply a catch-and-shoot player. Like the rest of this VCU teams, Nunn is adept at attacking the basket. He has a good handle, above-average size/length for a college guard, and is a strong athlete that can rise and finish with power in the paint.

Nick Kern
School/Hometown: VCU (St. Louis, MO)
Eligibility Remaining: 2 years
Height/Weight: 6-foot-6, 190 pounds

On a team full of really athletic guys, Kern might be the best of the bunch. Quick feet and hands, explosive leaper, and really good size for a guard/wing at 6-foot-6. No surprise, but he was one of their better defenders. The issue is that he can’t shoot yet, which isn’t ideal given spacing concerns.

JAMIR WATKINS
School/Hometown: VCU (Trenton, NJ)
Eligibility Remaining: 2 years
Height/Weight: 6-foot-7, 210 pounds

Coming a torn ACL, it was a nice return season for Watkins who can do a little of everything. He’s the classic big wing that can play the 3 or shift over and be a small-ball 4. Good defensively, apt on catch-and-shoots, can create for himself. I think after Baldwin, he’s probably my favorite of the targets. Just the type of player every team would like to have.

JALEN DELOACH
School/Hometown: VCU (Savannah, GA)
Eligibility Remaining: 2 years
Height/Weight: 6-foot-9, 215 pounds

Lanky, athletic big man whose game is still coming together. Without a doubt has the potential be a menace defensively, but the foul rate is a bit too high. He averaged 5.1 fouls per 40 minutes, and fouled out of six games this past season — two of them having only played 11 minutes and 14 minutes a piece.

That’s not uncommon for a big man though, especially someone like DeLoach who was as much as a wing as he was a forward coming out of high school. Once he grows out of that and is able to stay on the floor more consistently, he’s the type of player who could average a double-double.