Quinn Slazinski

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The transfer portal has changed the dynamics of the Louisville, Kentucky and Indiana basketball rosters.

Noah Locke (Florida) leads Louisville in scoring. Matt Cross (Miami) can make threes with anybody.

John Calipari has upgraded Kentucky’s roster with guys who lead the nation in two statistical categories. Nobody has more rebounds than Oscar Tshiebwe (West Virginia) at 20 per game, and nobody is averaging more assists than Sahvir Wheeler (Georgia) at 11.

Mike Woodson plugged three transfers — Xavier Johnson (Pittsburgh), Miller Kopp (Northwestern) and Parker Stewart (Tennessee-Martin) — into Indiana’s lineup. Johnson looks confident as the Hoosiers’ point guard, while Kopp and Stewart have started slowly as three-point shooters.

But for those guys to come in, others had to leave. One week into the season seemed like a good time for the first Old Friends Alert of the college basketball season.

Allow me to call the roll.

Quinn Slazinki: Louisville to Iona

Whenever a player joins a team coached by Rick Pitino, the first thing I check is how much weight Pitino has advised the player to lose or gain.

Surprise, surprise. The Gaels list Slazinski at 215 pounds, the same weight he carried at U of L. But the measuring tape stretches another inch to 6 feet 9 inches tall.

Slazinski has started and played 21 minutes in both of Iona’s victories against Appalachian State and Harvard. But he has apparently not earned the green light yet with Pitino. Six of Slazinski’s 15 points have been free throws, and he made his only attempted three-pointer. He’s still not a big-time rebounder with just five.

Josh Nickelberry: Louisville to LaSalle

Chris Mack’s first recruit has started more games for the Explorers (two) than he did for the Cards (none).

Nickelberry loves to launch, and LaSalle coach Ashley Howard has approved that plan. In two games, Nickelberry has taken 14 of his 25 shots from distance. He made six of 11 in a loss to Sacred Heart and then missed all three as LaSalle beat Albany.

One of Nickelberry’s teammates is former IU reserve Clifton Moore. He starts for the Explorers, averaging 7.5 points in two games.

Aidan Igiehon: from Louisville to Grand Canyon

Igiehon isn’t starting for Bryce Drew at Grand Canyon, but he’s playing more than he did for the Cards, earning 24 minutes in two victories.

Igiehon has not been a difference-maker, producing just eight points, five rebounds and no blocks, steals or assists. Appears he’s still more potential than finished project.

Devin Askew: Kentucky to Texas

Askew is not getting the minutes from Chris Beard that he got from Calipari, but he’s been a solid reserve for the Longhorns.

In 30 minutes across two games, Askew has not turned the ball over while earning four assists. He’s averaging 6.5 points and made half of his four shots from distance. Askew wasn’t ready for a prime role at UK last season, but he’ll help Texas as a reserve point guard.

Cam’Ron Fletcher: Kentucky to Florida State

Fletcher has already played more for the Seminoles than he did for the Wildcats, earning 35 minutes off the bench as FSU beat Penn and lost to Florida.

There’s nothing in his numbers to suggest Fletcher would be playing for Kentucky this season. He’s averaging 5.5 points and three rebounds while missing all three of his attempts from distance.

Al Durham: Indiana to Providence

Like nearly every IU player of the last two decades, Durham left the Hoosiers without experiencing the thrill of winning at Wisconsin.

On Monday night, Durham won at Wisconsin. He hit three shots from distance, scoring 13 points as the Friars (3-0) toppled the Badgers, 63-58. Wonder if Durham will share the secret sauce with Trayce Jackson-Davis?

Durham leads the Friars in minutes while averaging 14.3 points.

Armaan Franklin: Indiana to Virginia

It’s only been two games, but Franklin looks like the same player he was in Bloomington — streaky.

He missed six of seven shots from distance as the Cavaliers lost to Navy and then led UVa in scoring with 21 points in a victory over Radford. Franklin made five of eight three-pointers in that one. He has a test at Houston on Tuesday night.

Jerome Hunter: Indiana to Xavier

Injury and health issues stopped Hunter from fulfilling his promise at IU. He has started in Xavier victories over Niagara and Kent State, but Hunter’s shooting remains inconsistent. He’s three for 16 overall, with a pair of three-pointers.

Joey Brunk: Indiana to Ohio State

Brunk is strictly a reserve for the Buckeyes, earning 24 minutes while scoring five points in three games.

Copyright 2021 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.