John Blackwell could be one of the top scorers in the nation next season.
After three years at Wisconsin, Blackwell entered the transfer portal. He averaged 19.1 points per game, while shooting 38.9% from 3-point range, this past season. He’s elite at creating his shot off the dribble, or scoring off his teammates’ penetration.
Here are the three best transfer portal fits for Blackwell, who has one year of NCAA eligibility remaining.
John Blackwell averaged 19.1 points and 5.1 rebounds, earning All-Big Ten honors as a junior at Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
Illinois
While it would be devastating for Badgers’ fans to see their three-year star transfer in-conference, a move to the Illini would make sense for Blackwell. Illinois is losing its top two guards with Keaton Wagler going to the NBA Draft and Kylan Boswell graduating. Their elite team’s offensive rebounding ability would compliment Blackwell’s game, as he’s a high-volume perimeter shooter who hasn’t shot above 45.1% in any season of his career, so his misses wouldn’t be as detrimental in Illinois. More so, his father, Glynn, played for Illinois from 1984-88. The Badgers were unable to advance out of the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament in any of Blackwell’s three seasons, so he’s looking to change that this year, and the Illini proved they were winners, making the Final Four this year.
Houston
Kelvin Sampson’s NCAA title drought extended to a 13th season as the Cougars fell in the Sweet Sixteen. Houston was led by its guard trio of Kingston Flemings, Emanuel Sharpe and Milos Uzan, this past season. Each will move on — Flemings via draft, Sharpe and Uzan via graduation. Blackwell is a perfect fit, not only because of the departures of those three guards, but because his offensive arsenal is similar to guards who have flourished under Sampson. Blackwell is a tough-shot taker and maker, just like Sharpe and Flemings this season, and Jamal Shead, LJ Cryer and Marcus Sasser before them.
Blackwell could still use some fine-tuning on defense, but his effort level gives Sampson a baseline to work with. Sampson has aired complaints about Houston’s financial status in the name, image and likeness era of college sports, so the Cougars could struggle to afford Blackwell, but on-court fit-wise, this is a perfect marriage.
UCLA
The Bruins have failed to advance past the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament for three seasons (and didn’t even make The Dance in 2024). Blackwell could help change that. UCLA lost top scorers Tyler Bilodeau and Donovan Dent to graduation, and guard Skyy Clark entered the transfer portal on Tuesday. With over 40 points per game of production to replace, Blackwell would be a necessary addition. He’d fit well alongside guard Trent Perry, and likely be the go-to scorer, but that duo would leave a little bit to be desired defensively. UCLA has gone all out for the top guard transfer before, doing so to land Dent last portal season. With the Bruins having a bevy of needs, they might not be able to match the market opposing suitors will pay for Blackwell, but if they do, the fit is clear.
