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After four years with Tom Izzo and the Michigan State Spartans, point guard AJ Hoggard has entered the transfer portal to look for a new home in his final season of college basketball eligibility.
Hoggard broke out as a starter for the Spartans in 2022-23, averaging 12.9 points, 5.9 assists, and 3.7 rebounds while shooting 44.1% on twos, 32.9% from three, and 80.4% from the free throw line.
He followed that up with a somewhat disappointing senior season, averaging 10.7 points, 5.2 assists, and 3.1 rebounds while his two point percentage dropped to 42.5% – although his three point percentage was a career-best 34.7%.
Hoggard already narrowed his list down to five schools, and below is a look at each of those five programs and how the 6’3 graduate transfer might fit each program for the 2024-25 campaign:
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The Washington Huskies replaced Mike Hopkins with former Utah State head coach Danny Sprinkle this offseason, and Sprinkle is tasked with replacing nearly an entire roster as this program heads into the Big Ten next season.
Sahvir Wheeler and Paul Mulcahy both ran out of eligibility, and guards Koren Johnson, Wesley Yates, and Nate Calmese all entered the transfer portal, with Johnson committing to Louisville.
Sprinkle did land DJ Davis from Butler and Mekhi Mason from Rice, but a veteran guard like Hoggard would fit nicely into his offense and would allow the graduate to remain in the Big Ten for his final year of eligibility.
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New coach Eric Musselman has been hard at work rebuilding the USC Trojans via the transfer portal. The former Arkansas coach is no stranger to significant portal action, and already he’s brought nine new transfers to Los Angeles ahead of the program’s move to the Big Ten.
Two of Muss’ new players are point guards – Bryce Pope from UC San Diego and Clark Slajchert from Penn – but Hoggard’s experience in the Big Ten and strong facilitation skills would make him the lead guard right away for the Trojans and would help them compete after a disappointing final season in the Andy Enfield era.
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The Georgia Bulldogs will have a fully rebuilt backcourt next season in the SEC, with four guards entering the transfer portal: RJ Melendez (Mississippi State), Jabri Abdur-Rahim (Providence), Justin Hill (Wichita State), and Lamariyon Jordan (Tulane).
Coach Mike White already added quite a few guards as replacements, however, including Tyrin Lawrence (Vanderbilt) and a pair of Mount St. Mary’s guards in De’Shayne Montgomery and Dakota Leffew.
Hoggard would pair nicely with Lawrence in a new-look backcourt for the Bulldogs as they look to make an impact in the SEC in 2024-25.
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Vanderbilt replaced Jerry Stackhouse with James Madison coach Mark Byington, and the result so far has included seven new additions via the transfer portal – including guards Chris Manon (Cornell), Grant Huffman (Davidson), MJ Collins (Virginia Tech), and Jason Edwards (North Texas).
That doesn’t leave a ton of room for Hoggard, but no doubt Byington would find a way to make the pieces fit if he can convince the point guard to bring his talents to Nashville and the SEC for the upcoming season.
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Florida lost Riley Kugel to the Kansas Jayhawks, but coach Todd Golden struck quickly to replace him with Alijah Martin from Florida Atlantic. With Walter Clayton and Will Richard expected back, there isn’t a ton of room in the Gators’ backcourt for a player like Hoggard.
Unless Clayton stays in the NBA draft process, this is a tough fit to see on paper – although Golden is a guard whisperer and could help unlock some of Hoggard’s talent if he does end up in Gainesville.
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Courtesy : https://collegesportswire.usatoday.com/lists/transfer-portal-aj-hoggard-michigan-state-basketball/