After weeks of reaching out to nearly countless transfers, Notre Dame will welcome in their first two visitors of the cycle. The Irish staff has made their priorities in the portal pretty clear, land a point guard and a big man. The first visit weekend of the cycle certainly reflects those priorities. The Irish staff will host Niagara transfer Marcus Hammond and Wright State transfer Grant Basile for the weekend of the Notre Dame football spring game.
The two players are prime examples of the types of players available in the portal. Although neither are perfect, they are guys who are talented and can fill needs for a team like Notre Dame. More on each here:
Marcus Hammond- Niagara Guard, 6'3, 173 lbs, one year of eligibility
2021-22 Stats:
18.1 points per game, 2.9 assists per game, 2.2 turnovers per game, 4.7 rebounds per game, shot 43% from the field, and 37% from three point range
Stats Against High Major Opponents:
Vs Ohio State: 22 points, 7-14 from the field, 4-9 from three, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 turnovers.
Vs Xavier: 25 Points, 9-17 from the field, 4-10 from three, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 8 turnovers.
The Notre Dame staff has clearly made it a point of emphasis to land a guard through the transfer portal, Marcus Hammond will be the first one that Notre Dame hosts on campus. The 6'3 guard has three All Maac selections under his belt and led the Purple Eagles in scoring this season.
Hammond's main appeal to a program is his ability to ignite his offense with his scoring ability, the rising 5th year senior has a clean left handed stroke that he often uses to rise above defenders for jumpers. The Niagara transfer also has enough burst that he can get to his spots around the rim to finish. In games against Xavier and Ohio State, the transfer showed that he likely won't have a problem moving up a level as he scored 25 and 22 points respectively. Hammond attempted an average14 shots per game throughout his final season at Niagara and will likely have to cut down on his volume to coexist with Notre Dame's other guards, but if he ends up with the Irish he will make an immediate impact as a scorer.
Notre Dame's main need in the portal is to get a guard that can get them into their flow offensively and set the table for other scorers. Hammond has shown flashes of high level playmaking ability throughout his college career, but the score first guard will have to consistently make plays for others and take care of the ball to be the true point guard Notre Dame needs out of the portal.
Grant Basile: 6'9, 225 lbs, two years of eligibility
Stats: 18.4 PPG, 49.8% from the field, 28.3% from three, 78% from the line, 8.5 rebounds per game, 1.6 blocks, 3 turnovers per game
Stats in Games against High Majors:
Vs Arizona: 21 points, 5 rebounds, 3-9 from three, 8-20 from the field, 5 rebounds, 3 blocks
Vs NCST: 23 points, 9-16 from the field, 16 rebounds, 2-4 from three
Vs Purdue: 7 points, 3-14 from the field, 1-8 from three, 6 rebounds
One of if not the biggest reason for Basile receiving high major interest is his offensive skillset. The Wright State transfer has one of the more appealing offensive games in the class because of his ability to score in multiple ways. The 6'9 big man can effectively score out of ball screen situations and can also create his own shot off the bounce from the perimeter and the low post.
The way Basile can contribute offensively allows Mike Brey to have about as much lineup flexibility as he's had throughout his career. The veteran big man can be effective enough on both the perimeter and the low post that he can slot in at the four and the five. Not only does his ability to contribute from the inside and outside allow Basile to play multiple positions, but it also allows Brey to go four out one in and five out effectively. The veteran coach seemed to like the lineup flexibility that Nate Laszewski gave him in 2021-22, that flexibility could be taken to another level if Laszewski returns and Grant Basile becomes Irish.
Basile not only gives Notre Dame a high ceiling offensively, but his diverse skillset gives him the potential to be a big contributor in a high major conference. Going from the Horizon League to the ACC is a jump that will certainly take time, especially for an undersized big man, but when it's all said and done Basile has the potential to be a high level offensive contributor in the ACC.
The main concerns with Basile lie defensively. Based on his height and build, the Wright State transfer projects as more of a four than a five defensively in the ACC, but based on the way Notre Dame's roster is constructed he'll likely have to defend and rebound against opposing centers. Basile has struggled to defend high major bigs at times, but has shown some toughness and shotblocking ability. Making the jump to the ACC defensively and on the glass could be tough at times for Basile, but his talent is likely too much to pass up for a team like Notre Dame.
In recruiting season, the term "big weekend" gets thrown around pretty often, this one certainly fits that bill. The Notre Dame staff has an opportunity to add high level talent who can make an immediate impact at two positions of need. If Brey and company can't land either then they could have a hard time filling those needs with high level players. This weekend is a huge recruiting weekend in all aspects for Mike Brey and his staff.
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