College Basketball

Big Ten: 5 Transfers Making An Immediate Impact In 2016-17

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 1:43 a.m. ET

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Nov 17, 2016; Rosemont, IL, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Nigel Johnson (0) dribbles the ball against the DePaul Blue Demons during the first half at Allstate Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

There have been a lot of incoming transfers to the Big Ten in 2016-17. We will highlight which players have made an instant impact for their team.

Adding an incoming transfer in college basketball can transform a team’s season and a player’s career. Current NBA players Seth Curry, Wesley Johnson, and T.J. McConnell all transferred from their first college teams to play under brighter lights at bigger schools.

Players are always coming and going in college basketball; it becomes a numbers game. According to an article by BT Powerhouse, more than 20 Big Ten players had already decided to move on to new teams after last season.

Due to the top-tier talent in the Big Ten, most of the outgoing transfers went to smaller stages in hopes of making a name for themselves. While the number of outgoing transfers is high, the Big Ten’s prestige always draws in its fair share of incoming transfers.

Of the incoming transfers who were eligible to play right away, there are a select few making an immediate impact. Some are graduate students looking for a winning program in their last year of eligibility.

Others had reached the highest success with their previous teams, only to grow increasingly unhappy with their roles. Whatever the reasons were, transfers are as common as cheerleaders and pep bands.

Here are some players who just missed the cut:

Terrence Samuel, Penn State (from UConn): National champion at UConn in 2013-14, averaging 4.6 points this season with Penn State.

Reggie Lynch, Minnesota (from Illinois State): Averaging 8.7 points and 6.5 rebounds per game in 11 starts for Minnesota.

L.G. Gill, Maryland (from Duquesne): Former double-digit scorer at Duquesne, has appeared in every Maryland game in 2016-17.

Mike Thorne, Illinois (from Charlotte): Rare sixth-year senior, granted medical hardship redshirt. Averaging 6.3 points in 15.4 minutes per game.

Now with conference play less than two weeks away, we will outline which players have had the biggest influence on their new teams.

Nov 14, 2016; West Lafayette, IN, USA; Villanova Wildcats guard Phil Booth (5) drives past Purdue Boilermakers guard Spike Albrecht (55) in the first half at Mackey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sandra Dukes-USA TODAY Sports

5. Spike Albrecht, Purdue (from Michigan)

The most recognizable of all transfers this year, Spike Albrecht is a cult hero in the Big Ten. College basketball fans know him from his out-of-nowhere performance in the 2013 NCAA national championship game.

Albrecht scored 17 points in the first half after only scoring 67 points in his first 38 games. The 5-foot-11 guard turned into an overnight celebrity at Michigan and played major minutes in his following two seasons.

In his final season with the Wolverines, Albrecht was limited to only nine games before being sidelined with a hip injury. This hardship paved the way for a fifth season of eligiblity for Albrecht.

The only problem was that Michigan had planned on his graduation and didn’t have his scholarship available for 2016-17.

Since Albrecht had finished his undergraduate degree at Michigan, he was able to play right away as a graduate transfer. Normally when a player transfers, they’re not allowed to go to a conference rival.

In Albrecht’s case, Michigan allowed him to choose any team he wanted, even Big Ten-rival Purdue.

So far this season, he has provided veteran leadership for an already loaded Boilermakers team. Coming off the bench, he has played in seven games and is averaging more than15 minutes of floor time per game.

The fifth-year senior is currently sidelined with a back issue, but hopes to return within the next two weeks.

No.18 Purdue will play its first conference game Dec. 28 at home against Iowa.

Nov 17, 2016; Rosemont, IL, USA; DePaul Blue Demons forward Tre’Darius McCallum (10) knocks the ball away from Rutgers Scarlet Knights center C.J. Gettys (34) during the first half at Allstate Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

4. C.J. Gettys, Rutgers (from UNC Wilmington)

The 7-footer from Columbus, Ohio, has made a tremendous impact for Rutgers so far this season. Fresh off a four-year career at UNC Wilmington, Gettys was able to play right away as a graduate transfer.

In his final season at UNCW, Gettys helped the Seahawks reach the 2016 NCAA Tournament. Although they lost in the first round, he was the starting center for most of the season and twice had games with six blocked shots.

The experience that Gettys has brought to Rutgers has been extremely valuable. He started each of the team’s first 11 games and is the anchor on Rutgers’ much-improved front line.

With Gettys big body in the middle, the Scarlet Knights currently rank first in the Big Ten with 15.6 offensive rebounds per game. He isn’t a center who just grabs boards and blocks shots, though. His 67.7 field goal percentage ranks third in the conference.

After three seasons in a row where they lost at least 20 games, the Scarlet Knights have started this season with a 10-1 record. They have a solid core group and have used the same starting line-up in all of their games this year.

In less than 23 minutes per game, Gettys is averaging 9.4 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.

Nov 25, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Gophers guard Akeem Springs (0) dribbles in the first half against the Southern Illinois Salukis guard Leo Vincent (5) at Williams Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

3. Akeem Springs, Minnesota (from Milwaukee and Northern Illinois)

This was the hardest selection to make, simply because the Golden Gophers have two outstanding incoming transfers this year. Both Akeem Springs and Reggie Lynch have made instant impacts to Minnesota’s red-hot start. The Gophers have started 2016-17 with a 11-1 record.

Graduate transfer Akeem Springs gets the nod here solely because of how lethal he is from beyond the arc. A volume shooter who can heat up in an instant, Springs has already made 25 shots from long range.

The senior transfer, who is on his third Division I team, is averaging 8.9 points per game off the bench. He has been the definition of instant offense for Minnesota, scoring double figures in seven games so far.

It looks like Springs is just getting started and could improve on his season averages as the season goes on. He had averaged 15 points a game while hitting 10 three balls against NJIT, Georgia Southern and Northern Illinois before cooling off with just eight Wednesday against LIU Brooklyn.

The Gophers have tons of options on offense and Springs has certainly found his niche.

Their rotation is a little bit short for the Big Ten, only going seven players deep. If Springs can keep his hot hand, it could be enough to overcome their bench deficiencies. Minnesota has one non-conference games left until they start Big Ten conference play.

Their first conference game will be Dec. 27 at home against Michigan State.

Nov 27, 2016; Bloomington, IN, USA; Indiana Hoosiers guard Josh Newkirk (2) dribbles the ball in the first half of the game against the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils at Assembly Hall. Indiana defeated Mississippi Valley State 85-52. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

2. Josh Newkirk, Indiana (from Pittsburgh)

Indiana is the top team in the Big Ten, knocking off blue-blood powerhouse programs Kansas and North Carolina. The Hoosiers were able to overcome a surprise upset at Fort Wayne earlier this year and are currently ranked No. 9 in the country.

Although Indiana is consistently getting top recruits from high school, it has been transfer Josh Newkirk who has been the most effective incoming player.

Through nine games, the junior has averaged 7.7 points per game in seven starts. Newkirk is a facilitator for the Hoosiers, dishing out 32 assists so far.

In their opening win over Kansas, Newkirk had the type of game that exemplifies Indiana basketball. In 35 minutes, he had seven points, five rebounds, four assists and a steal.

Despite his early success, head coach Tom Crean has been vocal about Newkirk’s potential. In an Indy Star article, Crean said:

“He has a lot of room to improve…but that’s a good thing.”

Newkirk started his career in the ACC playing for Pittsburgh. In 70 career games with the Panthers he averaged 5.2 points in 18.9 minutes a game. He appeared in two NCAA Tournament games with Pittsburgh in 2013-14, scoring 10 points combined.

The Hoosiers will open Big Ten play on Dec. 28 against Nebraska.

Nov 30, 2016; Coral Gables, FL, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Nigel Johnson (0) drives to the basket past Miami Hurricanes guard Bruce Brown (11) during the first half at Watsco Center. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

1. Nigel Johnson, Rutgers (from Kansas State)

Nigel Johnson has easily been the most productive of all the incoming transfer players this season. Making the transition from the Big 12 to the Big Ten, Johnson has grown from role player to bona fide star.

With Kansas State, he was used sparingly and only averaged 4.6 points in 62 career games. Since coming to Rutgers, he has transformed into the No.1 offensive option and is leading the team in scoring at 12.5 points per game.

With the team’s new dedication to rebounding and defense, Johnson has posted career highs in rebounds (4.4) and steals per game (1.6).

The most surprising part of Johnson’s 2016-17 triumph is that he is doing almost all of it in a reserve role, starting just one game so far. He is the Lou Williams of Big Ten basketball, a bench player who gets up more shots than most of the starters.

The Scarlet Knights have turned around their once stagnant program, starting the season 10-1 while finally looking like they belong in the Big Ten. With a solid core back from last year’s team, it has been their incoming transfers that really put them over the top.

In addition to C.J. Gettys and Johnson, Rutgers also has a junior-college transfer that is playing well. Junior DeShawn Freeman was with the Scarlet Knights last year, but only played in eight games. This season, the junior-college transfer is averaging 13.0 points and 8.8 rebounds a game.

Rutgers will open up Big Ten play Dec. 27 at Wisconsin.