Omaha basketball rose to national attention during its first March Madness run. Marquel Sutton spearheaded the Mavericks’ season by dropping 19.3 points per game each night. Now he’s entered the college basketball transfer portal — making him highly coveted this offseason.
Sutton informed Jonathan Givony of ESPN his intentions to enter the portal Wednesday. The 6-foot-9 small forward additionally grabbed 7.9 rebounds per game while starting in more than 99 games total. Sutton emerged as one of the players to watch ahead of the St. John’s matchup. The Red Storm bottled him to only 11 points in 35 minutes to end his Omaha tenure.
Sutton, though, will command significant attention in the portal. He’s bringing his Summit League Player of the Year title and NCAA Tournament experience with him. And Sutton won’t just draw intrigue from mid-major schools either.
He’s rising as a new Johni Broome — who went from mid-major (Morehead State) to power conference power (Auburn). Grant Nelson is another who went a similar route: North Dakota State to Alabama. Sutton looks ready to journey on a similar path. Here’s five of the best portal destinations for the Omaha standout Sutton in order.
1. Marquel Sutton to Alabama
Nelson is on his way out of Tuscaloosa. Crimson Tide head coach Nate Oats is losing his best forward to graduation and the 2025 NBA Draft.
Alabama can bring back 6-foot-7 forward Mouhamed Dioubate, who’s only a sophomore and a force on the defensive end. Even if Sutton mans Nelson’s PF position, Oats still gains a post scoring option moving forward.
2. Sutton to Xavier
New Musketeers head coach Richard Pitino will go hunting now that he’s sworn in at Xavier. Sutton’s entry into the portal has to be music to the ears of the incoming Big East coach.
Pitino previously created a New Mexico roster stockpiled on portal additions. Some of his Lobos arrived via Georgia Tech, Arizona, BYU, even non power conference teams like Iona, North Alabama and North Texas. Sutton can be a first building block for the new coach in Cincinnati.
3. Sutton to Arkansas
John Calipari is one of the new portal seekers in today’s college basketball. He built his first Razorbacks team off of past Missouri, Kentucky (Calipari’s previous school), Florida Atlantic, and Tennessee talent.
Adou Thiero helps hold the key to Sutton’s possible arrival to Fayetteville. The Razorbacks’ top scorer has battled injuries and could entertain entering the NBA Draft. Sutton can fill his void — or even team with Thiero if he returns for his senior year.
4. Sutton to St. John’s
Another Pitino got to watch Sutton firsthand in the NCAA Tournament. The two-time national champion can make his own sales pitch for the Summit League POTY.
The Red Storm already have Arizona State guard Joson Sanon coming to Queens, per ESPN’s Givony on Wednesday. But St. John’s could lose prized junior and Kansas transfer Zuby Ejiofor to the draft following his stellar season. Ejiofor’s pending departure gives Pitino leverage to make a dash at Sutton.
5. Sutton to Stanford
Throwing in a surprise school, but one worth watching. Stanford overachieved in its first season under Kyle Smith by winning 21 games. Smith, however, is losing top big Maxime Raynaud.
That’s not all, as Cole Kastner is a senior forward too. The Cardinal, however, gain a boost with the return of USC transfer Oziyah Sellers. Harvard transfer Chisom Okpara can also return for his senior year. But Smith needs a new scoring/rebounding threat post-Raynaud. And someone who can lift Stanford’s chances of returning to March Madness. The allure of the Atlantic Coast Conference can also sell Sutton.
The post Ranking 5 best transfer portal destinations for Summit League star Marquel Sutton appeared first on ClutchPoints.
