Villanova basketball gained its first former Kevin Willard participant by way of Maryland. The Terrapins lose a helpful guard presence within the course of.
The Terrapins are shedding combo guard Malachi Palmer to ‘Nova, per faculty basketball insider Dushawn London of 247Sports Sunday. Maryland loses one in every of its high freshman prospects from the 2024 class within the course of.
The 6-foot-6 Palmer established himself because the state of Maryland’s top-ranked basketball prospect by 247. He starred for Mt. Zion Prep in Baltimore. Director of scouting for 247Sports Adam Finkelstein raved about Palmer’s sport earlier than his Maryland signing.
“Palmer is a big-bodied quantity scorer. He’s thick and highly effective from head to toe, however particularly in his higher physique, and in a position to overpower most opposing perimeter gamers. He performs with an aggressive scoring mentality and hunts his mid-range pull-up,” Finkelstein wrote.
Now he’ll not symbolize the way forward for Maryland basketball. He is reuniting along with his head coach within the Massive East.
Has Maryland gained gamers after Kevin Willard left for Villanova?
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The Terps might have misplaced one in every of their prized younger abilities. However they’re gaining one expertise by way of the switch portal. All after the Buzz Williams rent.
Williams locked in Myles Rice from Indiana Sunday. Rice spent final season with the Hoosiers, who’re transitioning to their latest head coach Darian DeVries. The guard additionally spent two seasons with Washington State.
Rice heads to School Park after averaging 10.1 factors per sport beneath Mike Woodson. Indiana selected to not retain Woodson after the season.
The Terps, nonetheless, misplaced one other key piece outdoors of Palmer on Sunday. And to the Massive East. Besides guard Deshawn Harris-Smith will not be heading to ‘Nova.
Harris-Smith will play for Ed Cooley and Georgetown, with Grant Grubbs of On3 confirming the transfer. He began in 4 video games beneath Willard final season and averaged 2.5 factors per sport. Harris-Smith scored 11 factors in his March Insanity opener in opposition to Grand Canyon.
Harris-Smith and Palmer are two of six Maryland gamers who entered the portal following the departure of Willard. Jakobi Gillespie exited Maryland and is now at Tennessee. Maryland additionally misplaced NCAA Match star Derik Queen to the NBA Draft. However once more, Palmer is the primary to defect to Willard’s new staff.