Three members of Marquette’s most successful team in program history are leaving via the NCAA Transfer Portal. Emarion Ellis, Zach Wrightsil and Keeyan Itegere all are moving on after the Golden Eagles set a program record with 29 wins this season.
Three Marquette Players Enter NCAA Transfer Portal
The trio announced their decisions in a span of two days as Ellis entered the portal on March 27 and Wrightsil and Itejere put their names in the next day.
There is your first #mubb offseason news.
Emarion Ellis has entered the transfer portal. He was sidelined all season rehabbing from a knee injury. https://t.co/3An7LwLhhg
— John Leuzzi (@JohnLeuzziMU) March 27, 2023
Shaka Smart actually had over-signed, and Marquette needed one player to leave or go off scholarship regardless. However, in the era of the NCAA Transfer Portal, I don’t think anyone was worried about having 14 scholarship players signed before the transfer portal window.
It’s hard to blame any of the three for transferring, as it appears playing time will be scarce. Marquette can return every significant contributor next year, although Olivier Maxence-Prosper is testing the NBA Draft waters while keeping his college eligibility.
So I take it I missed some transfer portal news.
Keeyan and Wrightsil join Ellis there from #mubb, which now has 1 additional open scholly to play with at the moment.
Never got a chance on a team as stacked as this one was and looks to be next year.
— Paint Touches (@PaintTouches) March 28, 2023
All Three Marquette Transfers Seeking Playing Time
Wrightsil averaged less than nine minutes per game, posting 1.3 points and 1.7 rebounds per contest, but a knee injury suffered early in the year ended his season. Wrighstil underwent a knee scope right after he arrived on campus at Marquette this summer, and he missed the rest of the season due to the same knee injury. He played 26 minutes in the first three games of the year and missed the remainder of the year.
In an Instagram post on his page, Wrightsil said in part, “After trying to play through injury, it was clear that I would have to sit out this season and have surgery,” and he’d miss the rest of the season.
Ellis also missed the entire season due to knee surgery, and Itejere played strictly garbage time minutes. Ellis did get some playing time as a freshman. Ellis made the decision on Thursday to transfer to Bradley, who is coached by former Marquette player Brian Wardle. Itejere just committed to Northern Kentucky on Tuesday. Itejere should see the court and be heavily involved in the Norse offense.
Marquette’s Keeyan Itejere is in the transfer portal. Athletic 6-foot-9 forward that is LDS. I go into potential BYU interest and what coaches may consider (or at least what I would consider if I was making decisions!). ELITE athlete. https://t.co/31I1483rCn
— Robby McCombs (@rtmccombs) March 28, 2023
While you want to keep most of the team intact because Marquette seemed so tight-knit, the Golden Eagles will still likely go into next year as a top-5 ranked team.
Despite NCAA Transfer Portal Losses, MU Sights Set on Big Year Next Season
Marquette could actually use a Zach Wrightsil-like rebounder but with some shooting. Al Amadou is expected to be a nice player but might not be ready to contribute as a freshman (and MU likely won’t need him to). But Marquette can be active in the NCAA Transfer Portal to add a depth piece to add to the roster now having an available scholarship.
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