Terps Haul in Portal Power: Kansas Four-Star and Virginia Vet Head to Maryland!
The Maryland Terrapins are making some serious noise in the transfer portal, reeling in two significant additions to bolster their roster for the upcoming season!
First up, it's former Kansas guard Rakease Passmore, who's trading Jayhawk blue for Terrapin red. While his stats at Kansas were modest (0.7 points in 23 appearances), don't let those numbers fool you. Passmore was a four-star prospect coming out of Combine Academy, ranked as the No. 42 overall recruit in the 2024 cycle by the On3 Industry Ranking. He had offers from major programs like Wake Forest, Mississippi State, LSU, and Indiana before choosing Kansas, so the talent is clearly there. He'll be looking to explode onto the Big Ten scene and show exactly why he was such a highly-touted recruit.
But the Terps' portal success doesn't stop there. They've also landed Virginia power forward Elijah Saunders! Saunders was a steady force for the Cavaliers last season, averaging a solid 10.4 points and 5.0 rebounds in the ACC. Before his time in Charlottesville, he spent two seasons with the San Diego State Aztecs, where he also proved to be a contributor. Saunders, a three-star prospect in the 2022 class, was ranked as the No. 165 player overall and the No. 30 power forward by On3.
Saunders is hoping to elevate his game even further under the guidance of Buzz Williams, who just joined Maryland after an incredible run at Texas A&M, leading the Aggies to back-to-back Round of 32 appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
With Passmore's untapped potential and Saunders' proven production, the Terps are making moves that could significantly impact their Big Ten standing. What do you think of Maryland's latest portal pickups?