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An SEC basketball coach and a transfer walk into an elevator. Press the button and start the timer. The coach has 30 seconds to sell the transfer on his program.
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NCAA Tournament bids, development, and of course, compensation have to be discussed. But NIL aside, who has the best pitch? Here are the elevator pitches for all 16 SEC teams:
Arkansas: There’s nothing archaic about a Sweet 16 run in a cast-off coach’s first season. John Calipari pulled together a hodgepodge roster and turned it into an elite force in March. He’s still the same cat getting talent and sending players to the NBA; he’s just calling for the hogs now.
Alabama: Did you see Alabama make 25 3-pointers against BYU in the Sweet 16? Rumor has it Mark Sears is still shooting jumpers at the Prudential Center. Coach Nate Oats has a sweet system and it’s built to highlight great shooters and athletic big men.
Auburn: If Final Fours are your thing, buy a Costco bundle of toilet paper and head for Toomer’s Corner because no one from the SEC gets to the Final Four more often lately than Auburn. You’re free to be who you are and you’re going to win a lot with Bruce Pearl.
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Florida: There is no better sales pitch than that of winning a national championship, especially given Florida did it with three senior guards who transferred to UF. The Gators know how to build a roster and they used the portal perfectly.
Georgia: Mike White is a proven winner in the SEC, but Georgia’s best pitch isn’t about basketball. Have you ever been to Athens? It’s the best college town in the conference.
Kentucky: The ceiling for Kentucky is as high as that at Rupp Arena with coach Mark Pope, whose love for his alma mater undercurrents any pitch. He’s going to win big and he showed he can build around elite transfers in his first season.
POPE: March Madness is over for Kentucky basketball, but Cats exceeded expectations this season
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LSU: Do you like Cajun food?
Mississippi State: Chris Jans is as consistent as the coffee at Strange Brew. The Bulldogs have won 21 games and lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in each of his three seasons.
Missouri: From 0-18 to NCAA Tournament bid, Dennis Gates is ready to keep turning it up in Columbia. The Tigers play a fun offensive style when Gates has the right players.
Oklahoma: Porter Moser went to a Final Four in 2018 with Loyola Chicago, and guard Jeremiah Fears is a one-and-done lottery pick. This elevator pitch is over before you get to the second floor.
BEARD: How AD Keith Carter celebrated Chris Beard staying with Ole Miss basketball
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Ole Miss: Chris Beard wins everywhere he goes. He could have dipped from Oxford the past two offseasons, but hasn’t. The Rebels are rising.
South Carolina: South Carolina delivers unexpected seasons better than any other SEC program. A 2017 Final Four run? Still hard to believe. An NCAA Tournament bid after being picked last? That happened in 2024. Also, The Devine Cinnamon Roll Deli.
Tennessee: Have you heard of Dalton Knecht and Chaz Lanier? Rick Barnes has embraced the portal as well as any of his contemporaries and it’s why Tennessee has made back-to-back Elite Eights. If you’re a high-level shooter, you’ll be featured with the Vols, who have perfect proof of concept.
Texas: Austin, Moody Center and a Texas-sized hankering to win again. Mostly, Austin.
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Texas A&M: Buzz Ball is out as muck-it-up misery got shoved in Buzz Williams’ suitcase alongside his three-piece suits. Bucky McMillan and Bucky Ball are in, which means modern basketball has made its way to East Texas with 3-pointers and havoc-causing defense.
VANDY: Vanderbilt, Mark Byington pick up two 6-foot-10 transfers, including former UNC player
Vanderbilt: If you think you’re a point guard, Vanderbilt is the place for you because Mark Byington lists every player on the roster as a point guard. The Commodores are an under-the-radar force and Byington is the magic in Memorial Gymnasium.
Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on X @ByMikeWilson or Bluesky @bymikewilson.bsky.social. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: SEC basketball: Transfer portal pitches for Kentucky, Florida, Auburn
