When Dan Skillings Jr. entered the transfer portal on Monday morning, it didn’t come as much of a surprise for anyone following the Cincinnati basketball program.
Skillings had hinted at this being his final run with the Bearcats, and UC fans seemed to be operating under the impression that he wasn’t returning in 2025.
However, in the 24 hours that have passed since his portal entry, five more Bearcats have followed suit.
First was junior guard Josh Reed, who had put together the best stretch of offensive performances of his career over the back half of the 2024-25 season. Then we saw Rayvon Griffith, who appeared in 19 games this past season, enter his name after two seasons with Cincinnati.
That one stings a little more, as his entry seemed to be a bit more surprising than Skillings’, but still something Wes Miller and company can overcome.
However, as lunchtime approaches on Tuesday, April 8, the Bearcats have seen three more portal entries over the last few hours.
Tyler Betsey, an elite four-star freshman forward, was the first notable entry today. Ranked as the No. 17 small forward in the 2024 class, Betsey averaged 3.3 points and 1.3 rebounds for the Bearcats and was set to see his role expand next season.
Next, we saw UC big man Arrinten Page enter the portal after just one season with the Bearcats. Page transferred from USC this past offseason and made 31 appearances off the bench for Cincinnati this season, averaging 3.5 points and 2.3 rebounds a game. Like Betsey, Page was highly-recruited out of high school, ranking as the No. 6 center in the 2023 class and the No. 56 overall player in the country.
JJ Rembert, a freshman point guard out of Fort Mill, South Carolina, didn’t see the court in 2024-25. So, in relative terms, his exit has a minimal impact on next year’s rotation.
So, with five players leaving, and the potential of more to follow, should Cincinnati fans be worried about the upcoming season?
The short answer is probably not.
Cincinnati has two portal commitments in this cycle, with Kentucky guard Kerr Kriisa and West Virginia forward Sencire Harris both committed to the Bearcats.
Both of those guys are rated as four-star additions in the portal, and both have proven themselves capable of playing high-level basketball in the Big 12 and SEC.
Dillon Mitchell will give UC a great option at power forward, and Jizzle James is also returning to lead the backcourt.
Plus, the Bearcats have two four-star freshmen coming into the program in SF Shon Abaev and PG Keyshaun Tillery.
Yes, Miller will need to find replacements for Betsey and Page, but there’s no reason he can’t do that. with a strong group still set to return, and some spots still open for portal additions, there’s no need to panic.
The Bearcats are coming off a 19-16 season in the Big 12 and were right in the mix to land in the tournament.
