The transfer portal was senior TJ Bamba’s entryway to Villanova from Washington State for the 2023–2024 season. It is also the 6’5 guard’s way out, as Bamba has entered the transfer portal after just one season with the Wildcats.
Bamba’s agency, NEXT Sports, broke the news to the On3Sports network on Tuesday, April 16. He will have one more year of eligibility.
As a core member of Villanova’s starting five and its second-leading scorer, Bamba averaged 10.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. He finished the season shooting 43 percent from the field and 37 percent from three.
Bamba recorded his season-high 24 points in Villanova’s 85–80 loss to Marquette on Jan. 31. Earlier in the month, he marked his 1,000th career point against UConn on Jan. 20.
He was still a powerhouse for the ‘Cats late in the season, despite playing with a protective mask since his facial fracture on Feb. 24 against UConn. The injury sidelined Bamba for just one game.
Bamba is one of four Wildcats currently in the transfer portal, including sophomore guard Brendan Hausen, junior forward Trey Patterson and senior forward Lance Ware.
What the 2024–2025 Wildcats will look like continues to be an uncertain question. Redshirt senior forward Eric Dixon and sophomore guard Mark Armstrong both declared for the NBA Draft, while Armstrong keeps his eligibility. Head coach Kyle Neptune’s first recruit from the transfer portal is Penn freshman Tyler Perkins, who committed on April 14.
