PJ Haggerty Transfer Portal: NC State Leads Chase Over Tennessee, Ole Miss, & Arkansas For AAC Player of the Year

PJ Haggerty is one of the most sought-after names in the portal after averaging 21.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists for Memphis. He was the AAC Player of the Year and a second-team All-American.  His options still include heading to the NBA or transferring to one of the top college basketball programs. If he returns to college, NC State looks like a logical next step but Tennessee and Alabama are still in the hunt.

According to Field of 68, Haggerty is seeking at least $4 million and demanding to play at least 70% of his minutes at point guard next season. With NIL budgets dwindling this late in the process, the demand for significant cash and the fact that many teams have already secured their starting point guard for next season complicate Haggerty’s fit with some of the top programs in the country.

Below, we’ll uncover some of the top teams interested in g Haggerty in the portal and determine which team is the best fit for his next team.

NC State Takes Lead In Push For High-Scoring Guard

NC State head coach Will Wade has a history of developing guards into NBA prospects, including Cam Thomas, a high-scoring guard with a similar build to Haggerty.

Wade allows guards to read and react, especially in ball-screen situations. His system emphasizes spacing, pace, and freedom within structure, which allow guards to put up big numbers under his tutelage. Haggerty clearly has his eyes on the NBA but is projected to be a mid-to-late second-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and would benefit from showcasing his play-making ability before going pro.

While NC State has Tre Holloman, he’s more of a secondary ball-handler and Wade often likes to keep the ball in his best player’s hands, which should open up opportunities for Haggerty to play both on and off the ball in 2025. Holloman excelled next to Jeremy Fears Jr. and Jase Richardson, who each took on more ball-handling responsibilities towards the end of last season and Haggerty would provide a strong fit next to another experienced guard.

Wade has already gone public by saying that NC State will not be rebuilding next season and adding Haggerty would instantly make them a potential NCAA Tournament team. The Wolfpack already added McNeese State transfer Alyn Breed and former Houston Cougars wing Terrance Arceneaux via the transfer portal, but Haggerty’s scoring ability and big game experience would be a huge lift to a program that expects to be at the top of the ACC next season.

Tennessee in the Hunt for Haggerty

Tennessee also makes sense as a potential landing spot for Haggerty, but only if he’s willing to relent on some of his demands. They’ve added Ja’Kobi Gillespie from Maryland and top recruit Nate Ament. Adding Haggerty to the backcourt would give the Volunteers one of the SEC’s most dynamic offensive teams.

Rick Barnes has a solid record developing perimeter talent and Haggerty would get consistent exposure in a top conference.

The only problem? Gillespie would likely be entrusted to handle point guard duties under Barnes, who values discipline and taking care of the basketball above some of Haggerty’s penchant for on-ball creation.

Alabama Making Late Push For Haggerty

Alabama has put together a strong transfer portal class but most of the incoming talent is coming in at the wing and forward spots. The Crimson Tide are losing five of their top six scorers from a season ago, leaving significant opportunity for a player of Haggerty’s caliber to step into a high-usage role right away.

Complicating the fit is the fact that Haggerty has expressed that he wants to play at least 70% of his minutes at point guard.

Labaron Philon has entered the NBA Draft and will likely be a lottery pick, leaving a potential opening at the point guard spot. However, Alabama already has Aden Holloway waiting in the wings, the former No. 4 point guard in the 2023 recruiting class. Holloway averaged just 1.4 assists per game off of the bench last season but could be a strong complementary piece in the backcourt alongside Haggerty, thanks to his ability to shoot from long distance.

Alabama is one of the few schools that can offer the type of money, minutes, and uptempo style that could help propel Haggerty up NBA Draft boards by the end of next season.

Other Programs To Watch

If it’s not NC State or Tennessee, or Alabama, there are other possibilities. Ole Miss is expected to be in the running for Haggerty if he decides against one of his top schools, especially if the combination of money and PG duties are at the top of his priority list. A return to his home state (Texas) has obvious appeal, while UNC could use his scoring off the wing depending on other portal decisions. Memphis is out of the running and it made sense for both parties to move on earlier in the process.

What’s Next for PJ Haggerty?

He’s currently testing the NBA Draft waters but entered the portal with a “do not ” tag, which usually signals a pre-planned move. Unless he gets strong from NBA teams, college may be the more lucrative route. And if that’s the case, NC State leads a competitive group of suitors.