Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn hits the transfer portal as one of the most efficient scorers in the nation

Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn hit the transfer portal and might be the most talented scoring player on the market. He averaged 20.7 points per game last season at UNLV. He transferred their following two seasons at Illinois where he didn’t receive much playing time. He made the most of it and became one of the most efficient scorers in the country. Doing his damage on shooting splits on 49.7/41.4/83.8. Showing that all it takes is an opportunity for a player to make a name for themselves.

Could UCLA for a second straight season go into the Mountain West and grab one of their best players? In 2025 that is exactly what UCLA did and being able to get Donovan Dent, who was coming off being Mountain West Player of the Year. Now with Gibbs-Lawhorn hitting the transfer portal, this could be a huge get for UCLA. There were not many players in the country that could score like Gibbs-Lawhorn could.

Similar to Isaiah Johnson, there are going to be plenty of potential suitors for his services. Especially in an NIL era there are schools that are willing to pay top dollar to replenish talent. This is an area where we’re trying to see if UCLA will keep up with the means and resources. Those numbers will only continue to go higher and that is how talent is going to be brought in. Round of 32 exits will not be accepted by the college or the fan base.

UCLA has many areas that they need to get cleaned up before the 2026 season starts. Not only do they need to replace production that is leaving. They need to bring in even more talent to get past that round of 32. That includes better offense, that allows for better spacing and plays. The ball often gets stuck in players hands, and the offense becomes stagnant. This will be an emphasis for UCLA as they look to make it back to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2023.