Transfers who are set to make an Immediate Impact in 2025-26

Constant movement with the NCAA Transfer Portal is commonplace now, and I suspect its impact has trickled down to the high school level. With the ease that the LEARNS Act in Arkansas made for high school students to transfer to other schools, we are now seeing more transfers than ever at this level. With that being said, here are some transfer hoopers who I believe will have tremendous impacts on their new teams this coming season.    [player_tooltip player_id='1090885' first='Taige' last='Norwood'] has risen in the rankings recently, mostly because of her play with the Arkansas [program_tooltip program_id='712392' first='Banshees' last='']. She did not play much as a freshman with Farmington's championship-winning varsity squad, but now she headlines a great transfer group at Greenland High School.   Moving from the 5A West to the 3A-1 is an adjustment, but Norwood already has collegiate attention, and she is expected to adjust just fine. Abilene Christian has already offered the 2028 guard because of her play in the AAU circuits.   Norwood has good length for a point guard, which can help her on both ends of the floor. She has good defensive instincts, but her offensive skillset is something the rest of the 3A classification should be afraid of. She can knock down the long-ball, but she uses that length to finish over taller defenders inside.   [player_tooltip player_id='1090885' first='Taige' last='Norwood'] joins Siloam Springs transfer guards Morgan Jones and Lilliam Schopper at Greenland. The Lady Pirates are putting together a competitive group for 2025-26.     [player_tooltip player_id='566088' first='Jaida' last='Crawford'] was one of the first players I talked about in my <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2024/07/which-6a-standouts-do-we-expect-to-turn-heads-this-season/">first PGH article</a>. I knew she had serious potential, and despite not receiving consistent playing time at Fayetteville in 2024-25, I still believe that. Crawford has since moved to play at Springdale Har-Ber, a 6A West rival of her old school.   Crawford has turned some heads this summer with Shock Hoops, especially at the KC Clash in early May. There, Crawford proved how versatile a scorer she can be. Not only can she knock down jumpers, but she is effective at backing down her defender in the post and finishing through the teeth of the defense.   Not many guards can score consistently with their backs to the basket, but Crawford can. She also knows where to find her open teammates if she finds herself in a bind, as well as how to dribble out of it.   [player_tooltip player_id='566088' first='Jaida' last='Crawford'] could find a starting job with Har-Ber this next season, especially after the Lady Wildcats graduated Jazmine McCarther and Brooklyn Owens. Stay tuned to watch this 2027 guard put in work.     [player_tooltip player_id='1090370' first='Riley' last='Farris'] was one of the top players in the 3A classification as just a freshman last season. Now, as a sophomore, she joins a Heber Springs squad that suddenly looks like a legitimate competitor in the 4A classification.   When describing the type of player Farris is, her AAU club, Team ISO, had the perfect description: "Too big for guards. Too skilled for posts." Farris can take any defender she sees off the bounce, hitting pull-up jumpers in their face.   If Farris sees a lane to the basket, she will exploit it. Frankly, she can score any way she wants to. She averaged 17.1 points per game, led Pangburn in assists, hit 70 3-pointers, and shot 83.8% from the charity stripe.   Farris is one of the best 2028 guards in the state, and now the 4A-5 North will be forced to feel her wrath. Keep an eye on this Lady Panther squad and their new star guard in 2025-26.     [player_tooltip player_id='819148' first='Emma' last='Chambers'] was an important part of De Queen's dominant 2024-25 season, finishing with a 4A championship victory over then-undefeated Pulaski Academy. Now she heads to Nashville, where she will add her championship pedigree to an already stacked Scrapperette team.   Chambers was the leading scorer in the 4A title game last season, hitting most of her shots from inside the arc and at the free throw line. The incoming senior is also a great 3-point shooter who is approaching 1,000 career points.   Chambers has already received offers from Crowley's Ridge College and Arkansas-Cossatot, but she could hear from more colleges with another solid season. Keep an eye on this Nashville team that is certainly a 4A title threat.     I learned that shortly after mentioning [player_tooltip player_id='1091135' first='Kinsley' last='Patterson'] in a previous article, she transferred to Greene County Tech. Nevertheless, this transfer from Nettleton will look to contribute to another great team out of the 5A East.   Patterson is a great slasher who uses her physical 5'8" frame to play bully ball in the lane. She can easily finish through contact, as well as convert at the free throw line if she is sent there.   She is also a solid rebounder. Patterson's frame and strength allow her to box out opponents and be in the perfect position to grab boards on both ends of the floor. She can also help spread the ball around, showing flashes of brilliant passing.   [player_tooltip player_id='1091135' first='Kinsley' last='Patterson'] is a slept-on player in the 5A East, and she will be a player for everyone to keep an eye on as we head into the new season. GCT will be a great team this coming year, and they will have a one-two punch at the forward positions.     [player_tooltip player_id='1060894' first='Kaylin' last='Bean'] transfers from Cabot to Maumelle, looking for a fresh start. 2024-25 was an uncharacteristic season for Cabot, finishing with an 11-20 overall record and a 4-8 record in conference play. Now with Maumelle, Bean is looking to lead a revamped Lady Hornet roster.   Bean has a reputation as a solid scorer, being able to hit the outside shot as well as finish through traffic in the paint. If her shot is not falling, she can still make an impact on the game.   Bean is a great rebounder for a guard, using her physical style to muscle her way through the opposition down low. She can leap and grab every rebound she sees, then choose to either go back up with it or dump it off to a teammate. On the defensive end, Bean typically guards the opposition's best guards or forwards, and she makes their night a long one with her persistent on-ball defensive pressure.   Maumelle could be a darkhorse team to win out the 5A Central, and that is saying something considering Vilonia, LRCA, Beebe, Parkview, and Greenbrier are also in that conference. However, that success begins and ends with their new addition, [player_tooltip player_id='1060894' first='Kaylin' last='Bean'].    There were several other transfers that I saw, but these players could have massive impacts on their new teams in 2025-26.

Constant movement with the NCAA Transfer Portal is commonplace now, and I suspect its impact has trickled down to the high school level. With the ease that the LEARNS Act in Arkansas made for high school students to transfer to other schools, we are now seeing more transfers than ever at this level. With that being said, here are some transfer hoopers who I believe will have tremendous impacts on their new teams this coming season.