On the Move: San Diego Transfer Report
- Aaron Burgin
- 6 days ago
- 7 min read
The San Diego transfer portal was as active as ever this summer, as a number of high profile players changed addresses – including a record number of defections from the region.
Gone are two all-CIF selections and three talented 2027 prospects that comprised nearly a third of the Full-Time Hoops All Sophomore 1st Team.
In are a pair of high-level combo guards, and two foreign bigs, all of which will have an impact in their respective divisional races.
And in between, a record number of high-profile players have new homes within the section.
Let’s look at some of the biggest moves.
2026 Ezekiel Walker to Francis Parker from Maranatha Christian, Take 2
After a year of wait, Ezekiel Walker will make his highly anticipated debut with the Lancers. When CIF denied his transfer last year, Walker was seen as a nice complement to sophomore Tavid Johnson. Over the year, however, Walker has become one of the breakout prospects in California, netting a San Jose State offer in the process. He enters the year as a potential All-CIF candidate.
2027 Jaylan Virgil to Torrey Pines from Laguna Creek
Virgil, a 6-1 junior guard, transferred to Torrey Pines from Laguna Creek in Elk Grove. A high-scoring combo guard with an offer from Pepperdine, Virgil is one of two new faces on the Falcons varsity and is expected to make an immediate impact with his deep ball shooting and craftiness off the bounce.
2026 Sei’Mir Roberson to Cathedral Catholic from Catholic Central
Cathedral Catholic’s fortunes improved with the transfer of the New York guard Roberson, who averaged an eye-popping 27.9 points per game for Catholic Central (York, NY) last season. Roberson pairs with Max Meza to give the Dons one of the section’s top back courts.
2026 DJ Humphries to Victory Christian from Olympian
Humphries, a 6-1 senior guard, was an all-Mesa League performer and one of the Eagles’ “Big 3” that led them to consecutive CIF championships. Now, he transfers up the street to the Eagles, last year’s Division 1 runners up, to pair with Jayden Gray, Troy Tominna and Chato Garcia to give the Knights one of San Diego’s best guard collectives.
2026 Tyler Humphrey to Torrey Pines from Mt. Carmel
The second of the Falcons talented newcomers, Humphrey, a 6-6 wing, comes over from the Sundevils after a solid sophomore campaign, but is rapidly developing and has Division 1 upside as a prospect. He’s a great fit in John Olive’s system and should thrive over the second half of his high-school career.
2026 Charlie Barajas to Cathedral Catholic from Scripps Ranch
The 6-6 lefty wing had a good season on what was a tumultuous year for the Falcons, which wound up parting ways with coach Matt Nash during the offseason. Barajas brings athletic punch at the four spot and a great motor to a Dons team that now has some real size and versatility in its front court.
2027 Jackson McCall to St. Augustine from San Marcos
One of three players to defect from San Marcos this offseason, McCall was the only one to remain in San Diego, where he heads to a Saints team that lost its top player from last year, senior Jaden Bailes, to transfer. McCall, a 6-5 “point forward” with advanced ball skills, joins a rotation that includes three juniors and senior sharpshooter Lincoln Grogan.
2026 Braylon Lucas to Madison from Hoover
The Cardinals firing of head coach Walt Felusme precipitated an exodus from Hoover, with the big prize being Lucas, a sharpshooting combo guard who was an all-Eastern League selection as a junior. He joins a Madison team that won the City League and gave Olympian its toughest game in the D2 playoffs and returns its top 7 rotation players. Lucas gives them a consistent scoring threat in the back court and makes them an Open Division dark horse.
2028 Earnest Donkoh to Army Navy from Springdale Prep (MD)
No stranger to international transfers, Army Navy gets a huge one in Donkoh (below, right), a 6-9 athletic specimen, who pairs with 6-7 Ivan Marchenko and 6-6 senior Kevin Sun to give the Warriors one of San Diego’s tallest and biggest front courts. Donkoh, however, is the most imposing of all, with a 7-foot wingspan and forceful athleticism.
2026 River Diaz to Otay Ranch from Southwest SD
Diaz, a heady and assertive three-level scorer, stays in the South Bay after a breakout season with the Raiders in which he was named to the All South Bay League 2nd team. Diaz will headline what will be a much improved Mustangs squad that has sneaky good guard play with 2027 Nyno Lopez and 2028 Quincy Washington. Diaz should be one of the South Bay’s best scorers.
2026 Malick Jallow to Pacific Ridge
Pacific Ridge isn’t usually a destination for big-time transfers, but they scored a big one - literally - in the 6-11 Jallow (left), who hails from Great Britain. Jallow joins a Firebirds team that returns four starters from the Division 5 championship team, including talented 2027 guard Gavin Fletcher. His addition is a true game changer for the Carlsbad program.
2027 Maddox Mendoza to Del Lago Academy from Escondido
Mendoza, who did not play the second half of the year with the Cougars, is one of SD’s most underrated prospects. At 6-8 and with an improved offensive arsenal, Mendoza will join the team in 2026-27 after the section denied his transfer.
2027 Donovan Bryant to Helix from Mater Dei Catholic
Bryant gets a fresh start after an inconsistent sophomore year with the Crusaders. A talented and quick lefty scoring guard, he joins a Highlanders team that is looking to find direction and build on a season where they upset the 3 seed in the Division 2 playoffs. Bryant could give them the leadership necessary to take the next step.
2028 Issac Chapman to Carlsbad from Classical Academy
This might be a move that we revisit in a couple of years as one of the most significant transfers of this year. Chapman, a relative unknown until recently, had a solid freshman year for the Caimans, but has grown 3 inches since the end of last year and appears to just be scratching the surface of his upside.
2028 Desmond Aniangyei to Victory Christian from Mater Dei Catholic
After a season that saw the 6-8 Aniangyei average a double double after the Holiday break following the departure of Davaughn Hueitt, Aniangyei moves to the Knights, where he gives them the size they were lacking over the past few seasons. However, Aniangyei has battled injuries ever since the transfer, and is looking to get healthy before the sit-out period ends Dec. 31.
2027 Kannon Seals to Mater Dei Catholic from Coronado
Seals, a 5-8 floor general, returns to the Crusaders after spending a year with the Islanders, where he had an up-and-down year on and Islanders team that made a run in the D3 playoffs. Under new head coach Bazz Fontenot, Seals will complement senior Jonathan Hawthorne well in the back court and stabilize things a bit after last year’s nadir.
2028 Amari Mitchell to Rancho Buena Vista from Vista
In one of the bigger offseason surprises, Mitchell, the younger brother of 2025 Vista grad Ashaun Mitchell, transferred to the crosstown rival Longhorns, where he should have an immediate impact alongside star senior guard CJ Aldrich, and likely represents the future of the program moving forward.
2028 Jasir Fontenot to Mater Dei from San Diego
The fastest athlete in San Diego moves to the Crusaders with his father, who guided the Cavers to three CIF championships during his 9-year tenure. Fontenot, a 6-1 guard, will play a big role for the Crusaders in hoops – when he’s not shattering national and world records in the 110 hurdles.
2027 Lee Mannheimer to Mission Bay from La Jolla
At 6-8+, Mannheimer is one of the section’s most intriguing long-term prospects, but as of now will have to wait until next year to suit up for the Buccaneers after CIF denied his transfer, pending an appeal to the state.
2028 Jace Anderson to Kearny from St. Augustine
After a season at Saints, Anderson saw the writing on the wall and made the move to the Komets, who returned much of the core that finished just behind Crawford in the Central League last year. Anderson, a 5-8 point guard who can score and create with equal aplomb, joins fellow 2028 star AJ Minton and 2027 wing Cameron Ackerman to comprise one of the county’s more unheralded trios.
Other significant transfers
2028 Axel Ruiz TBD from Hoover
2026 Ajani Jones to Mar Vista from Hoover
2026 Mustapha Abdi to Crawford from Hoover
2026 Ari Krasniqi to Torrey Pines from Mater Dei
2027 Jayren Sunico to Bonita Vista from Morse
2027 Chase Frushone to Tri-City Christian from Carlsbad
2027 Nehemiah Miller to Canyon Hills from Lincoln
2027 Carmelo Pulido to Kearny from Mission Bay
2026 Bobby Latson to Kearny from High Tech High Mesa
2027 Sagean Curley to Steele Canyon from Christian
2028 Jerell Wells-Shorts to Morse from Steele Canyon
2027 Kymani Joseph to Patrick Henry from Hoover
2026 Nate Rodriguez to Crawford from Hoover
2027 Kai Cooke to High Tech High SD from Olympian
2027 Chris Everett to Canyon Hills from Christian
2027 Malakai Acker to Del Lago Academy from Mission Hills
2027 Roman Martinez to Granite Hills from Christian
2027 Kellen Grady to Del Norte from Rancho Bernardo (denied)
2028 Boaz Koffler to Francis Parker from SD Jewish Academy
2028 Montiego Espinoza to El Cajon Valley from Hoover
Bags packed: Who left the section
Jaden Bailes (6-2 2026 G) to JSerra Catholic from St. Augustine
Caleb Newton (6-3 2026 G) to DNA Prep from Mission Bay
Richie Ramirez (6-2 2027 G) to Mater Dei (Santa Ana) from San Marcos
Jasen Hughes Jr. (6-5 2027 F) to Calabasas from Granite Hills
Justin Johnson (6-6 2027 W) to Compass Prep (AZ) from El Camino
Isaiah Hill (6-4 2028 W) to JSerra Catholic from San Marcos
Yaseen Chemsi (6-5 2026 F) to Compass Prep Grind (AZ) from Olympian
