Ranking the top 10 transfers in 2025 women's March Madness - ESPN

In the new world order of college basketball, the most important recruiting for coaches no longer takes place at AAU tournaments or in high school gyms. Their best work must come in the transfer portal. Players changing schools immediately changes a program's trajectory. And nothing changes the perception of a team more than how it does in March.

Kentucky and TCU were the two best turnaround stories of the 2024-25 season. The Wildcats — back in the NCAA tournament after missing out the past two years — and Horned Frogs — who had to forfeit two games and hold open tryouts last season when they were decimated by injuries — improved largely on the backs of transfers. USC and Texas — both of which are No. 1 seeds — have spent much of the season ranked in the top five but wouldn't have been without their transfers.

Now it is time to find out how that translates to the women's NCAA tournament.

ESPN looks at the 10 transfers who will have the most influence on March Madness.

Kenny Brooks leaving Virginia Tech for Kentucky was a huge boost to a struggling Kentucky program. Brooks getting Amoore to come with him was even bigger. She completely changed the outlook for the Wildcats' season and likely accelerated Brooks' rebuild. The transition from the ACC to the SEC didn't slow down Amoore. In fact, she had her best season, hitting career highs with 19.8 points and 6.9 assists per game, the latter ranking third in the country.

Amoore made Kentucky into a top-20 team — and, as the No. 4 seed in the Spokane 4 Regional, a host for the first and second round — and the Wildcats can't make a splash in the NCAA tournament without the point guard leading the way.

NCAA tournament opener: Friday at home vs. 13-seed Liberty Flames (noon ET,