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Marquette has added its second player from the transfer portal, with today's addition of St. Thomas (Minnesota) guard Nolan Minessale a reason why I like Shaka Smart getting back in the portal.
After averaging 11.2 points as a freshman for the Tommies, Minessale had a huge sophomore jump, boosting his per game scoring average to 19.8 points during the 2025/26 season. From nearby Brookfield, Wisconsin, Minessale played at Marquette University High School.
Looking at some highights, the 6'5'' Minessale seems sneakily athletic and quite intelligent on the court. Apparently, Minessale likes to get downhill and go to the bucket, which should suit the Golden Eagles quite well. Marquette is always at its best when it can put pressure on the basket. Minessale also gets a pretty insane arc on his shots, especially off the dribble drive. In other words, he is a much more crafty scorer than his appearance deems him to be.
Could Minessale be a steal for the Golden Eagles, especially with two years of eligibility left? Apparently, NBA scouts were intrigued enough to watch Minessale in person several times last season.
While Smart has not used the portal since 2021, last season necessitated a change in philosophy. Honestly, culture is so important to Shaka, who is not just going to take someone to take someone. Smart was very shrewd with whom he brought in from the portal prior to his first season at Marquette, with George Mason's Tyler Kolek the Patriot League player of the year as a freshman and a star in the making, Clemson's Olivier Maxence Prosper a defensive nightmare and eventual first-round draft pick, and seniors Darryl Morsell of Maryland and Kur Kuath of Oklahoma veteran role players who helped establish the right culture.
Smart would not be bringing in Minessale and Louisville's Sananda Fru if he didn't think they would fit the program's culture and be able to contribute. While from the less-heralded program than Fru, Minessale could contribute in a big way next season, even when jumping from the Summit League to a higher level of competition in the Big East. At 200 pounds, Minessale is going to have to add some more muscle to his upper-body, as well as improve from three, where he shot 30.6% as a sophomore.
Overall, though, Minessale is an intriguing addition for Marquette, which has one more open spot for next season. At the very least, Minessale should be a connector and glue guy on the court and shows that Smart knows how to comb the portal and identify guys who fit what he wants Marquette basketball to be: tough, disciplined and together.
I can't blame Smart for previously not wanting to engage in the dirty pay-and-play game of the transfer portal, but such is college basketball today. The portal is not going anywhere, with it as or even more important than high school recruiting. Principled, classy coaches like Smart need to find a happy medium using the portal to get players who fit a program's personality and fill team needs. Smart seems to be doing just that so far this offseason.
After averaging 11.2 points as a freshman for the Tommies, Minessale had a huge sophomore jump, boosting his per game scoring average to 19.8 points during the 2025/26 season. From nearby Brookfield, Wisconsin, Minessale played at Marquette University High School.
Looking at some highights, the 6'5'' Minessale seems sneakily athletic and quite intelligent on the court. Apparently, Minessale likes to get downhill and go to the bucket, which should suit the Golden Eagles quite well. Marquette is always at its best when it can put pressure on the basket. Minessale also gets a pretty insane arc on his shots, especially off the dribble drive. In other words, he is a much more crafty scorer than his appearance deems him to be.
Could Minessale be a steal for the Golden Eagles, especially with two years of eligibility left? Apparently, NBA scouts were intrigued enough to watch Minessale in person several times last season.
While Smart has not used the portal since 2021, last season necessitated a change in philosophy. Honestly, culture is so important to Shaka, who is not just going to take someone to take someone. Smart was very shrewd with whom he brought in from the portal prior to his first season at Marquette, with George Mason's Tyler Kolek the Patriot League player of the year as a freshman and a star in the making, Clemson's Olivier Maxence Prosper a defensive nightmare and eventual first-round draft pick, and seniors Darryl Morsell of Maryland and Kur Kuath of Oklahoma veteran role players who helped establish the right culture.
Smart would not be bringing in Minessale and Louisville's Sananda Fru if he didn't think they would fit the program's culture and be able to contribute. While from the less-heralded program than Fru, Minessale could contribute in a big way next season, even when jumping from the Summit League to a higher level of competition in the Big East. At 200 pounds, Minessale is going to have to add some more muscle to his upper-body, as well as improve from three, where he shot 30.6% as a sophomore.
Overall, though, Minessale is an intriguing addition for Marquette, which has one more open spot for next season. At the very least, Minessale should be a connector and glue guy on the court and shows that Smart knows how to comb the portal and identify guys who fit what he wants Marquette basketball to be: tough, disciplined and together.
I can't blame Smart for previously not wanting to engage in the dirty pay-and-play game of the transfer portal, but such is college basketball today. The portal is not going anywhere, with it as or even more important than high school recruiting. Principled, classy coaches like Smart need to find a happy medium using the portal to get players who fit a program's personality and fill team needs. Smart seems to be doing just that so far this offseason.
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