Maryland women’s basketball picked up its fifth transfer portal addition of the offseason on Sunday, with UConn junior Amari DeBerry announcing the decision on her Instagram.
The 6-foot-6 forward played limited minutes at UConn. She averaged 6.1 minutes per game in her career, and only averaged 4.4 minutes last season.
DeBerry was a touted prospect coming out of high school. She was the No. 15 ranked recruit in the 2021 class according to ESPN and a McDonald’s All American. She also played for the gold-medal winning 2021 USA U19 World Cup Team and averaged two points per game.
She never lived up to her prospect grade for the Huskies, though. Inconsistent playing time and injuries relegated her to a minor role for coach Geno Auriemma’s squad. DeBerry’s sophomore year was her strongest, but she averaged just 2.2 points in just more than eight minutes each contest.
Maryland coach Brenda Frese is likely trying to tap into the talent that made DeBerry a five-star prospect. She joins Allie Kubek, Emma Chardon, Mayé Touré and freshman Breanna Williams in the front court.
[Arkansas transfer Saylor Poffenbarger commits to Maryland women’s basketball]
Kubek had a breakout game in the NCAA tournament’s first round against Iowa State, scoring 29 points. She had an inconsistent season, though, and has had two major leg injuries.
Chardon is recovering from a torn ACL and Williams is a freshman. Touré fits better as a forward than a center. Adding another big to the mix was important.
DeBerry figures to provide depth to the Terps frontcourt at the very least, but if she can reach the potential she was lauded for, it could be a gamechanger for the Terps.
DeBerry joins Rutgers transfer Kaylene Smikle, VCU guard Sarah Te-Biasu, Touré and Arkansas’ Saylor Poffenbarger as Frese’s transfer portal commits. Maryland has one remaining scholarship spot.
