Freshman Keyshawn Hall transferring from UNLV

By Mike Grimala (contact)

Sunday, March 19, 2023 | 12:36 p.m.

The UNLV basketball program suffered its first defection of the offseason on Sunday, as forward Keyshawn Hall intends to enter the transfer portal.

Hall, a 6-foot-6 lefty, played in 18 games as a true freshman in 2022-23. The Cleveland native averaged 10.7 minutes in those contests and posted 5.4 points and 1.6 rebounds, flashing a refined ability to handle the ball and score around the rim.

According to a source, Hall is not officially in the portal yet but does intend to transfer.

Hall becomes the fourth player to leave UNLV this offseason, joining graduated seniors E.J. Harkless, Eli Parquet and Jordan McCabe. The Scarlet and Gray have two incoming recruits committed for 2023, which leaves two open scholarships for now.

Despite Hall’s offensive potential, head coach Kevin Kruger did not grant him regular playing time right out of the gate. Sitting behind a veteran core, it took Hall the better part of two months to work his way into a significant role. He appeared in two games between Nov. 26 and Jan. 17, and logged just seven total minutes in those appearances.

Hall began to receive more playing time following a breakout performance at Utah State on Jan. 17, when he scored a team-high 19 points in 26 minutes, but he faded from the rotation again by the end of the regular season.

In UNLV’s final three games, including two Mountain West tournament contests, he played 15 total minutes and scored five points.

At the time he committed to UNLV last offseason, Hall also had recruiting interest from schools like Missouri, Saint Mary’s and Georgia Tech.

Entering the portal does not technically close the door on a possible return to UNLV, but Kruger is no longer required to honor Hall’s scholarship.

Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.