Miami basketball adds needed size with Virginia Tech transfer C Lynn Kidd

The Miami basketball program added the experienced size they were lacking last season with the addition of 6'10 Virginia Tech transfer Lynn Kidd on Thursday. Kidd will be slotted in as the starting center with the hope that Norchad Omier who was the sole post for Miami in the last two seasons will move to a more traditional power forward position.

Omier has not announced his return to the Miami basketball team for the 2024–25 season. Miami is also awaiting decisions from guards Kyshawn George and Wooga Poplar and forward Matthew Cleveland. Guard Nijel Pack announced on Thursday that he is returning for the 2024–25 season.

Kidd averaged 13.2 points per game, led Virginia Tech with 6.5 rebounds and 66.8 percent from the floor, plus shot 84.2 percent from the free throw line. In two games versus Miami this season, Kidd averaged 11.0 PPG, 7.5 rebounds and made 11 of his 13 shots from the floor. Kidd will help take pressure off of Omier up front.

Kidd led the ACC in field goal percentage in 2023-24 and Omier was third. The ACC voted Ian Schieffelin of Clemson the ACC Player of the Year, Hunter Sallis of Wake Forest was second and Kidd third. The Gainesville native returns to his home state after spending the last three years at Virginia Tech and one season at Clemson.

Expect Miami to pursue another post transfer to add depth in the frontcourt. Miami signed guards Jahlil Bethea and Austin Swartz and wing Isaiah Johnson-Arigu in the 2024 class. Miami lost 6'11 freshman center and 6'8 junior forward A.J. Casey to the transfer portal earlier this month.

If Cleveland and Omier return to Miami in 2024–25, the Hurricanes would have an extremely experienced and productive frontline. Bethea is a projected starter for Miami in 2024–25. Depending on who returns from the starting five and the additions of the freshmen and Kidd, Miami should have a good foundation for 2024–25.

George will likely enter the NBA Draft and stay as a consensus-projected first-round pick. Poplar is projected as a late first- to early second-round NBA draft pick. Cleveland and Omier are not projected to be drafted. Omier is the most likely to return of the four. They also have the option of entering the transfer portal.