The Michigan Wolverines emerged victorious in their national championship matchup against the UConn Huskies on Monday. By midnight, the offseason was in full swing.
That’s when the NCAA transfer portal officially opened, and over 1,000 players have already entered the portal or announced their intention to do so in the first 12 hours.
TOP NEWS
With just a two-week window before players can no longer enter the portal, both teams and players are working overtime. While some head coaches have been able to scout behind the scenes and plan for roster movement, other coaches must face the transfer portal with little to no preparation.
Coaches like Will Wade and Gerry McNamara have had very little time with their new teams. The UNC Tar Heels haven’t even officially announced their hiring of Mike Malone as head coach.
He will have virtually no time at all to prepare before having to work through the transfer portal.
In the age of NIL, schools will need millions if they want to be a top team. Elite players like Flory Bidunga and Juke Harris have already announced their intention to transfer and they’ll likely be asking for substantial NIL money.
This year’s champions proved that strong portal work can lead to the ultimate success. The Wolverines are now the first team ever to win a national title while starting five transfer players.
Some estimates predict that over 3,000 players could enter the portal this offseason, so the college basketball landscape is likely to look a lot different a month from now.
James Parker contributed to this story.
