The NCAA’s decision to open the transfer portal the day after Selection Sunday has become one of college basketball’s hottest topics. It decimated some men’s rosters to the point that those schools decided not to compete in the NIT. At least a couple of women’s programs were in the same predicament.
Whether it continues to open this early or the date is pushed back, one thing is clear: The players are ready to move on.
More than 1,000 players used the transfer portal each of the past two years, and before play even begins in the Sweet 16 on Friday, more than 650 players are in it this spring. The impact is massive throughout the sport, but the transfer portal’s impact on this NCAA tournament is mixed. While the rotations at LSU and Baylor are filled with transfers, teams such as UConn, Stanford, Iowa, Gonzaga, Oregon State and Notre Dame are mostly homegrown.
The SEC has been hit hardest by impact defections so far. Six of the top 10 transfers have left Arkansas and Kentucky. Fortunately for the Razorbacks, coach Mike Neighbors is also bringing in a player from this list.
The portal will continue to swell as more teams are eliminated from the NCAA tournament. This list will change and expand along with it — and we’ll track the biggest transfers all…
