It’s transfer portal season, which means that every college basketball staff across the country has someone refreshing the portal constantly to see which players have entered their names.
The NCAA transfer portal started in 2018, but everything changed in 2020, when the NCAA’s Division I Council granted a blanket waiver for players to become immediately eligible upon transferring from a Division I school. Previously, players had to sit out a season. Now, transfer portal recruiting has superseded even high school recruiting as the primary source of talent for some programs. This season, the NCAA shortened the portal window, which runs from March 24 until April 22.
The Athletic is tracking the biggest names who are seeking new programs:
1. Serah Williams
Wisconsin junior forward
Key stats: 19.2 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 2.4 APG, 2.3 blocks per game
With one season of eligibility remaining, the 6-foot-4 veteran can add production as a starter and ease the transition for a younger post teammate. Her offensive range is mostly contained to the paint, so she’s not going to stretch the floor offensively for any team. Her motor (32 minutes per game this season) and rim-protection (the 2024 Big Ten defensive player of the year) make her a top target in this transfer portal cycle.
