2025 Transfer Portal

[MSSportsGuy]

The portal will still be crazy as ever. The COVID year expiration for most players won't decrease the number of those who want a better situation or perceive a better situation from moving on.

I posted months back one reason why I get so irritated at the social media posts of finalists, visits, posing in team jerseys (which I wish the NCAA would ban) then the inevitable "committed" is they are basically committing for a single year and not a 4 year career as before. My cynical self also believes some in the portal just like the process of being recruited again. Being recruited is more fun than practice, team workouts, classwork, learning to play as a team, and games where you may or may not get to play as much as you want or get yelled at for not playing well.

NIL has made an impact and will continue to do so. Players want to earn money and play for winners. There is nothing wrong with that but don't make a big production out of visits and finalists before their next "committed" post maybe fifteen months after the original.

 

[ConnMotors]

The portal will still be crazy as ever. The COVID year expiration for most players won't decrease the number of those who want a better situation or perceive a better situation from moving on.

The big question with the portal is not how many players enter it but how many players that enter and do not get offers. We have what 320+ Division 1 schools. Were all of these young ladies signed last season by others schools that entered? I doubt it…

 

[Dillon77]

The portal will still be crazy as ever. The COVID year expiration for most players won't decrease the number of those who want a better situation or perceive a better situation from moving on.

I posted months back one reason why I get so irritated at the social media posts of finalists, visits, posing in team jerseys (which I wish the NCAA would ban) then the inevitable "committed" is they are basically committing for a single year and not a 4 year career as before. My cynical self also believes some in the portal just like the process of being recruited again. Being recruited is more fun than practice, team workouts, classwork, learning to play as a team, and games where you may or may not get to play as much as you want or get yelled at for not playing well.

NIL has made an impact and will continue to do so. Players want to earn money and play for winners. There is nothing wrong with that but don't make a big production out of visits and finalists before their next "committed" post maybe fifteen months after the original.

Thanks for points and input, but I do think the lack of the Covid exemption will cut back on the number of players. To me, it's simple math: take away the extra year of eligibility and the number of variables diminishes. I follow men's lacrosse (as a former collegiate player) and the amount of players has dropped. The (lack of the) extra year is the reason -- particularly for Ivy League schools.

Yes, I think you'll continue to see more players take a dip, for whatever reason, but that lack of an extra year will make it's mark.

(If I'm wrong, we'll work out a way for me to buy you a refreshing beverage, adult or not. )

 

[MSSportsGuy]

Yes, I think you'll continue to see more players take a dip, for whatever reason, but that lack of an extra year will make it's mark.

(If I'm wrong, we'll work out a way for me to buy you a refreshing beverage, adult or not. )

You could be right of course but I think we are just getting started on the players, coaches, and even fans viewing their team through the lens of a single year.

Most of these young ladies will never play professional ball after college, even overseas, and yes many are focused on the degree. Many believe they will get paid to play professionally if they just play for this coach, at this program, get their stats to a certain level but more importantly get noticed. Young people now (I have no children so this in anecdotal) aspire to be social media influencers almost as much as my generation wanted to play professional sports. They are concerned about their brand and how to maximize it and that means being visible as an athlete as well as social media star.

Sorry for the sidebar rant. We're now seeing what the travel sports/AAU culture has brought to us and that's playing for whatever team gives me the best offer and the biggest opportunity to show out. If they aren't getting it at school X, they will likely bounce to school Y, Z, M, or any variety of options.

 

[CajunHusk94]

There will be attrition; there is every offseason at LSU. Wolfenbarger is not a power forward based on her physique. Neither is Del Rosario.

LSU has not played Jersey at the PF, they have been putting her inside at the 5 spot and thats why she isn't being nearly affective as she could be. A kid who thrives facing up and taking people off the bounce has been turned into a back to the basket player... Because next to her is Morrow at 6'1....

ADR is a lost cause, seems like a lovely kid but no one is fixing that.... may not be popular opinion but I've seen enough from her HS days and 2 years in college to know nothing is going to change. Gigantic recruiting ranking failure, similar to her former teammate Angelica Velez who is now playing for a horrible Syracuse team and still isn't good enough to play

 

[DefenseBB]

Weimar and Williams now move to the top of the transfer big prospects at this very early stages. Weimar is the much harder to judge because she had very impressive PER stats playing for BU, but against very weak competition, suggesting a pretty good but not great big at a top program.

Williams for sure as her stats from both an efficiency and WinShare score against P4 teams is elite. Weimar, as you noted did well against the Patriot League with BU but we don't know what she can do against P4 competition. Most times, these players struggle mightily.

To me, William, like Beers last year and Reese the year before is the leader in the clubhouse. Once teams get eliminated from the NCAAT, that may add other quality bigs or an elite guard but for the moment #1 is Williams and I am hard pressed to identify who #2 is simply due to a lack of true elite skills.

 

[CajunHusk94]

Caitlyn Weimar is in the transfer portal out of NC State. She transferred from Boston University last year but was injured in one of the first practices and never played a game for NC State. Now, she's leaving. I'm surprised because we could sure use her next season.

I think she is going to be a good one for someone. unfortunate it did not workout for State

 

[cancontent]

You could be right of course but I think we are just getting started on the players, coaches, and even fans viewing their team through the lens of a single year.

Most of these young ladies will never play professional ball after college, even overseas, and yes many are focused on the degree. Many believe they will get paid to play professionally if they just play for this coach, at this program, get their stats to a certain level but more importantly get noticed. Young people now (I have no children so this in anecdotal) aspire to be social media influencers almost as much as my generation wanted to play professional sports. They are concerned about their brand and how to maximize it and that means being visible as an athlete as well as social media star.

Sorry for the sidebar rant. We're now seeing what the travel sports/AAU culture has brought to us and that's playing for whatever team gives me the best offer and the biggest opportunity to show out. If they aren't getting it at school X, they will likely bounce to school Y, Z, M, or any variety of options.

While I agree with this statement and have made similar comments, this article I came across today provides an interesting contrast to the portal situation. There are players out there who are still committed to the idea to honouring their scholarships and turning down NIL. We seem to talk more about the ones who leave versus those to who stay and benefit from it. Found this to be a refreshing read.

NCAA women’s basketball mid-major stars explain why they chose to stay rather than transfer

Transfers are the new NCAA norm. Here’s why some women’s basketball players stayed put instead.

www.sbnation.com

 

[WBBTakeover]

Caitlyn Weimar is in the transfer portal out of NC State. She transferred from Boston University last year but was injured in one of the first practices and never played a game for NC State. Now, she's leaving. I'm surprised because we could sure use her next season.

She would help every team in the conference (and start for most), but she may prefer to be a "plug-and-play" for a year instead of part of a rotation with younger bigs. I don't think she'd start over Tilda Trygger, for example.

 

[MSSportsGuy]

NCAA women’s basketball mid-major stars explain why they chose to stay rather than transfer

Transfers are the new NCAA norm. Here’s why some women’s basketball players stayed put instead.

www.sbnation.com

This was an excellent read. I think they are more the exceptions given one of them is at an Ivy League school where the degree will mean so much and the other two are a mid major power programs and close to their homes. However, I have to remind myself that some excellent programs and players exist outside of the P4 and they don't all plan to chase a dollar.