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Message: [QUOTE="USNA90, post: 3950644, member: 6230"] A few thoughts on this: First off, I absolutely hate the idea of the transfer portal. It's a way for the rich to get richer at the expense of smaller programs. I think it will eventually lead to the mid-majors being non-competitive as all their top talent gets drained off year after year. That being said, it is the reality we live with today, and a coach needs to be able to adjust to that. I don't understand the angst people have about the incoming freshman being recruited over - those players are more in touch with the current recruiting landscape than anyone, and they're very aware that this can happen. For them, red-shirt years are ancient history, and this is the way college basketball works in 2021. With regards to scholarships, why is anyone concerned about having too many players? I think the idea that Polley and Whaley are returning is giving people a false sense of security. Discounting the two of them, UConn will have 10 of 13 scholarships filled. When they leave next year, along with Cole and Martin, UConn will be down to eight scholarship players. Does anyone think UConn is going to bring in a class of five players who are capable of making meaningful contributions? What if there's an unexpected departure? I may be jaded by what happened in the Ollie years, but injuries do happen, and I don't see a problem with having a full roster. It might not matter as much this year because of the COVID exemption, but in the future it will. Finally, I think a coach needs to improve his roster at every opportunity. It's great that Whaley and Polley are returning, but this is going to be the same team as last year - a team with glaring flaws that lost its best player. I find it hard to believe that this team has a lack of outside shooting and an inability to create shots, yet there's no room to add someone to the roster who can fix those problems. I know people are counting on player improvement, and the incoming freshmen, but I'm guessing most people looking on this from the outside would think that this team as it currently stands might be just as good as last year, and quite possibly a bit worse. [/QUOTE]

Verification: First name of men's bb coach