There is a 1983 Sci-Fi film called
WarGames where a HS kid unknowingly hacks into a Defense Department supercomputer named Joshua. He thinks he is playing video games, but has inadvertently set in motion a process that will lead to global thermonuclear war. In the end nuclear holocaust is averted when the computer learns the ironic truth that, “
The only winning move is not to play.”
In similar fashion, I would argue that UConn won the transfer portal prior to last season and for this coming season by essentially not playing the game of creating a revolving door for outbound and inbound players. On the outbound side that starts with keeping all your core players. Prior to this past season, UConn was the only D1 school in the nation that did not lose a single outbound transfer. After winning a championship this year (Not a coincidence), UConn only lost Q, the last player off the bench. Keeping your existing core roster is absolutely critical to maintaining continuity for any WBB program.
On the inbound side, UConn is not looking for the shiniest new toy. Since the implementation of the Transfer Portal, the Huskies have now brought in 5 smart, talented, team-oriented players who complement the existing roster. Next season, Serah and Kayleigh will give UConn the deepest, most versatile roster in WBB. The 3 players that came before Serah & Kayleigh were Dorka, Lou & Kaitlyn. They were all stars at their former schools. They had all completed their undergraduate degree. All were willing to accept supporting roles at UConn to pursue their championship dream. Serah and Kayleigh are cut from the same cloth. They are not coming to UConn to become stars or get paid a bundle of money. They just want to get better and win championships.
So what is happening elsewhere in WBB? We are seeing wholesale roster changes as both starters and key reserves are heading for greener pastures. There are teams that have lost their entire rosters. Schools are scrambling to fill voids, sometimes engaging in bidding wars for top players. Coaches have become commodity traders, negotiating NIL payouts with parents and agents, while having little time for player development.
I sometimes feel sorry for college coaches. None of them got into coaching to negotiate transactional contracts with players while losing a significant portion of their roster every year. The joy and satisfaction that coaches receive from developing a young person to reach their potential as a player and a human being over multiple seasons is being lost to NIL, immediate transfer eligibility, player agents and the pressure to win.
Top programs load up on talent from the transfer portal every year. The problem for many of these teams is that it takes years to build a roster into a cohesive unit, and if you are engaged in a major roster overhaul every season with a bunch of free agents,
it becomes nearly impossible to execute like a team must execute to win a championship. UConn walloped everyone during the Big Dance with flawless execution at both ends of the court. Yes, UConn had several new faces this past season. But the collective basketball IQ of this Husky team was off the charts, and every single player bought into what Geno was trying to accomplish. After winning championship #12, Geno commented that his team, “fell in love with each other.” That is difficult to achieve if players are always asking, “What about me?”
Next season many teams will set their sights on a national championship. They will work hard to integrate their players into their respective systems in the hopes of creating a smooth and effective team. As for the Huskies, they will not need to hope.
UConn has won the Transfer Portal…..again, by adding 2 excellent complimentary players to an experienced and talented roster that will be firing on all cylinders come March.
