Why do mid-level players transfer?

[Vowelguy]

An honest question.

I am NOT referring to a player at the end of the bench on a top team. I get that if you're a star growing up and then dont play it's not fun, and you might want to give it shot at another top school or just go somewhere and have fun.

I am NOT referring to a player who does well enough at a mid-major to get a shot at the big time.

I'm talking about a player at a non-P5 school going to another non-P5 school. Doing so is highly unlikely to change the player's chance of playing professionally. In that case, the scholarship is just a way to get a free education while doing something the player enjoys. As a result, when I see a player transfer from a good academic school to a much lesser one, I'm puzzled. I believe I saw one player go from Brown to Florida Gulf Coast. Others from mid-majors to JUCOs.

To be fair, there are all sorts of personal reasons in specific cases and that may be at play. Eg, a desire to go back home bc of homesickness or an ill relative. Hating the current coach/team. Not enjoying the current school culture/setting/academics. And maybe that's the case in all these situations. But at a very very removed/uninformed distance, some of these moves make me scratch my head.

 

[tomcat]

A head-scratcher, for sure, but I suspect it is a combination of all those things you mentioned. For one kid, its academics. For another, homesickness or a personal issue, and for another, the coach. Add them all up, and you probably get most of the cases we see these days.

 

[oldude]

While I agree that such transfers typically don’t result in more PT, and transfers also end up sitting for a year, in most cases, it’s almost always about PT.

There’s not a single scholarship athlete in any sport that goes to a college thinking, “I’m going catch some splinters on the bench for a few years and then maybe I’ll be a reserve that gets 5-10 minutes a game.” Every single one of them was a star in HS. They’ve often had their egos inflated by HS & AAU coaches, as well as their parents, and sometimes that continues into college.

They are embarrassed that they’re not playing as much as they anticipated, and rather than realistically assessing their own ability, they blame the coaches and teammates, and they convince themselves that things will change at another school.

There are very few Saniya Chong’s around, who struggled to find PT for 3 seasons, but stuck it out, continued to work hard and became a starter and key contributor as a senior.

 

[Vowelguy]

While I agree that such transfers typically don’t result in more PT, and transfers also end up sitting for a year, in most cases, it’s almost always about PT.

If you have no shot at the pros and don't have one of the personal issues listed above, switching to a lower quality educational institution just to play a few more minutes seems like a very unwise choice.

 

[oldude]

If you have no shot at the pros and don't have one of the personal issues listed above, switching to a lower quality educational institution just to play a few more minutes seems like a very unwise choice.

Yes, but wise decision making is seldom part of the equation

 

[CocoHusky]

One reason you have not touched on is the age of the students when these decisions are being made. Most enter college as teenagers and the first college decision typically has plenty of input from mom and dad. For many the decision to transfer is the first "adult" semi-solo decision & typically made after being away from mom and dad for the first time. I'm too lazy to do the research but I would bet it is similar to seeing higher divorce rates among couples that were married at a young age.
I generally disagree that these decisions are about playing time, basketball, or even athletics. These are some very formative years where college students are looking for someone they can relate to, something they are good at, and someone to inspire them. For the most part WCBB players readily have all three & that is the reason they transfer at a lesser rate than non-athletes.

 

[Jim]

With the Brown to Florida Gulf Coast transfer you have to remember that Brown plays in the Ivy League where there is only need-based financial aid -- no full-ride athletic scholarships, while FGCU has been ramping up their D1 program. Academically Brown is superior, but basketball-wise FGCU is much better. For much of last season they were just outside the top 25 in the polls.

 

[Puppy Love]

I wasn't an athlete, but having transferred after my freshman year, I still might have a little insight. I was the first in my family to ever go to college. My dad completed only 8th grade, which was common back then. My mom graduated high school. Neither of them had any idea what went into the college selection process. I basically chose the school that offered the most financial aid. Between academic and need based aid, I had a full scholarship. Unfortunately, the school was a horrible fit and I was miserable. My transfer choice was much better and it was a to a school I hadn't even heard of during my initial planning. Now, throw basketball in the mix...most kids are limited to the schools that offer them aid. If you pick one and it is a lousy fit, the transfer might not look like it makes sense. It was more likely that the initial decision was the bad one.

 

[Bama fan]

If you have no shot at the pros and don't have one of the personal issues listed above, switching to a lower quality educational institution just to play a few more minutes seems like a very unwise choice.

I do not know about my fellow Boneyarders, but making unwise decisions was what I did best when I was an undergrad. My dad always said, "For someone so smart, you sure are stupid sometimes."

 

[stamfordhusky]

I'm talking about a player at a non-P5 school going to another non-P5 school. Doing so is highly unlikely to change the player's chance of playing professionally. In that case, the scholarship is just a way to get a free education while doing something the player enjoys. As a result, when I see a player transfer from a good academic school to a much lesser one, I'm puzzled. I believe I saw one player go from Brown to Florida Gulf Coast. Others from mid-majors to JUCOs.

Another reason is when a player has graduated from their original school, but has eligibility left, and opts for a new school to get a Master's. That was the case for the transfer from Brown to FGCU - where Jordin Alexander was able to get a free MPA, which tied in closely to her Brown undergraduate degree.

Playing time, as previously mentioned, is always a major reason, but another one can simply be that the player is not happy with her coach for any one of a dozen reasons and wants to get out of an unpleasant situation.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Rutgers had a bench-warmer player that was on the team when CVS came. Played a year for Viv, wasn't her cup of tea. Went to a DIII nearer home, Pennsylvania IIRC. Had (apparently) a very successful season, but didn't enjoy the school or the level of basketball. Came back for her senior season (no sit out for DIII transfers).

Obviously don't know all the details, but I always thought that she didn't appreciate Rutgers? CVS? whatever until she tried something else, and was fortunately in a position to do so. And she was, for want of a better way to say it, a very good "team" player upon her return, I even think she had and used an extra year of eligibility although I don't remember the reason.

 

[Vowelguy]

Rutgers had a bench-warmer player that was on the team when CVS came. Played a year for Viv, wasn't her cup of tea. Went to a DIII nearer home, Pennsylvania IIRC. Had (apparently) a very successful season, but didn't enjoy the school or the level of basketball. Came back for her senior season (no sit out for DIII transfers).

Obviously don't know all the details, but I always thought that she didn't appreciate Rutgers? CVS? whatever until she tried something else, and was fortunately in a position to do so. And she was, for want of a better way to say it, a very good "team" player upon her return, I even think she had and used an extra year of eligibility although I don't remember the reason.

I get players moving down to D2 or D3 -- the demands are less but they still get to play BB. And for D2 they can still get a scholarship.

My puzzlement is about shifting between mid-level schools when the chances of going pro are basically 0, particularly if the transfer includes a major downgrade in school quality.