Not so long ago, players had to sit out for a year after entering the college basketball transfer portal. Of course, that wasn’t fair, but it made them think twice before making that decision.
Now, with the lack of playing time, all the players moving around, and the NIL era, players are basically entering free agency in every offseason with the new transfer portal rules.
That’s not positive for their development, says coach John Calipari. Talking to Penny Hardaway on his podcast, the Arkansas coach questioned today’s players’ approach to the portal.
John Calipari questions the transfer portal
“Forget about the money, how we pay a kid. It doesn’t matter,” Calipari said. “But this transfer portal. The first sign of trouble, they leave. How do you transfer four times and then graduate? We’re still educational institutions. They have to get it in control.”
Of course, it’s not that the players have to go through adversity to thrive, but it also shapes their character. Instead of fighting and competing, they can just bail and move somewhere else.
One could argue that the most talented players will still find their way to the court, but sometimes, it takes much more than just talent to make it as a professional athlete.