Why can't the NCAA get this one notable rule right?!
March is supposed be a happy time for college basketball fans.
As the focus should be on the NCAA Tournament at that time of year, some of the attention turns to the transfer portal, as the Wild Wild West of college basketball gets underway right after Selection Sunday.
Pete Nakos of On3 spoke about the college basketball transfer portal rule for the 2024-2025 season, as the portal is set to open on Monday, March 17.
The men's college basketball transfer portal will open the day after Selection Sunday, lasting from Monday, March 17 to Wednesday, April 30.
— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos_) August 22, 2024
If NCAA adopts proposal in Oct., the portal will be 30 days and open after 2nd round of March Madness.
More: https://t.co/KseT5MiIJD pic.twitter.com/86Dn4zSLsI
I don't know about you, but when I saw this, I just simply shook my head.
At this point, I simply just have one question to ask the NCAA:
Why can't we just move the transfer portal window until after the NCAA Tournament comes to a close?!
For starters, how do you even justify opening a transfer portal, something that will impact future teams, while the current season is still ongoing? Additionally, isn't it unfair that teams who don't make the NCAA Tournament or lose early in the big dance get the advantage of recruiting potential transfer portal targets earlier?
Essentially, programs that make deep runs into March Madness are penalized, as these coaches, who should be focused on game planning and preparing their team for their upcoming games, need to allocate some focus to the transfer portal for any potential targets that might enter their name into the mix.
Sure, you might say "well, a program doesn't have to focus on the transfer portal," but in the current state of college basketball, you simply can't afford to avoid it.
Of course, when team's seasons come to a close, players are going to make their future decisions on what they plan to do. Instead of rushing the process, why not open the transfer portal at the end of the season, giving teams time to meet with their current players, conduct end of the season meetings and allow student-athletes (and their families) the opportunity to really decide on what's best for their future?
To me, it seems like the right timing for the opening of the college basketball transfer portal shouldn't be that difficult to figure out.