With all of the excitement that college football has generated during the transfer portal opening this month, college basketball is creating a similar window. Immediately following the NCAA Tournament championship games, there will be a 15-day transfer window for both men and women’s college basketball.
The portal will no longer open during the NCAA Tournament, which will benefit teams and players who are still competing for a national title, and will no longer have to juggle the pursuit of an NCAA title with the transfer portal. The change was announced on Wednesday after a recommendation by the Men’s and Women’s Basketball Oversight Committees.
It’s a logical move by the NCAA to not have the drama of the transfer portal overlap with the most important games of the season, with it being a win-win for both the programs and the players. The NCAA also said on Wednesday that mid-year transfers will not be eligible to compete at their new schools, regardless of if they competed at their previous school or not.
Along with the transfer portal changes, programs will now be financially compensated for Final Four runs, which could result in the UCLA Bruins receiving some cash if they’re able to get back to the Final Four this spring.
“Today’s vote emphasizes the importance of rewarding schools who invest in the development of their basketball programs and reach not just the Final Four but ultimately achieve the pinnacle of success in this sport by competing for and winning the national championship.” NCAA senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt said.
The NCAA is still learning how to govern college sports in the NIL era but Wednesday’s news was a step in the right direction for the sport.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: NCAA announces changes to college basketball’s portal window
Reporting by Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
