Portal Season 2025

[Chuck Norris]

To a lowly D1 conference that is lucky to get one team to the dance because of the automatic bid. I just don't understand these guys moving to low tier schools like that. They have the opportunity to compete nationally at their D2 school or disappear at a low D1 school.

We are part of an extremely small minority that values winning a D2 national championship over simply making it to the D1 tournament.

As for the players, a college basketball career is now basically like climbing a ladder. Every year you hope to take another step up. Root for the logo. Forming any attachment to a player is a waste of time.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

To a lowly D1 conference that is lucky to get one team to the dance because of the automatic bid. I just don't understand these guys moving to low tier schools like that. They have the opportunity to compete nationally at their D2 school or disappear at a low D1 school.

Well, I think the logic is it's the next step. They want to have a big year at the trash D1 and then enter the Portal again next year. It's the moving up the ladder philosophy.

[IUPalum]

Well, I think the logic is it's the next step. They want to have a big year at the trash D1 and then enter the Portal again next year. It's the moving up the ladder philosophy.

Which almost never works!

[boatcapt]

Well, I think the logic is it's the next step. They want to have a big year at the trash D1 and then enter the Portal again next year. It's the moving up the ladder philosophy.

They also get to say for the rest of their life that they were a Division 1 basketball player. There is a certain cache that goes with that.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

They also get to say for the rest of their life that they were a Division 1 basketball player. There is a certain cache that goes with that.

No doubt.

[Fightingscot82]

Cam Polak / Cal

Kai Queen / Rock

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Cam Polak / Cal

He was the last one of their main core. I wonder why it took so long.

Danny's going to have a lot of new faces. He traditionally doesn't recruit transfers, either. His teams are almost always home grown.

Polak is a phenomenal player. I think he was actually the most 'D1' of all their departures.

[bballfan03]

To a lowly D1 conference that is lucky to get one team to the dance because of the automatic bid. I just don't understand these guys moving to low tier schools like that. They have the opportunity to compete nationally at their D2 school or disappear at a low D1 school.

Hes reuniting with a former HS teammate that graduates this year. His signing was announced and within an hour or so Sheltons commitment was announced.

I also think seeing what Omajafo did at RMU and now he's jumping again... if he makes a decent school - I think we're going to see even more D2'ers going to D1 after a good year or so.

Who was the D1 team like 2 years or so ago that made it to like the S16 or E8.. and 3 of their starters were D2 transfers the coach brought with him.

All these kids need is a chance.

[Topper_Hopper]

They also get to say for the rest of their life that they were a Division 1 basketball player. There is a certain cache that goes with that.

This is a good point. That being said, if upper tier D2 schools were to establish appropriately-sized NIL programs, I think they could reduce the number of D2-to-D1 transfers that are ending up in trash D1 locales (just for the "cache"). I don't know how common NIL is at the D2 level (in basketball), but my guess is that it's rare.

[IUP24]

Hes reuniting with a former HS teammate that graduates this year. His signing was announced and within an hour or so Sheltons commitment was announced.

I also think seeing what Omajafo did at RMU and now he's jumping again... if he makes a decent school - I think we're going to see even more D2'ers going to D1 after a good year or so.

Who was the D1 team like 2 years or so ago that made it to like the S16 or E8.. and 3 of their starters were D2 transfers the coach brought with him.

All these kids need is a chance.

I forget the name, but the player that transferred from Fairmont State a few years ago and was the first guy off the bench for Baylor's national championship team in 2021 sealed the deal for guys seeing that they could quickly jump from D2 to a great situation in D1. Of course, that was before the portal morphed into what it has become now, but you see the point.

The norm anymore is 3-4 schools for these basketball players. Just thinking about it for the individual on a personal level, I don't understand how you can take that approach - but they all do now. Picking up and moving (even as a college student) is hard. The logistics of that on a personal level have to be overwhelming. Academics aren't even part of the conversation anymore. I often catch myself wondering how an individual that goes between 4 schools in 4 years actually ever graduates. There's no chance all of their credits are transferring.

[IUP24]

This is a good point. That being said, if upper tier D2 schools were to establish appropriately-sized NIL programs, I think they could reduce the number of D2-to-D1 transfers that are ending up in trash D1 locales (just for the "cache"). I don't know how common NIL is at the D2 level (in basketball), but my guess is that it's rare.

I think the challenge is that these players simply don't want to be at our level. And that's the reality that we all have to come to grips with. NIL or no NIL. Nobody wants to make a career out of playing in Indiana, PA or in West Liberty, WV. They see our programs as the means to an end. The vehicle to drive them to their desired destination. So while you may be right in the sense that you could reduce those types of transfers, in theory, I don't think it will tangibly reduce it all that much.

Players want as far away from our level as possible.

This is how a high school player committing to a D2 school will look at playing college basketball...

Year 1 - "Show out" at a D2 program and get some real good tape out there.
Year 2 - Transfer to a low end D1 and show you can play at the D1 level
Year 3 - Move on to one of the better mid-major leagues at the D1 level. Show you can maintain your numbers against better competition.
Year 4 - If you performed well enough in Year 2 and Year 3, somebody in the P4 will give you an opportunity.

You can't pay them enough to keep them in D2. Because even you provided what you believed was "fair," they'd still chase the next opportunity which is helping to get them to where they ultimately want to go. They all believe they are P4 level players (maybe not on day 1, but by the time their career is over). They view the portal as their opportunity to realize the belief they have in themselves.

In the workplace, people generally see the largest salary jump when they change companies. Most (certainly not all) players hit the portal and land at a higher level or better situation than the one they are leaving.

[bballfan03]

I forget the name, but the player that transferred from Fairmont State a few years ago and was the first guy off the bench for Baylor's national championship team in 2021 sealed the deal for guys seeing that they could quickly jump from D2 to a great situation in D1. Of course, that was before the portal morphed into what it has become now, but you see the point.

The norm anymore is 3-4 schools for these basketball players. Just thinking about it for the individual on a personal level, I don't understand how you can take that approach - but they all do now. Picking up and moving (even as a college student) is hard. The logistics of that on a personal level have to be overwhelming. Academics aren't even part of the conversation anymore. I often catch myself wondering how an individual that goes between 4 schools in 4 years actually ever graduates. There's no chance all of their credits are transferring.

It wasn't Baylor I was thinking of, but that's a great example. Part of me thinks it might be been FAU in their first run? But maybe not.. definitely a "mid-major" team in which the coach brought D2 players with him and they made a huge run.

I refuse to call these players student athletes anymore. They are just athletes. Well - 88%+ id say.

[bballfan03]

The biggest thing is that these players don't care about winning a championship, it's about them getting the most spotlight for themselves.

[EyeoftheHawk]

They also get to say for the rest of their life that they were a Division 1 basketball player. There is a certain cache that goes with that.

This is astonishing to me because not long after they take their last shot they merge into the rest of society and frankly, most people don’t care anymore. Unless you were a prominent player in a big time program, you’re yesterday’s news. I’ve had D1 athletes and even an Olympian on my staff over the years. Other than being an interesting tidbit in the “tell me something people might be surprised to know about you” ice breakers, all anyone cared about was if they did their jobs well. I’m guessing life hits hard for a lot of these athletes.

[EyeoftheHawk]

The biggest thing is that these players don't care about winning a championship, it's about them getting the most spotlight for themselves.

And a very brief spotlight at that.