By LUT WILLIAMS BCSP Editor
The NCAA Basketball Transfer Portal officially opened on Monday, May 13 and a record-breaking 180 players entered their names into the portal on the first day, many from the HBCU ranks.
In August of 2022, the NCAA Division I board adopted changes to transfer rules to “provide greater clarity for student-athletes and member schools within the transfer landscape across all sports.” A significant change effective this spring is the notification-of-transfer window, a 60-day window for winter sport student-athletes to enter the portal. This window does not apply to postgraduate students.
The new rules state that the 60-day window opens “beginning the day after championships selections are made in the sport.” For men’s college basketball, the window to enter the transfer portal began on Monday, March 13 and will conclude on Thursday, May 11. Postgraduate student-athletes for fall and winter sports could enter the portal before March 13, but must enter by May 1.
The window deadline is only for student- athletes to enter the portal and doesn’t require a student-athlete to choose a new school by May 11. For college coaches, it’ll be as important as ever to continue recruiting their current players for next season until the deadline to enter the portal passes.
EARLY ENTRANTS
Among the early HBCU entrants into the transfer portal are three second team all- conference players.
Six-two North Carolina Central junior guard Justin Wright has announced his intention to play elsewhere. Wright led the Eagles and was fourth in the MEAC at 16.1 points per game. Wright shot 47% from the field and 41% from behind the arc while earning second team honors.
North Carolina A&T 6-2 sophomore point guard Kam Woods led the Aggies in scoring at 17.3 points per game and was named to the all- CAA second team. Woods, who was fourth in the CAA scoring stats, shot .337 from 3-point range. He started 30 of the A&T’s 31 games this season.
Six-four redshirt sophomore Nendah Tarke of Coppin State has also entered his name in the portal. Tarke, a second-team all- MEAC selection, started 31 of 32 games for the Eagles this season and averaged 12.5 points per game, second on the team, and a team-best 5.9 rebounds.
Another double-figure scorer for NC A&T, 6-6 forward Marcus Watson has also placed his name among the portal entrants. Watson averaged 14.2 points per game while shooting 41.7% from the field and .294 from 3-point range.
NC A&T, who is seeking a new coach to replace interim head coach Phillip Shumpert, had four others enter the portal. CAA all- freshman team selectee, 6-8 forward Duncan Powell (8.0 ppg., 5.7 rpg.), perhaps the mostly highly-rated incoming freshman in Aggie history a year ago, and back-up point guard Love Bettis are the two who saw the most action this season.
Hampton senior point guard Russell “Deuce” Dean has also added his name to the portal list. Dean played in 109 games during his four seasons with the Pirates. Within those four seasons, Dean averaged 30.5 minutes and 9.8 points per game. At the line Dean hit 327 free throws and 54 three-pointers.
