When it comes to the college basketball transfer portal, the NCAA is finally doing something right.
The NCAA Division I Cabinet approved new transfer portal windows for multiple sports on Wednesday. That includes men’s and women’s basketball.
Following a recommendation from both the men’s and women’s basketball oversight committees, the NCAA transfer portal will now open for 15 days after their respective national championships. That will take effect immediately.
With Wednesday’s announcement, the women’s basketball portal window will open April 6 and run through April 20. Men’s basketball will have its transfer portal period from April 7 through April 21.
Thank goodness. This is straightforward, simple, and, believe it or not, the correct way this should be handled. With the complicated nature of the transfer portal and NIL, this actually simplifies things.
Now for a little complicated addition. When a coaching change occurs, a 15-day window will open five days after a new coach is hired or publicly announced, the NCAA said. If a coach is not announced within 30 days of the current coach’s departure, and if the 31st day is after the national championship game, a 15-day window will then open. That additional window is only available after the portal window opens through Jan. 2.
If that takes time for you to process, don’t worry. I’m still processing it myself.
But at least the transfer portal isn’t opening during March Madness.
God bless the NCAA for actually being smart about this.