In recent years, there has been a surge in college basketball players entering the transfer portal, with over 2,000 players making the leap each year amid a rising trend in athlete movement, particularly influenced by Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities. An intriguing new trend, however, has emerged as the transfer deadline approaches: players who have exhausted their eligibility are also joining the transfer portal.

Notable examples include Clemson’s Ian Schieffelin and Kansas’s Zeke Mayo, both of whom have completed their college eligibility but are exploring opportunities in the transfer market. They are doing this in anticipation of potential changes in the NCAA eligibility rules linked to ongoing litigation.

Schieffelin stated on social media,

“While I am pursuing my options on the professional level I have been advised, due to pending NCAA cases, to enter the portal on the very outside chance more eligibility is allowed.”
(Translation: I have been encouraged to enter the portal due to ongoing legal proceedings that could affect NCAA rules.)

Similarly, Mayo echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that

“Due to the pending NCAA rules, I have been advised to enter my name into the transfer portal, while I remain focused on pursuing professional options.”
(Translation: I’ve been advised to enter the portal asI keep an eye on potential professional opportunities.)

Across the NCAA, many athletes are attempting to maintain their flexibility by entering the portal, even if it seems like redundant paperwork currently. This situation highlights the uncertainty surrounding the NCAA’s eligibility regulations and the players’ proactive measures to navigate their future in college athletics.