Since the addition of NIL deals and the revamping of the transfer portal in 2021, players can play anywhere. The struggle for coaches to try and keep their players for even one year has become greatly difficult. Even two-time defending champion head coach Dan Hurley of the University of Connecticut said in a recent interview that, “50% of my roster or more is at least considering going in the portal, if not already knows what school they’re going to.”
Some coaches may see this and become worried, but other coaches have risen to the challenge and used this to their advantage for the upcoming March Madness tournament.
March Madness is one of the most anticipated events in the sports world. Teams like Duke, who are typically always a top seeded team in the tournament, have stayed sound and have adapted to the new era of college basketball. On the other hand, a powerhouse school like Michigan State have reverted to their traditional tactics of recruiting out of high school, still being able to achieve immense levels of success.
Both of these universities have a rich history of basketball hierarchy on account of revered coaching legends. Even universities such as St. Johns have emerged as serious contenders thanks to multiple transfers and another legendary coach.
Duke’s head coach John Scheyer had big shoes to fill when he replaced arguably the best coach of all time in Mike Kryzewski. So far, he’s been doing a pretty solid job. This year is easily his best Duke team he’s had in his third season even with losing ten players from the year prior. Seven of those ten players opted for a different school to play at.
With just two remaining players from last season, Duke was looking as if they would struggle. However, a strong freshman class highlighted by top prospect Cooper Flagg combined with bringing in four new transfers, three of which being four-star recruits, have propelled the blue devils number one ranked team in the country. Duke has a record of 31-3 and are one of the odds on favorite to add a sixth championship banner into the rafters after winning the ACC championship.
Michigan State’s head coach Tom Izzo expanded his record-setting twenty-sixth straight NCAA tournament appearance last season, but just barely. This year, the Spartans have made a huge leap, being one of the top teams in college basketball. Coach Izzo has been the head coach of the Spartans for thirty years and is well renowned as one of the best coaches in the game’s history.
Coach Izzo has never had the top prospects or the big name players; even so, he’s made it work with his ability to recruit a team that knows how to play together. Just three of his sixteen rostered players were transfers, none of which came from a power 4 school. Although his team lacks the glamour of having transfers, the Spartans end their regular season with a record of 27-6. Coach Izzo’s 30 years of non-losing seasons is a testament to his incredible coaching, making his team a serious threat each and every year for the championship.
Thanks to the legendary coach Rick Pitino, St. John’s university has returned to its 1980s form and has made noise throughout the basketball world. St. Johns has seven transfers rostered, and in the last two years, St. Johns has brought in fourteen transfers.
Winning isn’t anything new for Pitino. He was the first coach to win the NCAA championship with two different universities (Kentucky and Louisville). In just two seasons at St. Johns, Petino has brought them back to their old ways. After winning the Big East championship, St. Johns finishes the regular season with a record of 30-4, and being the sixth ranked team in the country. St. Johns has grinded their way to earning the respect of the college basketball community.
All this bears the question: is the transfer portal important to be a contender for the championship? The answer to this question is depicted on which coach is asked. Tom Izzo would say it’s not, but Rick Pitino and John Scheyer would think otherwise. The problem is, all three of them have the proof to back it up.