"It's Bizarre": UConn HC Dan Hurley has honest take on the opening time of NCAA transfer portal

The NCAA transfer portal opened on Monday (Mar. 18) as men's and women's basketball players sought new homes. The criticisms about the transfer portal itself aside, some coaches are not happy with the timing of it.

It clashes with March Madness, which began on Tuesday, and many believe the transfers take the attention and fun away from the tournament.

UConn coach Dan Hurley recently made his thoughts known on the transfer portal.

“It shouldn’t be open right now,” Hurley said (h/t On3). “The fact on Monday, the best week in college basketball, that it’s open, it’s bizarre. It’s led to even more chaos."

Per On3, nearly 450 players entered on Monday alone and as of Thursday afternoon, 735 men’s basketball players have entered the transfer portal.

Coaches speak out on balancing March Madness and the transfer portal

Clemson coach Brad Brownell, who is a part of the NABC committee, shared how the situation can be tough for everyone involved, especially for recruiting.

“Distracting," Brownell said (h/t On3). "I was adamantly against this for this very reason. It’s a hard time of year for everybody, players, coaches, the whole nine yards.”

However, at the same time, Bromwell admitted that this timeline may work for some other programs that end earlier.

“There’s a lot of coaches, especially at mid-major schools, whose tournaments end earlier and they were very vocal about, the longer we have to wait, the harder it is for us to have to figure out what to do."

"I understand why there’s a segment of our coaching fraternity that wants that, but I also think this is really — I don’t think this is the right time.”

Longwood head coach Griff Aldrich hopes those making these decisions will also come up with a solution as he thinks this could negatively impact the staff working with the students.

“I think it will continue drive good people out of the profession, out of coaching,” Aldrich said. “We really need to have a thoughtful and quick, in my view — I say quick, over the coming year or two — solution to how we’re handling this because I think we are transforming the landscape and not necessarily in a positive light.”

The transfer portal will be open for 45 days, until May 1. For now, the Oklahoma State Cowboys center Brandon Garrison is the top-ranked transfer in college basketball (per On3). Garrison averaged 7.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks this season.