"Need to pray the rosary to get through the offseason": Anonymous coaches, players slam transfer portal as NIL discourse continues

Since its launch in 2018, the NCAA transfer portal has significantly changed college basketball in both positive and negative ways. Student-athletes have more control over their careers but may also be prone to overexertion and hasty decision-making.

This offseason, more than 2,000 players entered the portal, hoping to find a better fit and more playing time elsewhere.

Also, the NIL rules brought in a different level of complexity to the transfer portal dynamic — the branding opportunities that allow college athletes to make money from endorsements and sponsorships.

Several coaches and players voiced their concerns regarding the current state of the portal and NIL landscape to Fox Sports reporter John Fanta for an article published on Friday.

"This is a Grade-A f***ing goat rodeo," one 'mid-major' coach said. "I need to pray the rosary to get through the offseason."

"This is an absolute cesspool," one coach, whom Fanta called a 'high-major coach,' added. "It's birthed by the far-too-long original sin of NCAA greed. The adults in the room gave NIL with no guidelines. No guidance. No rules."

"It's terrible to watch because — as a guy who played four years at my school and was a part of championships — the team pride on the men's side is dead," a former player said.

"The state of the sport is f***ed," a senior who just graduated opined. "You’ve got guys on one-year contracts, so they’re free agents every summer. Coaches are tampering with anyone that has eligibility because they can."

"It's lawless," one assistant said. "I am all for players getting paid, but we need a governing body, a players association, salary cap, rules and formal and enforceable contracts."

Fanta's article called college basketball's transfer portal a "lawless cesspool," with calls for it to be fixed.

High-profile players shake up 2025 transfer portal

This year's transfer portal has witnessed several high-profile players opting to switch schools. Among the most notable names are PJ Haggerty, Donovan Dent, Ian Jackson, RJ Luis Jr. and Jayden Quaintance.

One of the leading scorers last season, Haggerty, who averaged 21.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, was the latest top player to enter the transfer portal this week. He played one season at Memphis after transferring from TCU last offseason.

Another interesting name in the portal is RJ Luis, a junior guard who had a sensational season with the Red Storm. He averaged 18.2 ppg and 7.2 rpg, guiding the team to its first conference title in 25 years.

Arizona State transfer Jayden Quaintance is also on the move and decided to play her sophomore season with the Kentucky Wildcats.