“Should have stayed at Michigan”: College hoops fans react as Texas guard Laila Phelia enters the transfer portal

Texas Longhorns guard Laila Phelia entered the transfer portal on Wednesday, sparking reactions from college basketball fans. This is her second straight year in the portal.

To the surprise of Texas and college hoops fans, Pheila decided to leave the Longhorns. She played just eight games for the team after suffering a detached retina last offseason, which required surgery and a season-long recovery. The expectation was she would be back to full strength in the 2025-26 season, taking a starting role in her final year of eligibility.

Pheila spent the first three years of her college career with the Michigan Wolverines, starting almost every game in her sophomore and junior years.

The transfer announcement was posted on Instagram by Women’s College Hoops Transfers.

“Should have stayed at Michigan,” a fan wrote.

“Still tryna figure out why she left Michigan,” another fan wrote.

“I thought she sat out to play for them next year… we definitely missing something here,” one fan commented.

College hoops fans react as Texas guard Leila Phelia enters the transfer portal. Credit: IG/@wch_transfers

Some fans vouched for Phelia’s quality and wished her the best.

“Wish you all the best! Your a wonderful young lady,” a fan wrote.

“Finally! She was a bucket at Michigan. Mad she wasted a year at Texas i would say TCU or maybe Ohio State,” one fan said.

“She could replace jersey At Lsu,” another fan commented.

College hoops fans react as Texas guard Leila Phelia enters the transfer portal. Credit: IG/@wch_transfers

Phelia played 29 times, including 14 starts, and averaged 8.8 points per game as Michigan reached the Elite Eight in her freshman season, earning her a spot in the Big Ten All-Freshman team.

She had a more important role in her sophomore year, starting in 24 of 29 appearances, improving her scoring to 16.7 ppg.

The upward trajectory continued in her junior year, when she started all 33 of her appearances and averaged 16.8 ppg, before moving to Texas.

Laila Phelia becomes fourth Texas player to enter the portal

Texas reached the Final Four for the first time in over two decades, but is now dealing with departures that helped achieve the feat.

Abbie Boutilier, Jordana Codio and Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda all entered the transfer portal before Laila Phelia. The Longhorns also lost Shay Holle and Taylor Jones to eligibility.

However, Phelia's departure came as the biggest shock, as she previously suggested that she was hyped to return next season.