When does the college basketball transfer portal close? Taking a closer look at NCAA rule book in 2024

The transfer portal for NCAA basketball opened on March 18 and will be open until Wednesday, May 1, 2024. The process allows players to register themselves and transfer to another school during the period. The transfer portal is a digital tool created in 2018 and has a database of the players interested in transfer.

The portal helps athletes through the entire process of transfering and they have to request the same at their school’s compliance office. It takes two business days for the school to put the athlete's name on the transfer portal, and the digital tool too has simplified the process for coaches and athletes alike significantly.

Three years back, the NCAA allowed athletes to enter their credentials on the portal once and become eligible for transfer. They can do it a second time once they complete their undergraduate degrees.

Why this year will witness more registrations on the transfer portal

The duration for making an entry on the transfer portal was 60 days, however, the NCAA announced in late 2023 that it would reduce the period to 45 days. This period is not for the actual transfer itself, but the time in which a player needs to enter the portal.

1,800 players registered on the portal in 2022-23 but this year, despite the lesser duration, more players are expected to register, with the total being around 2,000.

The possible rise could be due to a December lawsuit that challenged the NCAA rule to make multiple transfers ineligible. Multiple lawsuits were filed and multiyear transfers are a reality now due to the preliminary injunction passed by NCAA, though the final verdict on the issue is yet to come.

What do you think is the most prominent feature of the NCAA transfer portal this year? Let us know in the comments.