USC forward Saint Thomas plans to enter NCAA transfer portal despite having no remaining eligibility

USC forward Saint Thomas plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, he told On3’s Joe Tipton. However, he has no remaining eligibility.

Thomas is among several players who have opted to enter the portal despite having already exhausted their four years of eligibility. The reasoning is a looming decision from the House vs. NCAA settlement could result in a change to eligibility rules. Although not guaranteed, players are opting to enter the portal before the window closes just in case.

Thomas played just one season at USC after transferring in from Northern Colorado this past offseason. He started all 35 games and averaged 9.5 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game.

While at Northern Colorado, Thomas was named the Big Sky Necomer of the Year and a first team all-conference selection in 2023-24. He averaged a career-high 19.7 points and 9.8 rebounds, the latter of which led the conference.

Thomas played the first two seasons of his college career at Loyola Chicago. However, he started in just five of 41 games before making the decision to transfer following the 2022-23 season.

Thomas is the fifth player from USC to enter the transfer portal this offseason, including fellow starter Wesley Yates. The Trojans have also added seven players through the portal to rank No. 8 in On3’s Transfer Portal Team Rankings.

The college basketball transfer portal officially opened for business on Monday, March 24, and will close on Tuesday, April 22. As of this writing, more than 1,000 players had already entered their names.

Last spring alone, 1,962 Division I players tested the portal waters. Based on the early numbers from this year, even more could follow. For the first time in history, more than half of the points scored in college basketball were scored by players from the transfer portal, not high school, in the 2024-25 season.

In data gathered over the first two years with transfer windows, the NCAA found most athletes enter the portal within the first four weeks of the portal opening. The study showed that 73% of men’s and women’s basketball undergraduate athletes entered during the first four weeks. That increased to 82% for men and 86% for women in 2024.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.