College Coaches Confidential: "What are programs looking for in the transfer portal?"

Over the last couple of years, the transfer portal has taken over the college basketball off-season. This year, the portal opened for one-time, non-graduate transfers on March 13, and the window remained open for 60 days. The portal was open before and after that time frame for graduate transfers to enter, allowing over 1,800 players to enter the transfer portal during this off-season cycle.

Sure, the majority of the players who entered the portal averaged less than ten points per game at their previous stops, but this surge has caused a shift in the recruiting process. 

When the NCAA passed the rule that first-time transfers could enter the portal without penalty (previously, all non-graduate transfers had to sit a season), that allowed a new avenue in recruiting, many coaches adapted quickly, but it also allowed for different philosophies. 

A quick look at last year’s Final Four shows how important the transfer portal has become. National Champion UConn had four players in their rotation from the portal. San Diego State also had four. Miami and Florida Atlantic each had three from the transfer portal. Eight of the 20 starters in the Final Four came from the transfer portal. 

Recruiting players out of the transfer portal can oftentimes move very quickly. Many times a player is only in the portal for a couple to a few weeks maximum before choosing a new destination. The process can be much different from a high school player’s recruitment, with much quicker player identification and courtship.

Read Which college programs are the best talent evaluators? | Read Which coach do you fear the most on the recruiting trail? | Read The significance of the June 15 call day | Read Which college coaches are best in game? | Read Which coach recruits the transfer portal best?

In this College Coaches Confidential segment, I talked with college coaches from the Power Six Conferences to the Division Two level to get their perspective on…

What do you look for when recruiting a player out of the transfer portal?

Coaches talk

A Coach in the ACC: “We ask ourselves a few questions. What is the reason the player entered the portal? What kind of program do they come from? Can they fit into our system and what we are trying to accomplish?”

A Coach in the SEC: “What does the player do well against college players, and is that something that translates to our league? A 6-foot-6 center that scores on the block might struggle against our opponents, but a small point guard that can make good decisions may work. What is a recruit’s vision of themselves, and can we give them that role and be successful? Is that vision of themself something we can commit to?”

A Coach in the Big East: “We look at the fit and our need. Do they fit our program, our culture, and – most importantly – our head coach? Are they tough layers that love competing? Have they been a part of winning cultures in high school, JUCO, and/or college? Can they be ambassadors for our university?”

A Coach in the Big 12: “First, we look for analytical and statistical efficiency out of the portal. We also look at positional fit and need, fit with the program – coach/players/culture, a player’s developmental and professional desire, their on-court impact (now and into the future), and do they handle their business off-court and in the classroom. It goes without saying the N.I.L. piece.”

A Coach in the ACC: “We look at toughness, IQ, and skill. How will a player fit in the culture we have built?”

A Coach in the Conference USA: “We only like to go into the portal if we have an unexpected loss on our team, to fill an unexpected hole. Otherwise, we like to bring kids along within our program. Having said that, the immediate impact in the same area we lost a player is huge. But we have passed on far more than we have taken if they don’t fit our locker room, so that is bigger to us than anything.”

A Coach in the ACC: “Do they fit an immediate need we have positionally, athletically, or skill-wise? This question needs to be answered first and foremost. What kind of feedback/intel is being discovered on the portal PSA? Is the feedback credible? Have to decide what your non-negotiables are with the portal and what you are willing to roll with and what you are not.”

A Coach in the American: “We look at the coaches they played for and systems they played in. Are there any similarities to ours? At least on one end of the floor. It makes their transition easier.”

A Coach in the Conference Carolinas (D2): “For us, we look at stats first; specifically the percentage guys shoot from the field and from three. For guards, the assist-to-turnover ratio is big. From there, we watch film and call around to determine a kid’s toughness and defensive abilities. Usually, you can get a good read on that stuff by asking coaches who have coached against the kid. They’re great sources.”

A Coach in the ACC: “I think you need to figure out what the player’s motivation/motivating factors are for wanting to transfer. Then figure out if you can provide what they’re looking for. The expectations must line up for the situation to work.”

A Coach in the American: “First, we obviously look at positional need, but that’s a given. Is he coming from a winning program is big for us. Feedback from the former coaching staff goes a long way too. Why is he leaving? Does he love it? Does he work? Is he a good teammate? We look at a player’s efficiency numbers, shooting percentages, assist to turnover, etc.).