The sports world's infatuation with March Madness often masks the slew of problems that are rooted in the core of college basketball. And one of these key issues is the game's chaotic transfer portal system, which has essentially forced head coaches to run teams, rather than programs.
Stadium college hoops insider Jeff Goodman discussed the free agent-esque transfer portal in further detail on The DA Show on Friday, and also explained why the sport is at a crossroads due to problems such as amateurism and likeness rights.
"I think it's why [UNC head coach] Roy Williams retired yesterday," Goodman said. "I really do. I believe it's a combination of things mentioned and then adding name, image likeness that forced Roy Williams to retire sooner than he would've liked. And it's going to force guys like [Duke head coach] Mike Krzyzewski and [Syracuse head coach] Jim Boeheim and some of those other older coaches to retire a little bit sooner than they would like. Because they're frustrated.
"Roy Williams, every time I saw him, he knew that I compiled a transfer list for about 15 years. And when it started, the number was about 350. This year, it's probably going to be closer to 2,000. Roy was pretty much immune to the transfer portal and all the guys transferring out of programs until the last two years. And he would talk to me about it in the summer. There was a sense of pride for him. He was like, 'Nobody leaves Carolina. Nobody leaves us.' And in the last couple years, that's changed. So I think that's a big part of it for him, the investment he puts into these kids. And now, whatever he invests, it doesn't matter...
"Now you have it with this one-time transfer rule that's coming in here soon in a couple weeks, and it's only going to get worse. And I understand it for the kids. I do. I totally get it, that you want freedom for these kids and they shouldn't have to sit out [a year]. Well, the only problem with that is, it's great for the kids, but it's going to kill our game. It's going to kill our game because the basketball is going to be so ugly with every roster having seven or eight players turn over every single year. So I think the sport's at a crossroads in a lot of ways, and it's going to be interesting to see how name, image likeness -- that's the biggest impact for me on the sport -- but the transfers... I used to laugh at Seth Greenberg saying it was an epidemic. It's now an epidemic."
The entire college basketball conversation between Goodman and DA can be accessed in the video player above.
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