The NBA does it all in three days; the NCAA drags it out for months.
The NBA is proud of it; the NCAA wants you to forget it exists.
The NBA does it all above board; the NCAA is… not burdened by such truths.
That’s right, it’s time to consider player movement. The transfer portal gives a degree of freedom student-athletes have heretofore never considered, and the Powers are having a hard time unbunching their undies from the concept that players also now have the opportunity to go playing their trade for the highest bidder at any time.
Despite what Congress would like you to believe, this is both Fine and Good.
As the season draws near, I want to highlight the transfers who are poised to hit it big in new situation this year. We’ll start today with the mid-majors moving up a level; next week, we’ll go in reverse.
The criteria: fit, talent, Level of Dawg In Him and opportunity matter here, along with a helping of whatever I like. Some of these guys will be focal points on teams building back to glory; some will be vital cogs inserted into an already-humming machine. One or two might be the tipping point between pretender and contender.
Let’s get it, first with the obvious.
Max Abmas (Oral Roberts to Texas) No pressure on Abmas. The two-time Summit League Player of the Year and the NCAA’s leading active scorer (2,562 points) joins a Texas team that lost its top-three scorers from a year ago and will have Ron Holland-sized production hole in the lineup they did not anticipate having to fill. Tyrese Hunter and Abmas are an incredible backcourt on paper, and Abmas should eat in the two-man with Dylan Disu. The 6-0 scorer is the variable most likely to decide whether or not Rodney Terry’s first full season in Austin is a success or not.