Wither Aidan
Look, if a native son who always wanted to go there gets a wandering eye at Saint Mary's, there's no such thing as a guaranteed returner.
To get to Aidan Mahaney, first let’s talk about Simeon Barrow.
Who?
Barrow is a defensive lineman for Michigan State. Or was. Or will be again? I dunno, it’s complicated. Barrow recently put his name into the transfer portal—for the second time in sixth months and fourth overall if reports are to be believed. The man has been in East Lansing so long he was originally a Mark Dantonio recruit, but that hasn’t stopped him seeking other, better accommodations at pretty much all points in his collegiate career.
Simeon Barrow, by the way, is not some schlub hanging onto the nether-regions of the two-deep. Barrow is a three-year starter and was thought to be a huge part of the puzzle coming back for the Spartans this year.
Now, I don’t see that there’s any reason whatsoever that every athlete in college sports with even the tiniest bit of leverage shouldn’t put their name in the transfer portal every time it opens for them1. Sometimes nothing will happen outside of a nice bump in your NIL package, and sometimes someone will come over the top with an offer so ludicrous you simply must take it, and then six months later you look up and you’re driving a Lambo to class at Maryland wondering just how in the world this became your reality2.