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A free-agent culture: How transfers are killing Cinderella


Dr. Cornelius

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Sports Illustrated: A free-agent culture: How transfers are killing Cinderella

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A Sports Illustrated study of transfer data reveals that since 2012, the amount of players who’ve transferred up to higher-rated leagues from the low- and mid-levels of college basketball has more than tripled.

 

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Coaches and administrators point to the careers of high-profile transfers Luke Hancock and Seth Curry as the tipping point for the trend. In May of 2011,

 

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“I think the answer to that is definitely yes,” Larrañaga says when asked if it’s harder to build a Cinderella today. “I think the whole mid-major and low-major experience has changed in the last 10 years because of transfers. I think it’s our culture. Everyone is one and done.”

Larrañaga means that if a player is good enough at a high level, he leaves for the NBA. If he excels at a lower level, he leaves for a higher level. At the same time, if a player at a higher level struggles, he’s just as likely to transfer down another level.

I don't think that the issues discussed in this article fully explain the problems ORU has had with recruiting over the past 6-7 years; ORU's problems are more cultural/institutional (within the context of the basketball program).

But this does explain the sea change that has occurred across mid & low major college basketball.

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Here's another interesting quote from the article:   NCAA transfer data shows that nearly 40-percent of players who enter Division I out of high school transfer by the end of their sophomore year.

I guess that we are not the only school that is seeing this problem.

 

 

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Really interesting article, thanks for posting. Transfer frequency is becoming an issue across the board in college basketball, not just low and mid majors. Something has to be done to strengthen player retention, but, like someone mentions in the article, what options does the NCAA have to improve on the issue? 

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How many ORU players have transferred to a Power 5 team over the years?

Elvis Rolle transferring to Florida State back in the '70's is the only one that I can recall.

Most transfers from ORU either stay in the low-to-mid-major world, or go the NAIA/D2 route.

But the quote about 40% of players leaving their initial program by their sophomore year is spot-on, and the reasons why are myriad.

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If Eman's game develops over the next two years, I could see Power 5 schools come calling as a graduate transfer.

When ORU played Baylor, he looked like the only ORU player that belonged physically and athletically on the same court with those guys.

 

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How many ORU players have transferred to a Power 5 team over the years?

Elvis Rolle transferring to Florida State back in the '70's is the only one that I can recall.

Mark Gottfried --  ORU to Alabama

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On 3/15/2017 at 0:03 PM, ORUalum said:

Mark Gottfried --  ORU to Alabama

That's another - so just two (along with Elvis Rolle), in almost 50 years of D-1 play?

(And Elvis' transfer to Florida State should hardly qualify as a Power 5 school:  FSU was an independent back in the '70's, and was nowhere near the program they became once Bobby Bowden got things rolling with Seminole football late in the decade).

That's a remarkably low number, considering that ORU is rarely (ever?) a recruit's dream destination, and is hardly the easiest place for a male athlete to spend four-to-five years at that stage of life (as noted elsewhere), and harbored a number of talented players over the years who could have helped any program.

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back to my point that Eman will be a target in a couple years if he graduates early....

heard Dickie V say on a Mike and Mike clip that Power 5 schools are actively recruiting guys......players are not acting on their own.

here is another good read i found on the topic......Jeff Goodman ESPN

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When asked to elaborate specifically on what "slowing down the graduating process" would entail, he said instead of enrolling a player into a pair of summer school classes in two sessions, they might not have that particular player take summer school at all -- or take just one class per session. Another prevailing thought is to put players in just the minimum 12 hours of classes each semester.

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Mid-majors have been penalized for doing their jobs well due to the grad transfer rule, which allows players who earn their degrees before completing their athletic eligibility to transfer elsewhere and play immediately.

Some high-major schools admitted to ESPN that they are already compiling lengthy lists before the season of those who will be eligible to leave mid-majors and play their final season elsewhere.

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A year ago, Cleveland State head coach Gary Waters could have trotted out a starting lineup that included Trey Lewis and Anton Grady. Instead, Lewis spent the season at Louisville. Grady took a grad transfer year at Wichita State and Waters went just 9-23 and will have some pressure on him this season instead of working on a contract extension. Both Lewis and Grady are playing professionally overseas this season.

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"This isn't a university issue, or a student-athlete issue. It's blatantly an NCAA issue," Southern Illinois coach Barry Hinson told ESPN.

Hinson just lost his starting big man, Bola Olaniyan, to Alabama.

"You can't blame a student-athlete for looking at their options, and you can't blame coaches for doing what's in the guidelines of the rules," Hinson added. "But the NCAA needs to do something about this -- and the reason they aren't is because they are running scared of a lawsuit."

 

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