The NCAA transfer portal is not just about chasing bigger NIL deals — it’s often a necessary step for athletes pushed out by coaches, overlooked in recruiting, or seeking better fit academically and emotionally. Experts say nearly half of transfers are driven by coaching decisions, not ambition.
The NCAA transfer portal is often misunderstood as a playground for self-serving athletes chasing bigger NIL deals or guaranteed playing time. But according to Linda Martindale, a mental fitness coach for high school and college athletes, the reality is far more nuanced — and frequently painful.
“A coach says, ‘You’re not gonna play here, so find somewhere else to play,’ ” Martindale told USA TODAY Sports last month. “It happens all the time.” She added that roughly half of transfers are driven by coaching decisions — not ambition.
Jan. 2 marked the official start of the NCAA’s football transfer window, which runs through Jan. 16. Longer windows open for basketball starting March and continue into spring and summer for other sports. The system involves thousands of athletes every year — but most aren’t looking for fame or fortune.
“I had a Power Four basketball GM tell me straight up, ‘We don’t recruit anymore. We acquire,’ ” said Brian Cruver, co-founder and CEO of Scorability, a database coaches use to evaluate players. “ ‘We look at how much money we have to spend and we go spend it. And if we have to spend more on this kid, it’s less we have available to spend on this other kid.’ It’s basically just dealing with an amount of money and what can you buy with it?”
Cruver emphasized that only a small fraction of athletes enter the portal for financial gain. Most are seeking stability, mentorship, or a place where they can develop without being overshadowed.
What Do You Really Know About the Transfer Portal?
The portal allows athletes to transfer schools and remain eligible to compete next season — sometimes even earlier. But the process isn’t a guarantee of success.
According to recent NCAA data, about 30% of Division I athletes who enter the portal never land another D-I program. That means many leave their current schools without a clear path forward — a sobering statistic for any athlete considering the leap.
North Carolina women’s lacrosse coach Jenny Levy told Martindale on her podcast: “We’ve had some people transfer to programs where they want to play. They’re usually kids that aren’t getting what they want on the field. Sometimes they say, ‘Jenny, I’m going to graduate early, and I’m going to go somewhere where I can play.’”
Levy stressed the importance of patience and development. “If you’re leaving just because you’re not getting what you want, don’t have the patience to actually develop yourself, and you just want a CliffsNotes version to start, and you want to go top 10 to top 10, then I think that’s bad parenting, personally,” she said.
For athletes stuck between dreams and disappointment, the portal isn’t always a shortcut — it’s often a detour.
No One Comes to Sit on the Bench — But What Are You Getting Out of Being on the Team?
If you’re thinking about entering the portal, start with your coach. Do they support your decision? Will your school take you back if you don’t land elsewhere?
Levy emphasizes managing disappointment — understanding that no one came to sit on the bench. “Sometimes the kid’s like, ‘I’m just not better than the player in front of me.’ And that’s OK,” she said. “What they’re doing takes courage. It takes commitment and passion. And in four years, when they get out of our program, they have learned a whole set of skills, intangible skills that they will take with them for their lives.”
Ray Priore, former Penn football coach, admitted he was lucky among his peers — he didn’t deal with NIL offers, instead selling the Ivy League experience as “NIL for life.” Still, since the portal opened in 2018, Penn has lost players annually — including Malachi Hosley, the Ivy League Offensive Player of the Year in 2024, who transferred to Georgia Tech and became the FBS team’s second-leading rusher.
Priore said Hosley received a “significant” NIL deal. “I’m happy for him because I think he’s at a level and perhaps the NIL situation is helping his family,” he said. “And I think that’s a good thing. Hurtful, from the standpoint it hurts us. Because now you lose that person.”
According to the NFL Development Pipeline, only about 1.6% of NCAA football players make it to the pros — most sports don’t even offer that opportunity.
Is the Grass Really Greener Somewhere Else?
Parents often tell kids they should be playing more — sometimes even demanding floor seats from coaches in return for their son’s commitment. This mindset can lead to poor decisions.
Martindale, who coached D-I basketball and now mentors young athletes, developed four criteria for evaluating coaches: Know you, connect with you, prepare you for failure, believe in you. If your coach embodies these qualities, is leaving really worth it?
“It’s not soft and fluffy,” Martindale says. “We’re not suggesting that everyone sings songs after a game around a campfire. We know it’s sports, we know it’s competitive, we know it’s aggressive. But joy comes from preparation, from knowing that you’ve given everything you have, of competing, of showing up … all the things that you’re doing, and you’re not giving yourself any credit for.”
Which Situation Best Helps Your End Game?
Steve Alford, who won a national championship playing for Bobby Knight, has publicly criticized the current state of college sports — especially the commodification of student-athletes.
“Five years ago, I wasn’t on conversations (with players), saying, ‘How much you want to be paid?’ ” Alford said. “Never thought that would happen in college basketball. I don’t believe student-athletes shouldn’t be paid. But the way it is now is utterly ridiculous. And it’s changed our game. And so you gotta adapt.”
Alford lamented how relationships have been replaced by transactional discussions about NIL deals. “Most of them are getting what they’re getting before they ever produce. You should have to produce, then you receive. It’s a bad lesson, and we shouldn’t be sending kids off to teach them bad models for when they’re 25 and 26.”
During a press conference, Alford alluded to five players whose NIL deals were set to expire — openly asking what happens next. “Are they gonna be able to handle the real world?” he said.
That question applies to every athlete — whether they’re playing basketball, soccer, or track — and should guide every decision about transferring.
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