28 April 9 - 22, 2021
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Roy Williams and the NCAA hoops transfer portal BY AL MALINOWSKI
The transfer-portal process, for some, will never allow those coach-player relationships to work through adverse conditions together and mature. It unfortunately encourages them to avoid adversity rather than overcome it.
On April 1, Roy Williams, the head coach of the North Carolina Tarheels men’s basketball team surprised the college hoops world when he announced his retirement. Once it was confirmed that this announcement was not an April Fool’s hoax, well-earned accolades began to hit social media recognizing Coach Williams’ accomplishments. After all, it’s not often a coach of three national championship teams announces his decision to call it quits.
Some predict the current transfer-portal climate will encourage other successful coaches to retire earlier than expected. While that prediction may prove true, the good coaches may also find a way to modify their recruitment process.
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“I no longer feel I am the right man for the job,” Williams said during the press conference. More likely than not, there are multiple reasons why he felt this way and I can’t help but assume the college basketball transfer portal is one. Previously, athletes who have signed letters of intent with colleges were ineligible the first year when they decided to transfer to another school. In certain circumstances, the NCAA could review the situation and grant a waiver for the year of ineligibility, though this process seems subjective.
In the best interest of both players and coaches, I hope that the system can be revised so both sides are held more accountable to the commitment that was made to one another. Then fans of college basketball can go back to worrying about players leaving early for the NBA. Al Malinowski has lived in Big Sky for over 25 years. He has coached middle school and high school basketball at the Big Sky School District for 22 of those years and believes participation in competitive athletics has been critical in establishing his core values.
Now it appears the NCAA intends change the rules to grant transfer athletes immediate eligibility at least once. With that assumption in mind, there are currently over 1,000 men from Division 1 basketball programs who have already entered their names in the transfer portal. And that number is expected to grow. In many cases, the process of recruiting players must be incredibly rewarding for coaches, the players and their families. The primary reason most good people first get involved in coaching is the chance to develop relationships with young people and serve as a mentor. Providing an opportunity to talented athletes to continue to participate in their sport at a college level must be gratifying. In other instances, recruiting must be frustrating, disillusioning and exhausting. When one considers the dishonest and improper behaviors that can occur in recruiting (and we all know it happens), the time commitment to recruit kids, which often can begin in middle school, must already feel endless. With the anticipated changes to the transfer portal rules, coaches will now be required to recruit their own players continuously. In my opinion, recruiting is often the first step in developing a relationship but, much like any good relationship, it evolves over time, often with the assistance of adversity.
PHOTO COURTESY OF UNSPLASH
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