Transfers are all the rage in college basketball these days. But sometimes they don’t work out. Here are some of the players who couldn’t live up to expectations.
There are 351 college basketball teams in Division I right now. And while I don’t have the exact numbers, I feel safe in saying that at least 300 of them have a transfer on their current roster.
It’s another layer of recruiting in the sport, with players leaving their original teams like never before.
There are a variety of reasons why this happens. There are guys wanting more exposure and a better chance at participating in the NCAA Tournament. Then there are those on the opposite end who aren’t getting minutes and they leave for a better situation. Of course, there are players who either exit because a different coach is coming in or the existing coach forces the guy out.
The 2017-18 season isn’t even over yet, but already at least 350 players have submitted their requests to leave their current school. A few high-profile players are on the market, expected to get a ton of interest from the top teams.
But it doesn’t always work out for the best. Players who average 20+ ppg in a mid-major league doesn’t always translate to the power conferences and can struggle badly against better competition.
There are also those who thought they could slide right in with the new team’s system, but for some reason or another it doesn’t work out.
That’s the risk with transfers, as there are many examples of successes and failures. It can be the difference between an NCAA Tournament appearance and an NIT berth, and possibly even a coaches job.
Here are the top 10 guys whose seasons didn’t turn out in the way they hoped.