The recent changes to NIL and the transfer portal have created plenty of movement in college basketball and we’re certainly seeing a lot of that again this offseason. Landing at his fourth different D1 school, Nick Pringle has found a new home after starring at South Carolina last season, becoming the first portal addition for John Calipari and Arkansas this offseason.
Pringle is a 6-foot-9 forward who’s originally from Seabrook, South Carolina, so it’s not a shock that he’s spent half of his collegiate career in his home state. However, surprisingly, he’s spent time at five different colleges since starring at the high school level in South Carolina. Now, the Razorbacks are hoping his final season is his best effort.
John Calipari wins transfer portal battle adding Nick Pringle
As a true freshman, Pringle had a limited role at Wofford, appearing in just fifteen games in the pandemic-altered season while not playing considerable minutes. In the offseason, he transferred to the JUCO level and had a phenomenal season at Dodge City Community College in Kansas. That strong effort put him back on the map for D1 colleges, leading him to Alabama that next offseason.
Pringle would spend a pair of seasons under Nate Oats with the Crimson Tide, even starting 16 games as a senior along the program's run to the 2024 Final Four. After a limited run in year one, he averaged 6.8 points and 5.1 rebounds, becoming an important frontcourt piece on that very successful Alabama team.
This past year was another step forward for Pringle, who transferred to South Carolina and became a starting forward for the Gamecocks. While the South Carolina team as a whole struggled, Pringle put up the best stats of his career, averaging 9.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game while making just over 58% of his shots inside the arc. He even ended the season on a high note, with 16 points and 14 rebounds against an elite Tennessee defense in their final regular season contest. After that personal success, he entered the transfer portal one last time.
While his remaining eligibility stems mostly from that JUCO season and the pandemic, Pringle will return for a sixth collegiate season at his third SEC school. His numbers don’t scream superstar, but Pringle impacts the game in a myriad of ways as a physical scorer and rebounder. He becomes Arkansas’s first transfer addition and adds much-needed experience right off the bat.
Calipari and his staff are far from done making additions this offseason but this is a great start. Arkansas will lean heavily on Trevon Brazile and Karter Knox in the frontcourt next season but Pringle should get significant run as well, especially if he continues growing his game as a rebounder and facilitator. We’ll have to see how important he becomes in the Razorbacks’ rotation next season, but Pringle is a great first move, especially after losing Zvonimir Ivisic and Adou Thiero among others.