So Many Transfers - Are the Issues getting worse?

[gtmoBlue]

The College Basketball transfers lists are growing. Jeff Goodman sites his list has grown annually over the last 10 years. We have well over 700 kids on the list this season. What are the issues behind this phenomenon? Are there things which can be fixed? Can coaches, councelors, and educators at the HS level educate athletes in terms of decisionmaking skills in order to stop/slow the faulty reasoning, unrealistic expectations, and the helter skelter decisionmaking of these kids?

Seems our conference is really working the transfer market. We are doing pretty good on initial recruits, but seems we
are picking up major talent on the rebound. It appears to be a good thing, but...I am not certain about the longterm effects of 700 or more transfers per year. There are obviously problems about...problems with recruit expectations, recruit perceptions, and their "dream situations". Are kids just really deluded and unrealist in their pursuit of college/pro aspirations? Are the salesmen/asst coaches selling a false bill of goods to impressionable kids? Young athletes are moving rapidly - both voluntarily and by way of being let go by their current school(s). Many more schools are developing a revolving door policy - which previously only belonged to the very elite schools. Has the "instant gratification", "what's in it for me" traits of the current generation about to hurt/kill college basketball? Will the need to win by coaches and programs further entrench the current revolving door and transfer supermarket trend?

Kids are going through 2 or 3 universities per college career. The very good ones are doing the 1 & Done dance through school. The non-1&D kids are being traded like baseball cards. These trends are changing the game. Perhaps it is time to return to letting HS'ers go straight to the pros. That way the ones who attend college may choose more wisely and stop the "multi-university tourism" we are witnessing? Seems to be an issue which is worsening. Thoughts...

[GoldenWarrior11]

It's just the culture we are part of today. Graduate transfers have a huge effect on the number of transfers each year. If you don't like your current situation, whether that's regards to playing time, the coach, a teammate or if you just want to pursue something else for one year, you can leave and play immediately.

[CPJays]

Who are you to suggest that b/c a person wants to change their situation that they are either selfish, bad decision makers or too stupid to realize they are being taken advantage of? Pretty crappy way of thinking about life.

I think it is great that the players are taking their destiny into their own hands. The vast majority of college players will be done when they graduate, why would you want to spend the last 3 or 4 years doing what your passionate about on the bench? For some antiquated principal of "loyalty" that doesn't exist for the coaches?

Plus like it was said a number of these transfers are grad transfers, they got their degree. They are a wildly successful student athlete by that fact alone, they are educated and have to right to pursue a further education and playing career in any way they see fit.

[DudeAnon]

Almost every D1 player has aspirations of playing professionally after college. The most valuable currency in college basketball is playing time, so you can improve your skills and gain experience. If you can't get it where you currently are then you are foolish not to transfer.

[ChelseaFriar]

The vast majority of college players will be done when they graduate, why would you want to spend the last 3 or 4 years doing what your passionate about on the bench? For some antiquated principal of "loyalty" that doesn't exist for the coaches?

I think the majority of major conference players can land a job in Europe, Asia, Latin America if they want to keep playing. Not all of them, but a good percent of them. I think that's one of the reasons for transferring. You have to get playing time somewhere if you want to play overseas. And I don't blame them for not wanting to sit on the bench and then taking a 9-5 job after college.

Take the two kids that just signed with SJU, Simon and Clark. Both were highly ranked players who have a good shot at earning money somewhere in the world playing basketball. Smart move for them to not sit on a bench for a Blue Blood.

[CPJays]

The vast majority of college players will be done when they graduate, why would you want to spend the last 3 or 4 years doing what your passionate about on the bench? For some antiquated principal of "loyalty" that doesn't exist for the coaches?

I think the majority of major conference players can land a job in Europe, Asia, Latin America if they want to keep playing. Not all of them, but a good percent of them. I think that's one of the reasons for transferring. You have to get playing time somewhere if you want to play overseas. And I don't blame them for not wanting to sit on the bench and then taking a 9-5 job after college.

Take the two kids that just signed with SJU, Simon and Clark. Both were highly ranked players who have a good shot at earning money somewhere in the world playing basketball. Smart move for them to not sit on a bench for a Blue Blood.

That is a good point. In my head I was thinking about the types of players that have transfered out of CU the past few years. Going to places like Cleveland St, North Dakota, St Cloud St ect. They likely wont play after college, so this is their last shot.

Either way guys want to play, that is the whole point of the game. No one grows up in the driveway wanting to get famous for being the guy dancing on Monmouth's bench, they want to make plays lead the team create that on court bond even if it is at a lower level. I don't blame anyone for wanting to find a better situation for themselves.

[NovaBall]

It's not a bad thing. Kid makes a choice at 17. Sometimes after a year they realize that another option might be best.

[BEX]

Interviewer:" How many of these recruits think they will be stars in the NBA?"
Coach Mack: "All of them."

[DudeAnon]

Interviewer:" How many of these recruits think they will be stars in the NBA?"
Coach Mack: "All of them."

Pretty sure must 18 year olds think they are going to be the next wall street tycoon or nobel peace prize winner etc. That is just youth and ambition. Better than being set on mediocrity before you even begin.

[CoachK]

The College Basketball transfers lists are growing. Jeff Goodman sites his list has grown annually over the last 10 years. We have well over 700 kids on the list this season. What are the issues behind this phenomenon? Are there things which can be fixed? Can coaches, councelors, and educators at the HS level educate athletes in terms of decision making skills in order to stop/slow the faulty reasoning, unrealistic expectations, and the helter skelter decision making of these kids?

Seems our conference is really working the transfer market. We are doing pretty good on initial recruits, but seems we
are picking up major talent on the rebound. It appears to be a good thing, but...I am not certain about the long term effects of 700 or more transfers per year. There are obviously problems about...problems with recruit expectations, recruit perceptions, and their "dream situations". Are kids just really deluded and unrealist in their pursuit of college/pro aspirations? Are the salesmen/asst coaches selling a false bill of goods to impressionable kids? Young athletes are moving rapidly - both voluntarily and by way of being let go by their current school(s). Many more schools are developing a revolving door policy - which previously only belonged to the very elite schools. Has the "instant gratification", "what's in it for me" traits of the current generation about to hurt/kill college basketball? Will the need to win by coaches and programs further entrench the current revolving door and transfer supermarket trend?

Very good summary. Your 2nd paragraph covers a majority of it, but I'll add one more. These kids need their pre-college coaches to be upfront and honest with them about their abilities and their potential. This often doesn't happen. I've seen both Prep School and AAU coaches that are right behind their kids pushing them to play at the highest level possible, even if its likely unrealistic. Just as the kids want to be able to say they are playing in the Big East / ACC vs the A-10 / AAC, these coaches want to be able to tell future potential players, I've sent a kid to School A, to Conference A, rather than School or Conference C. Some of it is ego, some of it is to make themselves look better. I've seen kids commit to schools that there was no way it was ever going to work out, and everyone else knew it wasn't going to work out, but the kid goes there and wastes a year or two before moving on.
Now, I'm not saying that all coaches do this, in fact some are very good about laying it out to kids. But there are some who develop a reputation for sending kids over their heads and then usually having to transfer after a year or two. And it doesn't really benefit anyone. Not the kid, who loses a year or two of their college career, not the college coach that has a kid that can't play at that level (yes, it is also their fault for offering the kid), and in the long run, not the AAU/Prep coach that develops a reputation for overselling his kids to their detriment.