After two years of constant calls from coaches and college sports administrators for change to college basketball’s transfer portal window protocols, the NCAA made a surprising announcement Wednesday afternoon.
Effective immediately, men’s and women’s basketball players will not be able to enter the portal until the day after the NCAA Tournament ends in their respective sports. Additionally, the portal will be open for 15 days from its onset, the shortest window for entry yet. (There is no deadline for a player to commit to a school after they enter the portal.)
This is a drastic switch from 2024, when the portal was open for 45 days and the process began the day after Selection Sunday. That year, eventual champion UConn hosted virtual interviews on Zoom in the team locker room during while at the Final Four. NC State even hosted a potential transfer on its campus before flying to the Final Four. Auburn faced a similar situation last year while it made its run to the final weekend of the season. (In 2025, the window to enter the portal was cut to 30 days but still opened after March Madness’ opening weekend.)
Moving forward, a more practical transfer window will be in place, with college basketball’s “free agency” period waiting to commence until after all the games have been played. The decision was made amid the NCAA’s annual convention, which is being held this week in Washington, D.C.
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The change won’t stop players from announcing their intentions to transfer — and seeking traction/attention on social media — but it will stop the formal and necessary process of being registered in the transfer portal. Until that step happens, a player can’t transfer nor commit elsewhere in an official capacity.
Most importantly, the change should reduce a lot of the auxiliary noise off the court in college basketball and bring a return to most of the attention where it belongs: The NCAA Tournament.
There are still special circumstances that will allow a player to go into the portal even after the window closes.
“When a head coaching change occurs, a 15-day period will open five days after the new head coach is hired or publicly announced,” per the NCAA’s press release. “If a new head coach is not announced within 30 days of the previous head coach’s departure — and the 31st day after the head coach’s departure is after the championship game — a 15-day window will open. The additional head coach departure window is available only after the basketball transfer window opens through Jan. 2.”
This year’s NCAA Tournament will begin with the First Four in Dayton, Ohio, on March 17. The Final Four will be held in Indianapolis on April 4 and 6, meaning the portal free-for-all will begin on April. 7.
