Portal Kombat

A star leaves North Carolina, but he's not the only notable entrant into the portal. Plus, some players are already in new places, some stayed put, and much more.

Author

Mike Miller
March 28, 2023

We're still days away from the Final Four, but there's action that starts in Houston tonight with players who might be in next year's Final Four. The McDonald's All-American games for the men and women tip off tonight starting at 6:30 pm ET on ESPN.

Forgot who made the rosters? Here's a primer.

Let's get to the rest of Monday's news.

1. Caleb Love headlines latest portal entrants

North Carolina knew this was coming. But it doesn't make the ending any easier.

Caleb Love announced Monday that he intends to enter the transfer portal, becoming the sixth Tar Heel to do, and by far the most notable and important of the group.

Few players created such a (pardon the pun) love/hate relationship as the 6-4 sophomore guard. His scoring ability — he led the team last season at 16.7 points per game — is unmatched ... when he's on. He dropped 27 second-half points against UCLA during the Heels' run to the 2022 Final Four. His game-winning triple against Duke in the Final Four is among the five (three?) biggest shots in UNC history.

But he never had it on enough. He hit just 29.9 percent of his 3-pointers and 45 percent of his 2s last season. Love never seemed to click with backcourt mate RJ Davis, nor the rest of the team for much of the season. As a result, he shouldered the blame for UNC's struggles this past season, which is probably unfair.

He'll now be a notable transfer target for any team looking to add scoring punch, whether as a point guard or a scoring guard (it's telling that six guards are rated as better transfers on evanmyia.com). The right fit will be tricky, though. Early rumors suggest he may land at Missouri or Memphis.

Love was far from the only important name to hit the portal on Monday. A quick and incomplete list:

  • Kadin Shedrick, junior center. An elite rim protector and rim-runner, Shedrick's playing time dwindled in the second half of the season at Virginia. He's limited offensively, but few players (thus far) could have a bigger impact on a new team next season.

  • Sahvir Wheeler, senior point guard. Another much-maligned guard in need of a fresh start. He was essential to Kentucky's superb 2021-22 regular-season but struggled this past year due to injuries and fit. This is his second move, but as a grad transfer, he'll be immediately eligible.

  • Kel'el Ware, freshman big man. The 5-star prospect was part of a huge frontcourt rotation at Oregon but struggled to adjust to the college game. He was originally seen as a one-and-done prospect.

  • Keegan Records, junior center. He exhausted his eligibility at Colgate, making him an ideal transfer option for a team seeking a big, skilled center. He's not overly athletic but would be an asset for just about any program.

  • Ryan Langborg, senior guard. He starred for Princeton in their run to the Sweet 16. Another player who exhausted his eligibility with his current team.

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2. New faces, new places — and some who stayed

It's not just players entering the portal. They're finding new teams almost as quickly.

  • Providence just introduced new coach Kim English, so it's not a surprise to see former George Mason big man Josh Oduro also land with his former coach. The 6-9 forward is a graduate transfer who averaged 15.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game last season as one of the A-10's best players. Along with incoming freshman Justyn Fernandez, he'll be an impact player for the Friars.

  • Former Brown guard Paxson Wojcik had been linked to a few teams but announced he would be in Chapel Hill next season. He's a good spot-up shooter (38 percent from deep last season.) However, don't expect him to start.

Then again, not every bit of news is about movement. Some players elected to stay put.

Duke's Tyrese Proctor says he'll be back for his sophomore season. The 6-5 guard emerged as the Blue Devils' best playmaker after starting 34 games this season. But unlike this last year, where Duke was short on guards, Proctor will have a few notable players pushing him next season in incoming 5-star freshmen Jared McCain and Caleb Foster.

"It's all about winning, and that starts this summer," Proctor told ESPN. "Having a full offseason on campus will be extremely valuable for my continued development, and I am looking forward to leading our talented incoming class."

Another impact player who's back for another season? New Mexico guard Jaelen House.

The 6-0 senior point guard was the Lobos' second-leading scorer (16.9 ppg) and paced them in assists (4.7). It's a welcome sight for New Mexico, who won't have big man Josiah Allick next season. Keep an eye on what happens with Jamal Mashburn Jr.

3. Coaching updates: Rodney Terry no longer an interim coach

Texas will officially make Rodney Terry its men's basketball coach during a press conference today. After spending the past three-and-a-half months as the Horns' interim coach (he took over for Chris Beard on Dec. 12) and leading them to a 29-9 overall record and a spot in the Elite Eight — their best NCAA Tournament run since 2008 — it's a well-earned title for Terry.

He'll reportedly sign a 5-year deal worth nearly $15 million dollars.

(Incoming 5-star recruit Ron Holland was delighted by the news.)

How will Terry fare in his third stint as a head coach (he was 163-158 in two previous stops at Fresno State and UTEP)? And how does he handle the switch for Texas' move to the SEC? The AFTER DARK crew discussed.

Two other coaching moves were in the works in Monday: 

4. Payouts for 2023 tourney, plus the Fina Four officials

The NCAA Tournament isn't just about glory and fame. It's a revenue machine for the NCAA thanks to its massive TV deal (an $8.8 billion extension starts next year and runs through 2032.) 

This year, it'll mean millions for schools, even those who didn't participate. Sportico estimates the SEC will take home the most revenue ($34 million total), despite not reaching the Elite Eight. The difference comes in the total number of games played (17) across its eight bids.

It's the first time in at least two decades that the SEC leads all conferences in earnings.

However, thanks to fewer total teams in the conference, the Big 12 leads in payout per program. That's broken down below.

  • Big12: $3.2M

  • Big East: $2.7M

  • SEC: $2.4M

  • B1G: $2.0M

  • ACC: $1.7M

  • MWC: $1.5M

  • WCC: $1.20M

  • PAC: $1.16M

The NCAA distributes this via "units," earned before every game it plays before the title game. That means 132 units are awarded over six years. Every unit earned this season is worth about $2 million to each conference.

Related news: Per iSpot, TV ad revenue was up an estimated 22 percent vs 2022, hitting $457.7 million.

NCAA announces Final Four officials

Here's a list that could go a long way in determining how enjoyable the Final Four games are this week. These 11 refs will call the remaining three games for the season.

  • Jeff Anderson, West Henrietta, New York

  • Roger Ayers, Roanoke, Virginia

  • Ron Groover, Newnan, Georgia

  • John Higgins, Omaha, Nebraska

  • Keith Kimble, Arlington, Texas

  • Kipp Kissinger, Omaha, Nebraska

  • Terry Oglesby, Maryville, Missouri

  • Mike Reed, Mount Shasta, California

  • Doug Sirmons, Virginia Beach, Virginia

  • Bert Smith, Florence, Kentucky

  • Paul Szelc, Lawrence, Kansas

This is the ninth Final Four for Sirmons and the eighth for Higgins. Both are seen as among the best in the game. KenPom has a ref rating page if you're interested.

One notable thing: No officials who worked Sunday's San Diego State-Creighton game will work the Final Four.

5. Must read: Dan Hurley's history shaped his future

Most know about UConn coach Dan Hurley and his famous basketball family. His dad, Bob, is a legendary high school coach in the Basketball Hall of Fame. His brother Bobby is a legendary college hoops player who won two national titles at Duke.

Dan? He also could hoop. He's also a helluva coach. Those things didn't necessarily mesh, though.

This incredible profile from Brendan Quinn of The Athletic details Dan's playing career, how mental health played into him quitting basketball at Seton Hall, and how when Bobby was seriously injured during a 1993 motorcycle crash, it pushed Dan into a spot he wasn't ready for, but it ended up being exactly what he needed. From the story:

The Hurley family was off its moorings, no longer understanding the world. The stress pulled Bob Sr. apart, and he developed a nasty bout of pneumonia. He was forced to hand the team at St. Anthony over to his assistant, George Canda, but Canda needed help.

There was only one guy everyone would trust.

Young Danny.

Having withdrawn from school to move home, turning away from his future to instead return to a time-starved place, Danny wasn’t able to spend more than a day figuring things out. “Here this guy had finally decided to take care of himself, and, immediately, all attention was back on Bobby, as it had always been,” Cunningham says. “Of course, everyone felt so bad for Bobby, but we felt bad for Danny, too. He really needed help.”

With both his dad and his brother recovering at home, Danny returned to the gym. He stepped in front of the St. Anthony team, a whistle in his hand, as an assistant coach. If there are moments in life when everything that’s come before feels like a prelude, this was one for Danny. He had no choice but to be himself.

“I refound just how much I love basketball,” Dan says today. “Just being around the kids, going to practice, games. I always felt like I knew the game better than I played it. Coaching felt natural, know what I mean?”

Danny didn’t magically figure everything out in one practice. But this was a step. A necessary one. He was never going to remove basketball from his life. We don’t choose our DNA. But he was on his way to figuring out his place in the game.

It's perhaps the best piece of writing I've read all season and is a stark reminder of how pressure can affect even the most confident and talented people. 

One can only hope an athlete dealing with similar pressures today can find the same support and purpose. Keep that in mind when you're tweeting at a player for a performance or off-court decision they may have made.

A little grace and understanding goes beyond basketball.

The other Final Four

Dunno why the Field of 68 crew didn't just stay in Las Vegas for a few extra days. Could've watched the NIT's Final Four games that start tonight. It's a stark contrast between the two games, too. The first matchup, North Texas (29-7) vs. Wisconsin (20-14) will be a deliberate, defensive game with about 60 possessions. If we're lucky. The second game, Utah Valley (28-8) vs. UAB (28-9) should be a fast-paced, offensive-focused game. Stay up late for it if you can. (First tip is 7 pm ET on ESPN)

Portal poaching

Florida Atlantic coach Dusty May made an important statement during his postgame press conference after Saturday's win over K-State: His players are being recruited by other teams during their NCAA Tournament run. Unseemly? Sure. So what can be done? Matt McCall, John Fanta and Randolph Childress discuss.

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Links as you scour ticket bargains for the Final Four.

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