Columbia — The University of Missouri chose a familiar face to navigate an unfamiliar landscape.

On June 2nd, the university announced former assistant coach Tim Fuller will become the first ever general manager of the men’s basketball program.

“I’ve made a lot of stops since my last stint here at the University of Missouri, but (Dennis Gates) offered me the opportunity to come back which felt like I was just coming home.”

Fuller was an assistant for the Tigers from 2011 to 2015. Since then. he has worn a lot of different hats.

Fuller was an executive at Nike and spent time at Overtime Elite which is a basketball league that attracts some of the country’s best young players.

He brings 25 years of experience across coaching, player development, and team building.

“It’s a new day in college basketball,” Fuller said. “As coach Gates and I have sat and spent several days, hours, weeks together, coming up with this plan. It’s been an honor and a privilege.

Like college athletics, the job of a head coach is everchanging. Gone are the days where coaches can focus on just the X’s and O’s.

Developments like the transfer portal, NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness), and last week’s NCAA v. House settlement keep adding new wrinkles.

Fuller’s job is simple: navigate this new age of college athletics…and ease the workloads of the coaches on staff.

“I believe that we are in a place where people like myself that have to study the outside ecosystem will be in a position of making sure that we’re set up to properly evaluate and construct a roster once the transfer portal comes and postseason and we have to fill gaps and holes,” Fuller said.

“With coach Gates, that was important to him,” said athletic director Laird Veatch. “(Gates) wanted to have that kind of role on staff and have somebody that can really help him interact directly with agents and manage those kinds of elements.”

Fuller joins a Mizzou program that has earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament in two of the last three seasons and said he is happy to be back to help continue the progress.

“I’m at this point just ready to serve and just make sure that Mizzou Basketball is covered 360 degrees.”

Check out the video above to learn more!

Gina Adams is a rising star in the world of basketball in Lynn University, she is taking a giant step to become a wrestler in the ring.

An official announcement was made that the Westlake, Ohio native has entered WWE management in the Next In Line (NIL) talent pipeline. Adams is an agile and competitive woman on the court, and now she wants to obtain a skill of sports entertainment.

Her participation in the NIL program shows that WWE is intended to tap on diverse sports stars. Adams has been listed among twelve players in the 2025 NIL class that also includes basketball guard Fatima Katembo and track runner Zuriel Jimenez.

Through this program, participants get access to the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida to train on wrestling skills, skills on how to work with the media and even developing the brand.

From Court to Canvas: Adams Embarks on New Journey

The fact that Adams switched her basketball career to becoming a wrestler attributes to her versatility and her ability to work hard.

She performed in the basketball team at Lynn University and received awards by the university due to her performance, leadership and endurance. These are all qualities that should help her locate her way through the pits of professional wrestling.

The NIL program (introduced in 2021) is expected to fill in the gap between college sports and WWE, providing a clear route through which athletes can consider getting involved in wrestling.

The participants are exposed to thorough training services such as live event promotion and living within their community, they will be ready to handle the diverse nature of being a WWE Superstar.

The entry to the programme of Adams shows the changing scenario of acquiring talents within WWE. The move to incorporate athletes of diverse athletic backgrounds also helps WWE maintain the streams of energy and views in its environment.

When Adams went to the wrestling arena after establishing himself in the basketball court, this came across as a dynamic and approach to talent development.

The NCAA transfer portal has revolutionized college sports, giving athletes unprecedented freedom to move between programs. But as the debate over Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) intensifies, SEC officials warn that the academic toll of frequent transfers, especially among those chasing NIL deals, may be far greater than many realize.

Academic Fallout from SEC Transfer Portal Free Agency

Pete Nakos recently shared a pointed warning from SEC Associate Commissioner William King:

SEC’s William King on impact of transfer portal to lawmakers: “Right now, basically unlimited transfers. You can transfer as much as you want. The focus has entirely been on tampering and rebuilding rosters. Nobody talks much about what it does to education.

“… I fully expect…

— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos_) June 12, 2025

King’s remarks highlight a growing concern: while the transfer portal and NIL have created a college sports free agency, the academic consequences are often overlooked. Research backs this up. A 2018 National Student Clearinghouse study found that 39% of undergraduates transfer at least once, and those who transfer multiple times face even steeper academic risks.

The numbers tell a stark story. Last year, over 31,000 student-athletes entered the NCAA transfer portal, with more than 25% of scholarship football players now making a move annually. While the portal offers athletes a legitimate escape from bad situations, such as a lack of playing time or coaching changes, the academic disruption is profound.

However, the impacts on academics are serious. Students often lose 60–70% of their credits when switching colleges, which can delay graduation for one to two years and may even lead to the repetition of core courses in their new schools.

JT Daniels, who had been a college quarterback, had to transfer four times in six years, and while he was doing so, most of his credits couldn’t be transferred, which is the same tragic story that most big-name athletes share.

The rise of NIL has dramatically enhanced this trend. Some athletes can greatly influence a university’s transfer process by using their move as a key part of their strategy. In this way, the transfer portal acts as the marketplace. For instance, Jordan Addison has been disclosed with NIL prospects, the sum of which was even over $3 million for his transfer.

In contrast, Zay Flowers was offered such a substantial amount of money that he said no to it and thus, stayed where he was. All of this is like an arms race, continually leading to the experience of a complete reshuffling of the teams’ rosters. Around 2,611 FBS football players had to go to the portal within one semester of the last year.

Unfortunately, while the programs desperately hunt for the best athletes to replace the lost ones on the team and keep the top talents from leaving, the service to the players is, more often than not, replaced by the educational mission.

2-Round 2025 NBA Mock Draft: Kasparas Jakučionis Gives Hope to Rebuilding Nets, Cedric Coward Leaps Into First Round

Changes in the SEC’s transfer records suggest a direct connection between losses in terms of depth and academic performance, as occurred with Ty’Son Williams from South Carolina, making the point about the flexible portal always leading to athletes’ success highly controversial.

With the influx of talent coming into Lubbock, there are only so many seats at the table. As reported earlier in The Dugout, talented Texas Tech infielder Bailey Lindemuth has entered the transfer portal.

Lindemuth was the Red Raiders’ primary starting at third base as a freshman during their national runner-up season. She hit .305 with eight doubles, five home runs and 32 RBIs in 68 games. Lindemuth also pitched and became a very reliable defender by the end of the season.