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Rodriguez reflects on spring, looks to transfer portal

WVU Football held its annual Gold-Blue Spring Showcase Saturday, inviting fans to see the Mountaineers compete against each other after the spring practice session. For Head Coach Rich Rodriguez, the showcase marks the closing of a phase of improvement for the squad. While the team is not where Rodriguez wants it to be, he noted […]

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Rodriguez reflects on spring, looks to transfer portal

WVU Football held its annual Gold-Blue Spring Showcase Saturday, inviting fans to see the Mountaineers compete against each other after the spring practice session.

For Head Coach Rich Rodriguez, the showcase marks the closing of a phase of improvement for the squad. While the team is not where Rodriguez wants it to be, he noted its progress in a press conference following the showcase.

“I think it was a solid spring,” Rodriguez said. “I mean, probably every coach in America will tell you they didn’t get everything done that they wanted to get done. But at least, I thought the guys got better.”

Penalties were an area of concern for Rodriguez during the showcase, including those before the ball was in play.

“I was still disappointed today at some of the penalties,” Rodriguez said. “I mean, we had some not very smart penalties at times, and that hadn’t shown up too much. Procedure, pre-snap penalties, we should have none of those.”

While the showcase gives an opportunity to display the Mountaineers’ talent, Rodriguez said it does not always accurately reflect a team’s skill level.

“I wouldn’t take a whole lot into anything that happened today,” Rodriguez said. “Even good or bad. I mean, not that it wasn’t good or something that wasn’t bad. It’s just some of it’s like, ‘Hh, this guy looked great.’ Well, he was going against a true freshman that’s supposed to be getting ready to ask his girlfriend to go to prom this weekend.”

Rodriguez discussed how the team has several positional holes that need to be filled in the offseason. Even when discussing player development, Rodriguez was hesitant to mention top performers because of the spring transfer portal opening on April 16 and how it could drastically change the roster.

“We need a bunch of new players and guys coming and compete, and we’re gonna have to get a few more in a couple weeks to come and compete. … I’m not gonna sit here and point out which guys have shown out, really done a great job this spring, are gonna be an all-conference guy. You know why I’m not saying that. Right? Because April 16, when they change the portal date, I’ll be talking about every guy, every strength and weakness. Right now, I ain’t saying squat,” Rodriguez said.

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SBJ Live recap

If you have seen new facilities pop up in your area where people can recreationally play pickleball, golf, soccer, basketball or more, you are likely witnessing Social Sports marketing in play. What are Social Sports? “Social Sports are organized group-based board experiences that really focus on community building and community connections in addition to of […]

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April 30, 2025

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SBJ Live recap

If you have seen new facilities pop up in your area where people can recreationally play pickleball, golf, soccer, basketball or more, you are likely witnessing Social Sports marketing in play.

What are Social Sports?

“Social Sports are organized group-based board experiences that really focus on community building and community connections in addition to of course the competition that you find in sports” Break Sports Founder Trisha Goyal said.

Goyal joined Unrivaled Commissioner Micky Lawler and Open Venture Capital Founder & Managing Partner Kim Nixon in Wednesday’s SBJ Live session, “Engaging Consumers Through Social Sports: A New Brand Strategy,” moderated by SBJ’s Dan Kaufman.

Here are three takeaways from the session:

Exploring new avenues

While many athletic activities the common person may participate in have traditionally been purely exercise-based, Nixon said that casual consumers are also becoming drawn to organized, competitive sports.

“We’re seeing a transition from Social Fitness into Social Sport,” Nixon explained. “That’s because there’s more access to sport post your collegiate years.”

Goyal pointed to how professional sports can influence Social Sports participation.

“Pro Sports is one of the things that really inspires people to want to even get into a Social Sport organized activity,” Goyal said.

Lawler shared her own experience managing a three-on-three basketball league, and how that can present basketball in a more inviting way, particularly to women.

“Three-on-three lends itself to create much more spacing [on the court] and deliver a better product,” Lawler said. “This is a way to present basketball excellence.”

She added that women “had to be part of a high school team or a church league or another social league” to play basketball, but Unrivaled has helped invite a more casual style of play for women.

Meeting consumers where they are

Goyal noted how Social Sports can be advantageous for brands looking to connect with consumers.

“There’s already a rise in general in sports and investment in sports paired with also a rise and investment in experiential marketing and in person marketing,” Goyal said. “Social Sports kind of sit at that intersection that enables brands to reach real consumers in meaningful more deeper ways than just digital advertising.”

Adding accessibility

While the subject of DEI has been a hot button topic lately, Nixon believes the “I” in the acronym — Inclusion — can be a central piece in how amateurs participate in sports.

“That ‘I’ has grown to include having conversations about differing abilities and access to sport in school,” Nixon said. “There are a couple of great startups that I’ve had conversations with that are focused on making sure that there’s more opportunity for fitness and sport for disabled children at school.”

Goyal added to this point, saying, “Social Sports is really great for those who have a disability or an impairment. … Pickleball has been one that we have seen a pick-up with.”

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UConn’s Alex Karaban set to return for senior year: ‘My heart remains in Storrs’

John Fanta College Basketball Broadcaster and Reporter Two-time national champion Alex Karaban wants one more shot at reaching the mountaintop in Storrs.  The UConn star announced Tuesday morning that he is running it back for his senior season, a rare situation in modern-day college basketball for a player to stay at his school for all […]

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April 30, 2025

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John Fanta

John Fanta

College Basketball Broadcaster and Reporter

Two-time national champion Alex Karaban wants one more shot at reaching the mountaintop in Storrs. 

The UConn star announced Tuesday morning that he is running it back for his senior season, a rare situation in modern-day college basketball for a player to stay at his school for all four years of his career. 

Connecticut head coach Dan Hurley has always said Karaban is the perfect fit for his program, so if there was a guy to make this move, the 6-foot-8 Massachusetts native is the poster boy for it. Averaging 14.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game this past year, Karaban earned second-team All-Big East honors. This return is a sign of the benefits of NIL, with Karaban being able to earn seven figures during his senior year of college, as opposed to going the pro route where he would likely be in the G League next season. 

This is massive news for UConn, which will be a top-10 team in my FOX Sports Preseason Top 25 rankings. The Huskies return Solo Ball, Tarris Reed and Jaylen Stewart, while also ushering in the nation’s ninth-ranked recruiting class, headlined by Georgia transfer Silas Demary and five-star guard Braylon Mullins. 

Karaban will look to capitalize on some unfinished business after the Huskies fell in the first weekend of this past year’s NCAA Tournament and were knocked out in the Big East Tournament semifinals.

“I pride myself on accepting challenges and holding myself to the highest standard,” Karaban said in a social media post. “Last year, we didn’t achieve what we set out to, and I am not running from a chance to make that right. After deliberating the last few weeks with my coaches and family about my future, I’ve realized that my heart remains in Storrs, and I have unfinished business to chase another national championship with my brothers.”  

Hurley also announced the addition of former Villanova interim head coach and assistant Mike Nardi to his staff. Nardi, who was a four-year starter at Villanova from 2003-07, spent the last decade on the Main Line and was a part of Jay Wright’s dynasty with national championships in 2016 and 2018. After Kevin Willard did not retain Nardi, who served as interim after Kyle Neptune was fired and led Villanova to the College Basketball Crown semifinals, Nardi was looking for a new spot. The timing worked perfectly with UConn legend Tom Moore moving to the general manager chair in Storrs, opening the door for Hurley to hire a top-tier assistant who adds to Connecticut’s championship pedigree. 

The bricks are being laid in Storrs for a reload in 2025-26 and UConn looks more than poised to go at St. John’s for the top spot in the Big East. Expect that rivalry to only keep intensifying next season.

John Fanta is a national college basketball broadcaster and writer for FOX Sports. He covers the sport in a variety of capacities, from calling games on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Network to providing commentary on The Field of 68 Media Network. Follow him at @John_Fanta.

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NBA Draft Early Entrants Drop Amid NIL Boom and End of COVID Waivers

Today, the NBA released its official list of early entrants to the draft — players who still have collegiate eligibility but are testing the waters of professional basketball. The numbers confirm what many have suspected: NIL deals have changed the calculus for top college players. Instead of chasing second-round draft spots and two-way contracts, many […]

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April 30, 2025

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Today, the NBA released its official list of early entrants to the draft — players who still have collegiate eligibility but are testing the waters of professional basketball. The numbers confirm what many have suspected: NIL deals have changed the calculus for top college players. Instead of chasing second-round draft spots and two-way contracts, many college stars have decided to return to campus and cash in on a hot, top-heavy player compensation market.

Only 106 athletes filed as early entrants this year — the lowest number since 2015. This year’s class is a dramatic reduction from last year’s 174 early entrants. However, there is crucial context to interpreting this data.

While the decrease in early entrants follows the longstanding trend of bucking professional opportunities for NIL, COVID waivers that granted every athlete who played in the 2020-21 season an extra year of eligibility have boosted early entrant numbers over the last several years. 

Last year, 55 of the 174 early entrants held an extra year of NCAA eligibility stemming from the waiver-eligible season. This year, that number has plummeted. Just five early entrants played in the NCAA during the 2020–21 season, indicating that college basketball is aging out of the COVID waiver era.  

Last summer, I researched how this was already reshaping NBA draft trends. Here’s a graphic showing the impact of COVID eligibility on early entrant rates:

Again, COVID waivers are only one factor in declining early entrant rates. With several concepts of professionalization making their way to collegiate basketball, athletes are earning more than ever, and depending on your draft positioning, some players stand to earn more in college than the NBA. 

For athletes who are certain to end up as first-round draft picks, it is likely wise to accept the opportunity to play in the NBA. Even pick number 30 in the NBA draft receives a fully guaranteed two-year contract with compensation roughly equal to or beyond the highest NIL compensation figures. 

In the 2025 NBA draft class, pick 14 will earn over $10 million in guaranteed salary over his first two seasons. For many, staying in college can also mean improving one’s future draft stock. The difference in salary between pick number 20 and pick number 4 in this year’s draft comes out to $13 million in guaranteed money over two years. 

With a lower opportunity cost of playing in the new landscape of NCAA basketball, this is a tempting offer even for some first-round picks who want to bet on themselves. Of course, regression and injury in college make this a risky proposition.

Leaving college without exhausting all NCAA eligibility also allows NBA players to earn extensions and get off the NBA rookie scale quicker, increasing their earning power in the league at a younger age. 

The decision to leave early for the draft looks very different for players projected in the second round. Unlike first-round picks, second-rounders are not entitled to guaranteed contracts, and the financial gap between what they’re likely to earn in the NBA and what they could command in college is substantial. For many, staying in school offers more security, more money, and a clearer path forward than navigating the uncertainty of a non-guaranteed NBA deal.

While the rookie minimum salary is $1.27 million, most second-rounders don’t receive fully guaranteed contracts, and many end up on two-way deals worth just $636,435.These figures likely short-change early entrants compared to what they could make on the open college market.

Last year, Coleman Hawkins (Kansas State) and Great Osobor (Washington) broke records by inking deals reported at $2,000,000 to compete for their respective institutions. Now, in light of presumptive institutional revenue sharing and a competitive transfer market, those numbers are becoming more and more common – most recently, reigning Mountain West player of the year Donovan Dent was reported to have signed a $3,000,000 deal as part of his transfer from New Mexico to UCLA. 

Early draft entrants are not steadfast in leaving college; many players are either committed to a school for next season or exploring opportunities in the transfer portal. Many of the 106 early entrants will likely withdraw before the NCAA’s May 28 deadline to retain collegiate eligibility. 

Two things are certain: the average NBA draft pick will keep getting older — and the talent in college basketball will only get better.





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How Tennessee basketball coach Rick Barnes sees transfer portal, NIL

Tennessee basketball coach Rick Barnes nearly shuddered. The question posed during the Volunteers’ annual Big Orange Caravan stop in Memphis on April 29 — this year at the Memphis Botanic Garden — was hypothetical in this case. How would you handle rebuilding a roster almost from scratch, given the current climate of college athletics, where […]

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April 30, 2025

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Tennessee basketball coach Rick Barnes nearly shuddered.

The question posed during the Volunteers’ annual Big Orange Caravan stop in Memphis on April 29 — this year at the Memphis Botanic Garden — was hypothetical in this case.

How would you handle rebuilding a roster almost from scratch, given the current climate of college athletics, where the number of players in the transfer portal tops several thousand each year, and the amount of money being paid to many of those same players is several hundred thousand dollars — in some cases, millions?

The mere thought of having to do it, especially now at the height of the NIL era and at the dawn of the revenue-sharing era — nearly gave Barnes the chills.

“I don’t know what it would feel like to have to put together a 12-man roster right now with the numbers that are being thrown around,” he said.

But it is a stark reality for many people in his position, including Penny Hardaway. The eighth-year Memphis basketball coach might have just one player (Dante Harris) back from the 2024-25 season.

Part of that depends on what All-American guard PJ Haggerty decides to do. He entered the transfer portal recently and is reportedly seeking at least $4 million to play somewhere next season. Another part of it depends on whether the NCAA will grant all-conference big man Dain Dainja’s waiver request, which was recently submitted, multiple sources told The Commercial Appeal on April 29.

More: What Rick Barnes said about Amaree Abram signing with Tennessee basketball

If neither Haggerty nor Dainja are back, though, Hardaway would be living what Barnes desperately hopes he’ll never have to. It’s a situation he and his program work hard to avoid. He credits his coaching staff for scouting the right players, not only from an athletic standpoint, but also a personal fit.

Barnes is also a firm believer in setting and sticking to a strict standard.

“We have a limit we’ll go to,” he said in reference to how much money Tennessee basketball will spend on a player.

Most often, Barnes never has to find out what would happen if his team and a prospective Volunteers player can’t come to an agreement. But it has happened, he admits. Recently, as a matter of fact.

“It’s happened this year,” he said. “We’ve been involved with guys that truly wanted to go to the University of Tennessee, but they were looking for more money than we were able to provide.

“We know how far we’re willing to go with each prospect and that’s the cutoff. If someone else offers them more, we would say, ‘Hey, good luck. We just can’t get there.’ I’d like to think we’d never put ourselves in a desperate situation, to where we feel we have to overspend in areas that we shouldn’t.”

What Rick Barnes said about UT-Memphis basketball series

The Tigers and Vols have not met in men’s basketball since December 2020.

It was the second game of a three-game agreement. The first was played at FedExForum in 2019, while the second was in Knoxville. Tennessee won the first game, Memphis the second.

The rubber match was set for 2021 in Nashville, but it was called off prior to tip-off because of positive COVID-19 tests within the Memphis program.

Barnes has not minced words when he has said he does not plan to schedule Memphis in the foreseeable future, and he maintained that stance April 29.

“We haven’t talked about that in a couple years. It’s nowhere being talked about now,” he said. “With the changes, new teams coming into our league (the SEC) — we just came out of playing historically the hardest, best conference ever. So everything we do will be based on where we feel our league is and what we need to do.”

Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com, follow him @munzly on X, and sign up for the Memphis Basketball Insider text group.



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Kansas State basketball lands Andrej Kostic with reported $1M NIL deal

Kansas State basketball coach Jerome Tang on the end of the season Kansas State basketball coach Jerome Tang talks about his team after the season ended with a Big 12 Tournament loss to Baylor. Big 12 Conference MANHATTAN — Kansas State basketball coach Jerome Tang has passed up the transfer portal and gone overseas to […]

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MANHATTAN — Kansas State basketball coach Jerome Tang has passed up the transfer portal and gone overseas to land his latest recruit.

Tang, who had said he intended to go international in recruiting this cycle, delivered by picking up Andrej Kostic, a 6-foot-6 combo guard from Serbia with a reported $1 million NIL deal.

Kostic, 18, currently plays for Dynamic Balkan Bet in the Serbian professional league and leads his team in scoring with 16.4 points per game while shooting 43.2%, including 35.2% from 3-point range while making 75.7% of his free throws. He also averages 3.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists.

Kostic also helped lead the Serbian under-18 team to a silver medal in the 2024 European championship.

Kostic is the fifth player added by the Wildcats during the 2025 recruiting cycle. He joins transfer guards Nate Johnson from Akron, Abdi Bashir from Monmouth, forward Khamari McGriff from North Carolina-Wilmington, and high school recruit Exavier Wilson from Columbia, Missouri.

Related: Kansas State basketball wraps up a busy day by adding UNCW forward from portal

Related Kansas State basketball takes another portal hit with starting point guard Dug McDaniel

The Wildcats also added a mid-year transfer forward in Tyreek Smith from Memphis, but he needs a waiver from the NCAA to be eligible next season.

Tang still has work to do to fill his 2025-26 roster after losing starting forwards David N’Guessan and Coleman Hawkins to graduation, along with guards Dug McDaniel, Brendan, and CJ Jones, forwards Macaleab Rich and Baye Falle, and center Ugonna Onyenso to the transfer portal. McDaniel and Hausen both were starters.

Starting guard Max Jones also exhausted his eligibility but is seeking an extra year of eligibility after starting his career at the NCAA Division II level. The Wildcats return only three reserves — forward Taj Manning and guards David Castillo and Mobi Ikegwuruka.

The current roster is very guard-heavy with McGriff, the seldom-used Manning, and possibly Smith as the only frontcourt players. Tang still has at least three spots available, depending on the status of Jones and Smith.

Kansas State basketball roster breakdown

Outgoing transfers

  • Macacleab Rich, sophomore forward
  • Brendan Hausen, junior guard (Iowa)
  • Dug McDaniel, junior guard (Memphis)
  • Ugonna Onyenso, junior center
  • Baye Fall, sophomore forward (Rutgers)
  • CJ Jones, junior guard

Incoming transfers

  • Abdi Bashir, sophomore guard (Monmouth)
  • Khamari McGriff, junior forward (UNC-Wilmington)
  • Nate Johnson, junior guard (Akron)

Incoming freshmen

  • Exavier Wilson, guard, Columbia, Mo.

International recruits

  • Andrej Kostic, guard, Serbia (age 18)

Returning players

  • Taj Manning, sophomore forward
  • Mobi Ikegwuruka, sophomore guard
  • David Castillo, freshman guard

*Starting guard Max Jones and midyear transfer forward Tyreek Smith are seeking waivers from the NCAA for another year of eligibility

Arne Green is based in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett network. He can be reached at agreen@gannett.com or on X (formerly Twitter) at @arnegreen.



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Why so few college basketball players declared for the 2025 NBA Draft

The National Basketball Association (NBA) announced today that 106 players have filed as early entry candidates for NBA Draft 2025 presented by State Farm, which will be held Wednesday, June 25 (First Round) and Thursday June 26 (Second Round) at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New… pic.twitter.com/e4mr12UrBa — NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 29, 2025 The 2025 […]

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April 30, 2025

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The 2025 NBA Draft may look a little bit different than previous years because the college basketball landscape is changing rapidly and dramatically.

Collegiate prospects who fully exhausts their college eligibility and international prospect who turns 22 years old in the calendar year of the draft are considered automatically eligible. But all other prospects had until April 26 at 11:59 p.m. ET to declare as early entry candidates.

There were only 106 names that appeared on this list, which is actually a shockingly low number. For comparison, per ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, that is the lowest total number of initial early entry candidates since 2015. The NBA received as many as 363 candidates just four years ago in 2021.

Among those 106 names, meanwhile, only 73 played college basketball last season.

Then, from that group, those players have until May 28 at 11:59 p.m. ET to withdraw from the draft if they wish to play in the NCAA next season. After the 2025 NBA Draft Combine in Chicago, many of them will ultimately take that opportunity.

From the 73 collegiate players who will at least test the waters of the 2025 NBA Draft, 29 of them (e.g. Darrion Williams, Boogie Fland, RJ Luis, PJ Haggerty) are also in the transfer portal. Even within that group, 19 of those players (e.g. Yaxel Lendeborg, Chad Baker-Mazara, Tayton Conerway, and Silas Demary Jr.) have already made commitments to new schools.

The reality is that many of the best players in college basketball can earn more money on name, image, and likeness deals as collegiate stars than they would have in the first year of their rookie contracts or two-way deals in the pros.

For example, Texas Tech’s J.T. Toppin will reportedly receive more than $4 million from NIL to return to Texas Tech. That is more than whoever becomes the No. 19 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft will receive on his rookie scale deal, and that is higher than where Toppin was projected in most mocks.

Some other notable names who did not appear on the early entry list include Alex Karaban (who will return to UConn) and Ian Jackson (who will transfer from North Carolina to St. John’s).

This is good news for talent evaluators, good news for college basketball fans, good news for NBA pro teams, and good news for college basketball players.

While it might mean a longer journey to the NBA unless you are a bona fide top pick like Cooper Flagg, the current system allows for more development time while still receiving a big paycheck.

Meanwhile, for more prospect coverage, here is our latest NBA mock draft at For The Win.

The best takes and the sharpest bets on all the hoops storylines you need to know. Sign up for our Layup Lines newsletter, hitting your inbox on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.





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