UNC basketball 2026 transfer portal

Someone said it before: maybe it wasn't a Hubert tax. Maybe it was, for whatever reason, a UNC tax? It just boggles the mind that anyone would choose Knoxville over UNC in this sort of race. It's not as if it's the culmination of a long recruiting cycle where players develop relationships with the coaches. It's a 50 meter dash.
Is it possible its in the in-person experience during the decision making? We know decisions aren't made on paper they're made with emotions.

Like in the SEC they make sure a 10 smokeshow is leading them around with a bubbly attitude and playful touching, while we send out conservative handlers who are knowledgeable and competent but not "sellers". And the equivalent of this comparison is duplicated throughout the experience - maybe like we think we're above showing some metaphorical skin and giving a wink.

I'm just spitballing.
 
Maybe it’s the ridiculous scrutiny that players are under at UNC and Kentucky. Some kids just aren’t built for it and in the modern social media environment it could be something they don’t want to deal with.

They can get paid and noticed at a lot of schools.
 
Is it possible its in the in-person experience during the decision making? We know decisions aren't made on paper they're made with emotions.

Like in the SEC they make sure a 10 smokeshow is leading them around with a bubbly attitude and playful touching, while we send out conservative handlers who are knowledgeable and competent but not "sellers". And the equivalent of this comparison is duplicated throughout the experience - maybe like we think we're above showing some metaphorical skin and giving a wink.

I'm just spitballing.
That’s gross.
 
Maybe it’s the ridiculous scrutiny that players are under at UNC and Kentucky. Some kids just aren’t built for it and in the modern social media environment it could be something they don’t want to deal with.

They can get paid and noticed at a lot of schools.
That's an interesting thought. Yeah, in the past there was something of a choice: you didn't have to play at a big name school, but it was good for your career.

Now, two things have changed: NIL, as you suggest, and also the NBA has become more willing and able to draft from outside the big programs.

So yeah, maybe now kids are looking at that tradeoff and thinking, "I don't want that and I don't need it."
 
We have to keep in mind that Malone has only been a college coach for a few weeks. Someone like Rick Barnes and his staff have several years of experience dealing with the transfer portal cycle and they are probably more efficient with it than our staff at this point. That’s not a knock on Malone necessarily, just the reality of hiring a coach with no college experience.

I also think the specific players we’re going after are a big reason for the lack of movement. Our two biggest targets (Harris and Veesaar) are mulling the NBA, so it feels like we’re stuck in a bit of a holding pattern. Once the situation with those two becomes clearer I think more dominoes will start to fall.
 
Nah. Carolina does the exact
Is it possible its in the in-person experience during the decision making? We know decisions aren't made on paper they're made with emotions.

Like in the SEC they make sure a 10 smokeshow is leading them around with a bubbly attitude and playful touching, while we send out conservative handlers who are knowledgeable and competent but not "sellers". And the equivalent of this comparison is duplicated throughout the experience - maybe like we think we're above showing some metaphorical skin and giving a wink.

I'm just spitballing.
Yeah, UNC does this just like everyone else. Star WR from my son's HS was widely recruited and took a lot of visits. The stories were little different between UGA/Clemson/USC/UNC. Chose the Tar Heels, but later transferred.
 
This is ridiculous. Maybe he thinks they'll pass the 5 year eligibility rule and he will play another year. But kind of sucks if he doesn't want to finish at UNC. Fandom for schools with the players is dead. It's all about money now.
He may not have a slot at NC. All fifth year players have to portal because the ruling may not come down in time for them to return to their current team. Going in the portal doesn’t stop you from sticking with your original team. It is purely a prophylactic move. You’d be idiotic not to do it at this point.
 
This is ridiculous. Maybe he thinks they'll pass the 5 year eligibility rule and he will play another year. But kind of sucks if he doesn't want to finish at UNC. Fandom for schools with the players is dead. It's all about money now.
Not how I read the situation at all. He can't hold up money at Carolina for other recruits on the off chance that the NCAA rules on a fifth year, and that said fifth year will be allowed retroactively to players who have already completed their eligibility. This is the only option that he, realistically, has available to him. If a fifth year is provided, then schools with a lot of money left over - which, let's be honest, looks like it could be Carolina the way things are currently going - are going to have their pick of fifth year seniors, potentially including Trimble. But neither the school, nor Trimble, can bank on that happening right now. And regardless of what Trimble decides, or gets decided for him, to do next year - he has been, and always will be, a Heel. Four year players are rare enough these days.
 
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Is it possible its in the in-person experience during the decision making? We know decisions aren't made on paper they're made with emotions.

Like in the SEC they make sure a 10 smokeshow is leading them around with a bubbly attitude and playful touching, while we send out conservative handlers who are knowledgeable and competent but not "sellers". And the equivalent of this comparison is duplicated throughout the experience - maybe like we think we're above showing some metaphorical skin and giving a wink.

I'm just spitballing.
 
This is ridiculous. Maybe he thinks they'll pass the 5 year eligibility rule and he will play another year. But kind of sucks if he doesn't want to finish at UNC. Fandom for schools with the players is dead. It's all about money now.
I believe the portal is to keep options open, not necessarily say he would leave if the rule changed.
 
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