New transfer legislation passed last week by the NCAA has added a sense of urgency to the looming close of the men's and women's transfer windows, as all transfers -- even graduate transfers -- now need to be in the portal by the close of their sports' windows.
Previously, graduate transfers didn't need to adhere to transfer window dates and could enter the portal at any time. For example, Cam Spencer left Rutgers in June and committed to UConn, ultimately helping lead the Huskies to their second straight national championship.
Last week's transfer legislation, however, included the elimination of the graduate transfer exception. and that has caught players and coaches by surprise.
"Student-athletes who plan to enroll as graduate students at their next school can enter the portal at any time during the academic year but must enter the portal prior to the conclusion of their respective sports' final transfer windows," the NCAA wrote in a news release.
The new rule, approved by the Division I board of directors on Monday, applies to all sports and is effective immediately, the NCAA confirmed to ESPN.
With the transfer portal for men's and women's basketball closing Wednesday, that could lead to a flood of names entering the portal before then.
The exception for coaching changes remains in place, which gives players 30 days to enter the portal from the date their coaches left. Most notably, that would apply to players from BYU, since Mark Pope left the Cougars to take over at Kentucky on April 12.
As of Thursday morning, more than 1,900 Division I men's basketball players had entered the portal, while more than 1,300 Division I women's basketball players had entered.
