Follow the Money: How Are Schools Keeping Up with the Transfer Portal
By Jeff Jones
Blake Harper’s decision to transfer from Howard University after a standout freshman season sent shockwaves through college basketball. The MEAC Rookie of the Year and MVP, Harper’s departure wasn’t just about a player moving on; it highlighted the massive shifts in the recruiting landscape fueled by the transfer portal and NIL (Name, Image, Likeness). As top-tier programs like Texas, USC, and Georgia secure multimillion-dollar deals for their athletes, smaller schools like Howard find themselves struggling to keep up. For programs without deep financial backing, the question is clear: how do you compete when the rules of the game have changed?
The transfer portal, combined with the advent of NIL, has fundamentally changed the way college programs recruit. Athletes now have the freedom to shop around for the best financial deals, and schools that can’t offer substantial NIL packages are falling behind. In Harper’s case, the attraction of bigger programs with access to larger deals made his decision an easy one.
“At this point, it’s not just about what you can do on the court anymore,” said Coach James Whitley, assistant head coach at Norfolk State University. “It’s about building a brand and setting yourself up for life beyond college.”
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The NCAA’s decision to allow NIL deals in 2021 opened the floodgates for schools with wealthy alumni and donors to secure top-tier talent by offering lucrative financial deals. At the same time, the transfer portal, which allows athletes to change schools without sitting out a year, has accelerated player movement. The combination has turned recruitment into a game of high stakes, with wealthier programs building powerhouses not only through athletic success but by offering financial incentives. In the case of Harper, his decision to leave Howard is just one example of the broader trend: smaller schools, especially those with less financial support, are being left behind.
Schools like Texas, USC, and Georgia have fully embraced NIL, setting up alumni-backed collectives that offer athletes substantial paydays. For example, Texas’s collective, the “Longhorn Foundation,” has facilitated six-figure NIL deals for several athletes, including high-profile football players and basketball stars. These programs can not only recruit talented athletes but can also offer them financial stability that smaller schools simply cannot match. “At this level, if you’re not able to offer your players opportunities off the court, it’s hard to even get into the conversation,” said Whitley, who has spent years trying to build a competitive program at Norfolk State. “You have to get creative with what you can offer in terms of exposure, connections, and mentorship, but it still doesn’t always compete with the money.”
But not all programs are thriving in this new NIL-driven landscape. Smaller schools, particularly in conferences like the MEAC and Group of Five, are finding it harder to retain or attract top talent. “We just don’t have the financial resources to keep up,” said Whitley, echoing frustrations shared by many coaches at smaller schools. “At the end of the day, players want exposure and a shot at the next level. If they can get that at a place with deeper pockets, they’ll make that move.”
NIL and Transfer Portal Effect On Small School Athletes
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For athletes at smaller programs, the reality is harsh: in an era where the top programs are paying athletes to play, many will choose money over loyalty, prestige, or personal development. Schools like Howard, where the resources are limited, struggle to compete with powerhouses that offer not only an elite basketball experience but the chance to cash in while doing it. The financial disparity has created a growing divide in college basketball that is leaving many players in smaller programs with little choice but to seek greener pastures.
This has had a ripple effect beyond college basketball, reaching all the way down to high school athletes. As NIL continues to dominate the conversation, even high school recruits are feeling the pressure to build their personal brands before ever stepping onto a college court. The new recruitment process places as much emphasis on social media following and marketability as it does on athletic ability. “Coaches aren’t just looking at how you perform in games anymore—they’re looking at how many followers you have and whether your social media presence can bring in more exposure and money,” said Jason Harrigan, head coach at St. Joseph’s Prep in Philadelphia. “Kids are starting to figure out that recruiting is not just about stats anymore; it’s about how you market yourself, too.”
Harrigan’s words reflect a growing trend in high school sports where players are now under pressure to develop their personal brands long before they reach college. With AAU programs and high school teams pushing athletes to market themselves online, social media following has become a new metric for success. While this might help some athletes stand out to big programs, it also creates challenges for those who are not as well-connected or socially savvy. “We’ve seen athletes who would’ve been no-brainers for D-I schools five years ago now get overlooked because they haven’t built a brand,” Harrigan added.
For smaller programs, this dynamic has created a harsh reality. Even players who excel at the high school level may struggle to secure scholarships if they haven’t already built up a significant following. “It’s like we’re sending kids out there to try to win a game without even giving them the right tools,” Harrigan said. “The game has changed, and a lot of our kids are left trying to catch up.”
The growing influence of NIL on recruiting isn’t just about money; it’s about who controls the narrative. Players who can cultivate a strong personal brand, whether through social media, endorsements, or public appearances, hold power in a way that was previously unimaginable. At the same time, schools that can offer lucrative NIL deals have become the new powerhouses of college basketball. “You can have all the talent in the world, but if you’re not able to capitalize on your brand, you’re missing out,” said Whitley. “We’re trying to build a culture that values more than just the game but it’s a battle we’re still fighting.”
The impact of NIL and the transfer portal on college basketball isn’t just about the rich getting richer, it’s about the dismantling of traditional recruitment processes and the creation of an entirely new competitive hierarchy. For smaller programs like Howard, this has led to a constant battle to hold onto talent, while big schools with deep pockets continue to dominate the recruitment game.
As the future of college basketball unfolds, it’s clear that financial backing is now as critical to success as athletic ability. Smaller schools are finding it increasingly difficult to compete with the powerhouses that can offer both exposure and cash. For high school athletes, the pressure to market themselves and secure NIL deals is only going to intensify. The lines between amateurism and professionalism are blurring, and with each passing season, it becomes more difficult to predict where the balance of power will ultimately land.
This new era of NIL and the transfer portal has fundamentally changed the landscape of college sports, and it’s uncertain where it will go from here. But one thing is clear: the future of college basketball, and college athletics as a whole, will be shaped by players who can build the best brand—not just the best skills.
