'This Has Become a Joke,' CBB Coach Slams Transfer Portal Players 'Asking for a Million Dollars'

At least one head coach at a high major feels negotiations for players in the NCAA transfer portal have gotten out of control ahead of the second season of the NIL and direct revenue sharing era, according to the Field of 68's Jeff Goodman.

"This has become a joke," the coach told Goodman. "We got guys who averaged 3 points a game asking for a million dollars. It's completely out of control."

Goodman previously reported that top-25 big men in the portal could command between $4-5 million this offseason. He added that top point guards could cost between $3-4 million, while top transfer wings could be seeking between $2.5-3 million.

The New York Post's Zach Braziller wrote Thursday that some college basketball leaders estimate transfer portal prices have risen 30 to 40 percent since last season.

More than 3,000 men's basketball players are expected to enter the transfer portal this offseason, according to ESPN's Jeff Borzello.

That represents an increase from the total number of transfers over the last two year, which reached around 2,100 players in 2024 and 2,700 players in 2025, according to Borzello.

Some leaders in college basketball are apparently looking at ways to decrease those transfer numbers in the future.

UCLA coach Mick Cronin said in March he and members of the Big Ten front office are in support of raising the revenue-sharing cap in an effort to motivate more players to spend consecutive seasons at the same school, per Beth Harris of the Associated Press.

The revenue-sharing cap is projected to increase from $20.5 million to $21.3 million in 2026-27. Given that most programs will be spending the large majority of the cap on football, schools will need to continue negotiating NIL deals in order to entice their top players to stick around next fall.

The men's basketball transfer portal will be open from April 7 to April 21. Players who are in the portal by April 21 can commit after that date, although anyone who has entered the 2026 NBA draft would need to withdraw by May 28 to maintain college eligibility.