The Portal’s Impact on Small Programs
ESPN College Basketball analyst Jay Bilas believes roughly seven teams have a legitimate shot to win March Madness this season, a reflection of the sport’s growing balance. The bigger conversation, however, centers on the impact of NIL and the transfer portal. Bilas notes smaller programs often develop talent only to watch those players transfer to bigger stages, a system that can benefit the player and the larger school, but still raises some questions about competitive balance across the sport.