USF basketball could face major roster shakeup when college transfer portal opens

The college basketball Transfer Portal opens on Tuesday, the day after the men's national championship game. That's when we could begin to get an idea what USF's roster will look like when the season cranks up next November -- and maybe how much it will cost to bring in replacements.

Bulls247.com reported that four Bulls have already declared their intention to enter the portal -- guards Wes Enis and Xavier Brown, plus forwards Caleb Sanders and De`Ante Green.

Of those, Enis obviously would leave the biggest hole in the lineup that new coach Chris Mack would have to fill. Green spent the season recovering from an Achilles injury, Brown missed nearly all of the season with an undisclosed injury, and Sanders was out for most of the second half after suffering a concussion.

Bulls fans probably assume those players -- and maybe more -- will join ex-USF coach Bryan Hodgson at Providence. But Hodgson, well known for his candor, implied that it's not that simple. The Field of 68 shared this video clip to emphasize that point.

"I haven't spoken to a single agent or kid on the phone that's asked for less than a million dollars. Not one. Right now, it's a little out of control,' Hodgson said.

I'm old enough to remember when a player could be suspended for accepting an unauthorized t-shirt, but I digress.

Bulls fans will be watching to see if guards Gavin Hightower and CJ Brown enter the portal, along with players like Tristan Beckford. Brown was steady all year, Hightower came on like gangbusters, and Beckford logged some valuable miinutes as a freshman.

Last year, Brown was the only returning player from the previous season as Hodgson had an influx of transfers and high school recruits. Could the Bulls face a similar turnover again?

Maybe.

We can hope that Mack and the new USF staff have given effective sales pitches to some, if not all, of those remaining players, Remember, Brown entered the portal last year only to stay at USF after Hodgson convinced him it was the right move.

And it was.

But now? Money is the cornerstone of roster building in college basketball, and things are a little murky on that front right how at USF. The Fowler Avenue Collective, formed in 2022 to help raise NIL money for USF athletes as well as other services, closed for good on Friday.

The Bulls Club, the main fund-raising arm for the athletic department, remains intact.

If Hodgson is getting an earfull from 17-year-old kids opening the bidding at $1 million, you can bet Chris Mack is hearing the same thing. No use cryihg about it. As Rob Higgins, USF's CEO of Athletics, like to say, there is no sense wasting time wishing the good old days will returh because that will never, ever happen.

You either play by the new rules or you get splattered. That's just the way it is.