If Final Four teams like Michigan, Duke, and Arizona hope to replace their departing stars with similar talent in the transfer portal, the cost in 2026 may shock some college basketball fans.
With the NCAA Tournament officially in the rearview, the focus of the entire DI basketball world is on the transfer portal. The collegiate ranks’ version of free agency offers a program the chance to quickly rebuild their rosters without the time and effort required to develop a high school prospect.
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Many teams benefited from the moves they made in the transfer portal this time last year. Two of the most notable were St. John’s, who reached the Sweet 16 with the help of transfer Dillon Mitchell, and Michigan’s road to winning a natty last week does not happen without landing Elliot Cadeau and Yaxel Lendeborg in the portal.
Several teams from this year’s Final Four are facing notable departures due to ineligibility and the NBA Draft. Michigan will lose star forward Lendeborg. Duke’s gifted big man Cam Boozer is projected to be a top-three pick in June, and Arizona will have to fill the void left by Koat Peat, Bradyen Burries, and Jaden Bradley’s exits.
It will cost up to $5 million to land elite big man in transfer portal
This month’s transfer portal will offer those teams and other national powerhouses the option to replace their departing stars. However, to get the best of the best, it is going to cost them big bucks.
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This week, college basketball insider Jeff Goodman spoke with a dozen major head coaches, assistants, and program general managers to get their thoughts on what the going rate will be for elite talent in the portal this month.
When it comes to top wingmen, the cost is expected to be between $2.5 and $3 million. To get a high-impact guard, it will cost schools $3 to $4 million. However, this month, the most expensive positions to improve will be at forward and center. Goodman’s report claims the projected price for a top big man will be anywhere from $4 to $5 million.
While there are many schools that have the money to add impact players in the portal, a lot of them are also spending big in college football. It will be interesting to see how schools manage this month’s portal and if the basketball-centric schools like Duke, North Carolina, or St. John’s dominate for the sport they prioritize.
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