Basketball Transfers: A National Epidemic

ChosenChildren

ChosenChildren

Well-Known Member
Players switching schools appears to be a national problem now. It is not limited to Iowa and Iowa State. Why do today's young basketball athletes change schools so readily?

Is it the way they are raised by their parents?

Is it the influence of AAU coaches?

Do they all expect to make the NBA?

I really do not understand it. You didn't see this type of thing 10 years ago and certainly not 20 years ago. What changed? Does anyone have a theory?
 


ChosenChildren said:
Players switching schools appears to be a national problem now. It is not limited to Iowa and Iowa State. Why do today's young basketball athletes change schools so readily?

Is it the way they are raised by their parents?

Is it the influence of AAU coaches?

Do they all expect to make the NBA?

I really do not understand it. You didn't see this type of thing 10 years ago and certainly not 20 years ago. What changed? Does anyone have a theory?
Click to expand...

I'm not close enough to college athletics to know the answer(s).

Based solely on the young people I've hired over the years I would say it's a combination of the way they were raised, what they saw from parents or guardians (changing jobs frequently during their careers, breadwinners being fired or downsized where earlier generations probably saw long-term loyalty by employee and employer), job fluidity in pro ranks, generally a sense of more mobility, more instant and personal communication (Internet, texting, cell phones, e-mail) that broaden horizons and make players more aware of developments at other programs.

Youth and prep camps as well as AAU programs and coaches serve to give players more awareness of other players, coaches and college programs, giving them a greater knowledge and understanding of college athletics and perhaps increasing the tendency to move or transfer, even after committing.
 


happens in all collegiant sports and its happening in junior high...kids are approached in 7-8th grade in wrestling and going to ballard/bettendorf/iowa city west and many more
 


You've been told you're entire life that you're the man.

If you were good enough to get a major conf. scholarship offer, you were the star of your high school team, without question.

Things have never not gone your way... and you now believe you shouldn't have to put up with disappointment.

So you transfer and lose out on some serious life skills, such as how to adapt.
 


ChosenChildren said:
Players switching schools appears to be a national problem now. It is not limited to Iowa and Iowa State. Why do today's young basketball athletes change schools so readily?

Is it the way they are raised by their parents?

Is it the influence of AAU coaches?

Do they all expect to make the NBA?

I really do not understand it. You didn't see this type of thing 10 years ago and certainly not 20 years ago. What changed? Does anyone have a theory?
Click to expand...

I think Iowa and Iowa State both make this problem look way worse than it really is. I think it averages out to one player a year for most schools while Iowa and ISU are averaging maybe 3-4 a year. I wouldn't have a problem when one guy leaves a year due to playing time. However, when you have starters leaving yearly you know you have problems. Iowa gets a pass with Fuller though due to the coaching change.
 


It's worse around these parts and Basketball seems to be the worst. Hawkaholic you have any input?
 


BSpringsteen said:
You've been told you're entire life that you're the man.

If you were good enough to get a major conf. scholarship offer, you were the star of your high school team, without question.

Things have never not gone your way... and you now believe you shouldn't have to put up with disappointment.

So you transfer and lose out on some serious life skills, such as how to adapt.
Click to expand...

This makes sense. The pasture is always greener on the other side.
 


As long as I remember, transfers have been a part of Iowa basketball. When times are bad they have been worse no question but they have always been present. Many don't remember but even Mr. Davis dealt with his share of transfer woes.

I recognize that it is more prevalent today than ever before but society is the same way. As a previous poster mentioned, people are jumping jobs more frequently either because their jobs are going away or because they seek something better/ different.

We live in an instant gratification world these days wher people don't ave to wait for much of anything anymore and it is reflected in every aspect of society. Collee sports is no different.
 


You make a lot of assumptions here...

ChosenChildren said:
Players switching schools appears to be a national problem now. It is not limited to Iowa and Iowa State. Why do today's young basketball athletes change schools so readily?

Is it the way they are raised by their parents?

Is it the influence of AAU coaches?

Do they all expect to make the NBA?

I really do not understand it. You didn't see this type of thing 10 years ago and certainly not 20 years ago. What changed? Does anyone have a theory?
Click to expand...

Is this really an "epidemic"? I don't know, because we'd need to see some data on the number of transfers per year, per team, to make a good judgment what is an epidemic and what is merely more awareness of transfers.

What is inherently wrong about a player switching a school, especially if the school he is at changes coaches? I guess I don't get what the uproar is about. Yes, I would prefer that Aaron Fuller stayed at Iowa, but in his shoes I can see where he's coming from on wanting to be closer to home. Coaches move on to better paydays all the time and there is no outcry about them "breaking contracts" or "not being loyal to their school." It's understood that "they are taking care of their family." But we lambaste guys like Wesley Johnson for leaving Iowa State for Syracuse.

30+ years ago a freshman at Indiana decided he didn't like playing for Bob Knight and went to the school down the road at Indiana State. Was Larry Bird a quitter, a bad person? Or was playing for Bob Knight just not the right thing for Larry Bird at that time in his life?
 


If there has been an increase in transfers then I think you need to look at the academic preparedness of the student athlete. I have no way of proving it, but I think a majority of college BBall players don't want to be students, they want to play ball, pure and simple. If the college they choose is too tough academically and interferes with ball then find another college. If they are not on floor or can't see they will be playing anytime soon it is time to look elsewhere.

Are other sports like this? Yes, probably football comes to mind.
 


There have been more transfers recently and I think it has to do with Playing Time and what a recruit thinks they deserve. I have seen more transfers due to the "PT" issue, than anything else. The players cover it up with an excuse such as "i want to be closer to home, or this school wasn't the right fit for me." It all comes down to playing time.

All these transfers help out the little schools in a way. Several of these players see the writing on the wall and transfer to a smaller or mid-major school where they feel they can step in right away. I know that is how lickliter got so good at Butler, he got a couple of transfers in one year and the next they went to the sweet 16. So watch some mid-major teams are gonna benefit from all these transfers.
 


ChosenChildren said:
Players switching schools appears to be a national problem now. It is not limited to Iowa and Iowa State. Why do today's young basketball athletes change schools so readily?

Is it the way they are raised by their parents?

Is it the influence of AAU coaches?

Do they all expect to make the NBA?

I really do not understand it. You didn't see this type of thing 10 years ago and certainly not 20 years ago. What changed? Does anyone have a theory?
Click to expand...

Over the past few years had our transfers at IOWA been the bench warmers I think IOWA fans wouldn't see a transfer problem. But when starters each year want to transfer then that is a completely different story. Had JR Angle, or Devon B, or Palmer (after Lick's first year) wanted to transfer it would have been a so long buddy situation now we have room for a better player. But when a starter leaves it is a different story, still a transfer but the results are viewed differently.

For some reason, I believe that the mass transfer will end this year. If these players stay and play for Fran I think they will stay. Just seems like a different atmosphere around IOWA with Lick gone. And with wins coming, and I do believe that they will start coming with McCaffery, then transfers will lessen even more.
 


Players transfer for many reasons. Fans are encouraged by some players leaving and are angry by other players leaving.

When some players leave and fans are happy it was ok that the players left and fans wish them well. When players leave that fans didn't want to leave then they were spoiled, it was the parent's fault, the AAU coaches fault, they wanted immediate gratification and so on when all it might have been was that they were unhappy where they were or they just wanted to play more ball.

It all comes down to the fact that it is their lives not ours. Players have been transferring for many many years. Just as players are more aware of other programs these days because of increased communications like internet so are fans aware of players transferring because of increased communications like internet.

Twenty-five years ago fans just didn't hear about all the different players transferring because you would have to read about them in the papers and the papers wouldn't publish all the transfers but kids still transferred. So an epidemic...I hardly think so.

We just hear about all of the transfers today...and know what's going on everywhere.
 


With the amount of money the NCAA makes, schools recieve, TV revenues, ect ect I have no issues with these players transfering to the schools they want to get their degree from or play their college career.
 


I think it's indicative of what's going on in society in general.

Players are more self-centered now and feel a sense of entitlement as to their playing time and such. If they're not getting it here or feel they're not being used correctly then they think it's not due to them but the coaching staff.

Same as what's going on in society. Younger workers come in and expect to be promoted right away and get the brass ring without working for it (generally speaking of course).

We're more self-centered now in society and a manifestation of that is now seen on the hardwood.
 


Oh yeah, the good old days argument. The good old days when you didn't have to worry about competing with women for sports dollars, or business or academic opportunities. The good old days when people of color were kept in their right place. The good old days when sexual orientation was a cause for termination of employment...

I love how the people who bring up the good old days never seem to have any data to prove that today is any worse than it was before.

Why are we concerned with player transfers? Because Iowa and ISU have been hurt by player transfers. That is immediate anecdotal evidence that cannot be expanded out to the entire population without more evidence. Also, with more immediate forms of media, we might just hear about transfers more these days.

Hey, the data might reveal that more players are transferring these days, but before we start bemoaning the state of the union, we might want to figure out if in fact our assumptions are correct.
 


Players see coaches who are under multi-year contracts jump ship for other jobs all the time so they don't see any problem with transferring to another school if it puts them in a better situation.
 


koolhandlick said:
Players see coaches who are under multi-year contracts jump ship for other jobs all the time so they don't see any problem with transferring to another school if it puts them in a better situation.
Click to expand...

Agree. Are there any statistics out there that show what percentage of transfers happen during a coaching change? These kids come to school to play for coaches who say they will be there for a long time then leave as soon as another job opens up, or the school fires the coach before his contract is up. These kids have five years to play four, they've got to look out for themselves since in a lot of cases the coaches and universities are not, if they feel there's a better situation for them out there, go for it.
 


I'd say coaching changes, lack of playing time, players getting homesick, and players being pushed out the door are the main reasons for transfers. We have seen plenty of players leave Iowa for these reasons in recent years.
 


I love this crap. Guys coming in here saying it is a societal problem, or a problem with the way kids are being raised.

Guess what. It isn't a problem. It is called adults exercising their options. No one wants to stay in a bad situation if they can help it. Since when is it a sign of good character to do what is wrong for you to appease the mind of idiot fans who don't know you?
 


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