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New York Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Can women's basketball teams catch up to UConn or South Carolina in a changing era?
For decades, women's basketball was dominated almost exclusively by UConn and Tennessee, and then, for many years, only UConn's dynasty thrived. In recent years, other contenders have emerged periodically, but none have challenged the crown quite as well as South Carolina. Until this past season, the Gamecocks and Dawn Staley had arguably taken the mantle from the Huskies and Geno Auriemma. Then, UConn returned to the top of the ladder and cut down the nets for the 12th time in program history, keeping this rivalry and battle for the top of the sport in flux. Advertisement Slice it anyway, though, and it's obvious: No. 1 might be up for grabs, but it's these two heavyweights that everyone is chasing. NIL, the transfer portal and the recent House v. NCAA settlement, which established revenue sharing in college sports, have upended the landscape. However, due to their rich traditions and coaching acumen, UConn and South Carolina have remained mostly unscathed by the upheaval — and even benefited from it. The Gamecocks and Huskies signed two of the most highly pursued portal players, as Ta'Niya Latson, the nation's leading scorer, left Florida State for South Carolina, and Serah Williams, arguably the best big in the portal, left Wisconsin to choose UConn. This leaves every other coach in the nation strategizing and wondering what it will take to truly and consistently usurp perennial powerhouses UConn and South Carolina on the recruiting trail, the hardwood, or in March. Like much of the rest of big-money NCAA sports, women's basketball coaches are no longer prioritizing only building four-year players but winning with transfers who can be lured with lucrative NIL promises. As complicated as the modern era of college athletics has become — a record 1,450 Division I players entered the transfer portal after last season — coaches understand they must work within the confines of this new system, which involves the portal acting as a faster on-ramp for roster building. NIL and revenue share are becoming additional incentives for players to consider other programs if they want to succeed. Fourteen power conference coaches interviewed by The Athletic said they've completely altered how they build rosters, recruit and develop talent. 'Coaches are questioning, obviously: Is it even worth it to be in this business? What are we doing? What are we doing if we can't build a program and you're starting from scratch every year to build a team without any rules around it?' one power conference coach said. 'What are we doing? And why are we doing it?' (Coaches were granted anonymity to speak freely about their recruiting habits, NIL and the overall climate of the sport.) Advertisement 'I have to change. I have to pivot and plan for 50 percent attrition,' another power conference coach added. 'Time will tell if you can build a program (in this era). If I can't build a program, I'm not going to be doing it very long.' Playing time, star roles and scholarships are no longer enough for coaches to retain players. Notable star players like Latson, Olivia Miles (Notre Dame to TCU) and Cotie McMahon (Ohio State to Ole Miss) switched programs. They were among roughly 300 power conference players who transferred this offseason — an average of about four players per power conference team. More than 20 percent of the transfer pool had already changed schools at least once. Among the 40 returning starters off Sweet 16 rosters, 10 transferred. Many coaches said this season's top portal players signed deals of upward of $700,000, and some unheralded underclassmen, due to their longer eligibility, were seeking deals of $ 300,000 or more. By comparison, the WNBA supermax this season is less than $250,000, with only four players receiving it. Meanwhile, less than a quarter of the league makes $200,000 or more. Yet, at the college level with limited post players in the portal, many coaches said programs needed to offer a premium of that kind to sign even a marginal big. 'If you were a post player in the portal a month ago and you averaged three points a game at the Power 4, most of them were asking for $200,000 plus,' one power conference coach said. 'And you're like, 'You averaged 2.5 points per game.' ' Even highly successful programs are learning they might need to reset expectations after every season, given the uncertainty of attrition and what those defections mean for their own needs from the portal. Look no further than UCLA. The Bruins appeared in their first Final Four of the modern era and, in a previous era of the sport, would have been considered a prime contender in the 2025-26 season due to the experience returning players gained. Yet, after the Bruins' successful run, the entire freshman class, as well as Londynn Jones, a 31-game starter, and Janiah Barker, the Big Ten's Sixth Player of the Year, decided to transfer. It means UCLA coach Cori Close will be starting essentially from scratch after this core's graduation, rather than steadily building a program, with backups becoming role players and then starters, that is capable of taking down UConn or South Carolina in the Final Four. Notre Dame was ranked No. 1 during the season, and despite a late collapse, seemed poised for a strong upcoming season. But after the Irish lost Miles to TCU, freshman key contributor Kate Koval to LSU and two other players, they dropped out of The Athletic's post-transfer top 25. USC seemingly has prime minutes up for grabs after losing star JuJu Watkins to an ACL tear. Still, Kayleigh Heckle and Avery Howell, two freshmen who figured to be centerpieces next season, entered the transfer portal. Advertisement 'You had to think about sitting out a year, you had to think about the perception,' one power conference coach said about previous transfer implications. 'Now it's just normalized. If you lost two or three kids in a year, it used to be like, 'Oh my gosh, what's wrong at that school?' And that's just not the notion anymore.' Some coaches likened the roster turnover to coaching at the junior college level. 'If I can keep the kid for two years,' one said, 'I feel like I've won the lottery.' Although most coaches are frustrated with the lack of oversight and guardrails in place from the NCAA over the past few seasons, they understand that it's also a shifting reality for them. In this era of limited regulation and hazy guidance, coaches and universities that are quick to adapt have had the upper hand, whether that means getting their collectives more involved (generally seen as acceptable among all coaches) or tampering with athletes (seen as illegal, but not currently regulated as such). Now, with the settlement finalized over the weekend, actual regulation is taking effect. As of last Saturday, college athletes were required to report NIL deals worth more than $600 to the newly established College Sports Commission for approval. On July 1, universities can begin making revenue share payments to athletes. The impact of these regulations on athletes' deals is currently unknown. Still, the NCAA has been clear that the NIL-specific regulation is intended to protect athletes from false deals, not to hinder their earning power. However, because the settlement had been pushed back — a decision was expected two months ago — universities and collectives were able to front-load deals, which created an arms race across conferences, which drove up the total 'cost' of rosters. The Athletic asked 12 coaches what they expect it would cost, between revenue share and NIL, to build a roster that could contend for their respective conference title. Multiple Big Ten and SEC coaches estimated the cost between $2.5 million and $3.5 million. Multiple ACC and Big 12 coaches said that building a championship roster costs between $1.5 million and $2.5 million. Most of those numbers exceed even the WNBA's team salary cap of just under $1.51 million. Advertisement However, this number is a moving target. With impending legislation, coaches are uncertain about how it may change in the coming seasons, particularly with the establishment of revenue sharing and the creation of the College Sports Commission. Coaches said that while the leverage has shifted almost entirely to players, there are no safeguards in place for the programs or the collectives that act on their behalf. This movement leaves many coaches working on a year-to-year basis, unsure of what their rosters will look like or how much money they will have to fill potential holes. 'In true professional sports, I know I have this player under contract for four years and I can prepare for that player to go into free agency, or I know I have $200,000 coming off the books ahead of next year. Here, it's free agency every single year, and the tampering is out of control,' one coach said. 'So, please tell me how I do this. Tell me how to manage a roster when we don't know the rules.' Regulation around NIL, collectives and revenue share could provide some stability, but even so, coaches expect both tampering and transfer numbers to remain high every season. From the 2020 high school recruiting class, 17 of the top 25 (and seven of the top 10) players transferred before the end of their college careers, including Angel Reese, Kamilla Cardoso and Hailey Van Lith. In the 2021 class, 13 of the top 25 players transferred, and 18 of the top 25 players in the 2022 class, now rising seniors, transferred. This attrition has had a ripple effect on how college coaches prioritize high school recruiting. Many staff chose not to send multiple (or any) coaches on the road this offseason for the first high school recruiting evaluation period, valuing hosting immediate impact players over seeing talent who wouldn't be on campus for a few years. That signals a significant shift in the overall recruiting philosophy. Five years ago, the lifeblood of almost every program was high school recruiting. Now, the portal offers another option. Multiple coaches said that their focus on high school recruits has decreased from 95-100 percent of their recruiting efforts to somewhere between 50-70 percent. Nearly 80 power conference freshmen transferred this offseason, so coaches also realize that bringing in a freshman doesn't necessarily mean stability. Advertisement As coaches prepare for summer workouts before the 2025-26 season and make plans to attend high school recruiting events, they recognize that their priorities might look different a year from now. Regulations from the House settlement could remove some of the challenges of the past few seasons. Still, coaches will have to navigate a landscape that once seemed unimaginable in college sports. However, one challenge remains the same: UConn and South Carolina are the hunted. 'The job is just different now,' one coach said. 'You just have to make up your mind if you want to deal with the other stuff.' (Illustration: Demetrius Robinson / The Athletic; top photos: Joe Buglewicz, Eakin Howard, Jonathan Daniel / Getty Images)
New York Times
13-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Women's college basketball's post-transfer top 25: Is UConn still on top? Did LSU jump?
With most transfers having landed at their destinations, it's time to relook at the way-too-early top-25 ranking from the end of the season. A few weeks remain for players to go into the portal, which has seen 1,500 entrants. The rich got richer in many cases (hello, UConn and South Carolina), but a few teams enjoyed successful transfer hauls that ushered them into the top 25 (welcome, Maryland). Let's get to it: Dropped out: Vanderbilt, Ohio State, Mississippi State, Illinois The Huskies added Wisconsin transfer Serah Williams, perhaps the most sought-after transfer because of her unique skills and size. Her inside abilities would have allowed her to fit into most teams pretty seamlessly. Joining the reigning champs? Not bad. She'll solidify the interior, where the Huskies struggled with Jana El Alfy's and Ice Brady's foul troubles, while freeing up Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong's playmaking. Advertisement South Carolina's additions of Ta'Niya Latson and Madina Okot impressed and intrigued. The Gamecocks, who largely take a committee approach, adding the nation's leading scorer was no small feat. Latson attempted 20 shots a game last season, nearly twice as many as the Gamecocks' leader in field goal attempts. She will be playing in a different system with different expectations, but nobody goes to South Carolina without understanding how its system works. Expect her shot numbers to decrease, but unlike at Florida State, she'll have a shot at a national title. A superhero with superpowers 🦸♀️ That's Ta'Niya for ya 👇 — South Carolina Women's Basketball (@GamecockWBB) May 1, 2025 Okot's commitment made me consider flip-flopping the top of the rankings. At 6-foot-6, she's the paint presence, rim-protecting player South Carolina lacked last season. She has a chance to be one of the most impactful transfers in the country next season. By acquiring South Carolina's MiLaysia Fulwiley and Notre Dame's Kate Koval, LSU made the biggest jump in the top 10. Questions around Baton Rouge — with Fulwiley, Flau'jae Johnson and Mikaylah Williams in the backcourt — might echo what we heard in South Bend a year ago: Is there enough basketball to go around? But on multiple occasions, Tigers coach Kim Mulkey has melded formidable teams made of players with big games. She might now have the SEC's — and maybe the country's — best and most exciting backcourt. We just watched two backcourt-heavy teams advance to the national championship game this season, so perhaps it's a bit of recency bias, but the Tigers look pretty darn promising. Ask me again after they've played no one outstanding in nonconference competition (argh) and we'll see, but I like how the roster has shaped up going into the 2025-26 season. Last year at this time, I thought Tennessee might miss the NCAA Tournament. I wasn't sure how new coach Kim Caldwell's system would work against power conference opponents or whether players would buy into her hockey substitution patterns. One Sweet 16 later … here we are. With its core returning and ESPN's No. 2 high school recruiting class incoming, Caldwell didn't need to add. But bringing in Janiah Barker (UCLA), Jersey Wolfenbarger (LSU) and Nya Roberston (SMU) is far more about bolstering the athleticism and versatility on her roster rather than just adding players. I love Tennessee's prospects with Barker and think she could thrive in Caldwell's fast-paced system. Robertson's 3-point shooting took a dip last season, but if she gets it back to 34 or 35 percent, she'll be in business. the sky's the limit. — Lady Vols Basketball (@LadyVol_Hoops) April 23, 2025 UCLA had last season's No. 4 high school recruiting class, inking three top-30 players and five-star international guard Elina Aarnisalo. Today, the Bruins don't have a single rising sophomore on their roster as each of those freshmen transferred (along with Barker and Londynn Jones). Yet UCLA remains not just in great positioning but a spot higher due to 3-point sharpshooter Gianna Kneepkens' commitment. Advertisement The 45-percent 3-point shooter adds an element to the Bruins' offense that makes them tougher to defend while providing a counterweight to Lauren Betts. Coach Cori Close has managed to keep most of this core together for a potential repeat Final Four run — and that's to be commended. When this entire group graduates, who knows if there will be players coming behind it. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. For now, the Bruins hold serve and remain in the top five. When the season ended, Maryland was outside the top 25 after losing Shyanne Sellers, Sarah Te-Biasu and Christina Dalce to the WNBA and graduation. Kaylene Smikle returned for next season, and Bri McDaniel will come back at some point after recovering from her torn ACL in January. But those two didn't offer enough talent to boost Maryland into the rankings. Enter: Oluchi Okananwa (Duke) and Yarden Garzon (Indiana). Suddenly, it looks like Maryland's offense — ranked 10th nationally in points per game (81) — might be even more high-scoring next season. Coach Brenda Frese also gets some benefit of the doubt here, considering this isn't her first rodeo with getting an instant return from incorporating several transfers onto a roster. The top of the Big Ten doesn't look quite like I thought it would before next season, but those top five teams — UCLA, Michigan, Washington, Michigan State and Maryland — should all be very fun. Yarden Garzon is heading to @TerpsWBB! 🐢#NCAAWBB x @YardenGarzon — NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) April 29, 2025 Does any coach love the portal quite as much as TCU's Mark Campbell and Ole Miss' Yolett McPhee-McCuin (the self-proclaimed 'portalista')? Both teams saw turnover in terms of big minutes going to new players, but there's enough talent on each of these rosters to garner top-25 spots after being unranked in the initial way-too-early ranking. After a historic Elite Eight run, TCU added Notre Dame's Olivia Miles, Cal's Marta Suarez and Kentucky's Clara Silva (a 6-7 center who was Clara Strack's backup last season), as well as three others. On paper, the group isn't as talented as last season's, but Miles is a point guard who can elevate everyone's play. Advertisement The crown jewel in Ole Miss' portal class is Ohio State transfer Cotie McMahon, who is no stranger to big stages and big moments. The relentless rebounder will be an instant impact player to the Rebels, who made a Sweet 16 run last season. She'll be joined by seven other transfers, including Mississippi State starters Denim DeShields and Debreasha Powe. (Photo of MiLaysia Fulwiley: Sarah Stier / Getty Images)
