NORFOLK, Va. — HBCU basketball is facing a new reality with the rise of the transfer portal and NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals. Recruiting has become more competitive, and retaining top talent is harder than ever. North Carolina Central head coach LeVelle Moton has been vocal about these challenges.
Speaking after North Carolina Central’s thrilling last-second upset win over Delaware State in the MEAC Tournament, Moton didn’t hold back. “In this portal era, in this NIL era, things have changed. What required you to be a good coach five years ago? That ain’t the climate now,” he said.
The Impact of NIL and the Transfer Portal on HBCU Basketball
Before the transfer portal, college basketball players had to sit out a year if they switched schools. Now, they can play immediately, which has led to a major shift in recruiting. At the same time, NIL allows athletes to earn money, and bigger programs with larger financial resources can offer more lucrative deals.
“Whoever got the most money just buys a team, assembles a team. You got 14 new guys learning each other,” Moton said. This new era has made it tough for HBCUs to keep their best players from being recruited by Power Four schools with bigger NIL opportunities.
HBCU Basketball Stars Moving Up
Many standout HBCU players have transferred to larger programs in search of better NIL deals and more exposure. Some recent examples include:
- Steve Settles III (Howard to Temple)
- Elijah Hawkins (Howard to Minnesota to Texas Tech)
- Jamari Thomas (Norfolk State to South Carolina)
- Duncan Powell (NCCU to Georgia Tech)
- Blake Harper? (Howard) – A rising freshman star already drawing interest from Power Four programs.
For HBCU basketball, this means programs must constantly rebuild their rosters, as top players often leave before fully developing. “Five years ago, we could develop a guy for three or four years,” an HBCU coach told HBCU Gameday. “Now, he might be gone after one season.”
The Looming House v. NCAA Settlement and What It Means for HBCUs
The House v. NCAA settlement could change recruiting even more by forcing schools to directly pay players. This raises big questions for HBCU basketball:
- Will HBCUs have the budget to compete with larger schools?
- Will Power Four programs continue to dominate recruiting by offering salaries?
- Can HBCUs find new ways to leverage NIL to attract top talent?
The Future of HBCU Basketball in the NIL Era
To stay competitive, HBCU basketball programs must adapt to this evolving landscape. Coaches are no longer just developing players—they are rebuilding their teams every season and navigating the NIL market.
“We can sit here and complain, or we can adjust,” Moton said. “The game is different now. The best coaches aren’t just coaching—they’re adapting.”
Even for Moton, the transfer portal giveth, and the transfer portal taketh away.
With players like Blake Harper gaining national attention, the focus is on whether HBCUs can hold onto their stars or if Power Four programs will continue to pull them away. One thing is clear: NIL and the transfer portal have forever changed HBCU basketball.