Major moves rock NCAA basketball and football as spring transfer portal windows close

The GIST: Unlimited trips to the transfer portal mean basketball and football players always keep us on our toes, even in the offseason. Spring transfer windows (when athletes are permitted to enter the portal) for football and basketball closed yesterday and today, respectively. Here’s who shook up rosters and made headlines.

🏀 Women’s basketball: Every Power Five program except Duke, Indiana, and Iowa has had at least one player hit the portal, but Oregon State has suffered a mass exodus as the Beavers prepare to lose Power Five status. Their top stars made big money moves this week, starting when rising junior forward Raegan Beers chose up-and-comer Oklahoma over powerhouse UConn on Monday.

• But later that day, rising senior guard Talia von Oelhoffen caught even more buzz when she announced her transfer to USC — just two days after former Stanford standout Kiki Iriafen also joined the Trojans. Add in rising sophomore JuJu Watkins, and call it a dream team.

🏈 Football: The Colorado Buffaloes, led by head coach (HC) Deion Sanders, are once again milking the portal to remake their roster. Before the window closed yesterday, defensive lineman Bishop Thomas became the 42nd (!!!) Buff to seek a Colorado exit since the season ended. Sanders’ approach to the portal had mixed results last year — will they nail it this time?

🏀 Men’s basketball: Men’s hoops hasn’t seen as many blockbuster commitments, but there’s still a ton of transfer talent left. The highlights? FAU guard Johnell Davis and Seton Hall guard Kadary Richmond, who are both being pursued by blue-blood Kentucky, and USC guard Bronny James…unless the NBA’s LA Lakers need extra leverage to keep his dad on next year’s court.