Tonight at 8:50 p.m. EST, the UConn Huskies will take on the Michigan Wolverines in the national championship game and a new champion be crowned.
Despite tonight being the last college basketball game of the season, there will still be plenty of news as players have been announcing their intention to enter the transfer portal, stay with their respective team, or declare for the 2026 NBA Draft. But when does the college basketball transfer portal actually open?
College Basketball Transfer Portal Opens On Tuesday
The transfer portal opens tonight at midnight shortly after the national championship game concludes. The portal is a means for a student-athlete to unenroll from their current school and commit to a new one. In the new age of NIL, it is becoming more and more common for players to enter the portal to receive a massive payday.
In 2024, the transfer portal was open for 45 days, beginning the day after Selection Sunday. With the portal open, the tournament teams had to figure out how to conduct player interviews while preparing for their games. Specifically, 2024 national champion UConn had to host interviews on Zoom during the Final Four.
Last year, there was a slight change. Instead of the portal being open for 45 days, it was changed to a 30-day window. However, one glaring issue remained: the portal still opened after the opening weekend of March Madness.
Complaints were heard, and solutions were implemented as this year, there was another change to the transfer portal rules. Now, players cannot officially enter the transfer portal until their respective NCAA Tournament ends. So, women’s basketball players can officially enter the transfer portal today, and men’s basketball players can officially enter tomorrow.
MORE: College Basketball 2026 Transfer Portal Tracker: Complete List of Players Who Are Available
Also, the portal will be open for only 15 days this year. This smaller window only impacts how long players have to officially enter the portal; it isn’t a deadline for when they need to commit to a school.
Even though the portal isn’t officially open yet, players can still announce their plan to transfer.
Top Players Planning to Enter the Transfer Portal
Here are some of the top men’s college basketball players who have announced their intent to transfer:
Flory Bidunga, Kansas
This season, Flory Bidunga averaged 13.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 2.6 blocks, and 0.7 steals for the Kansas Jayhawks.
The 2026 Naismith Men’s Defensive Player of the Year award finalist will be the No. 1 target in the transfer portal.
John Blackwell, Wisconsin
In 2025-2026, John Blackwell averaged 19.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.1 steals per game for the Badgers.
He was also named to the Big Ten All-Tournament Team and was an All-Big Ten honorable mention.
Juke Harris, Wake Forest
This season, Juke Harris averaged 21.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.3 steals for the Demon Deacons.
In 2025, he was the Holiday Hoopfest Most Valuable Player, NABC All-South Atlantic District First-Team, All-ACC Second-Team, and ACC Most Improved Player.
