College sports are on the verge of a complete reset. While the House vs. NCAA legal battle continues to play out, the NCAA quietly made a move last year that changed a lot of things for student-athletes.
The transfer portal, first launched in 2018, has brought big changes in basketball. It was designed as a compliance tool, but in reality, it turned into a fast-moving carousel of players jumping schools, looking for better fits, more playing time, or just a change of scenery. Now, with new rules introduced in 2024, that carousel might never stop spinning.
Amendments Changed the Transfer Limits: What Are They?
First, let’s go back to 2021. That is when the NCAA gave players their first big break. It allowed a one-time transfer without penalty.
If a student were a Division I athlete in basketball, football, baseball, or ice hockey, they could switch schools and start playing immediately. No sitting out. No redshirting. But if the student chose to transfer again, things would change.
Athletes needed waivers for a second transfer, and if that didn’t go through, they were benched for a year. And in the world of NIL deals and fast-shifting rosters, that year felt like an eternity. However, this changed in 2024.
The NCAA made a progressive rule. The Division I executive board officially gave student-athletes the green light to transfer as many times as they want and still play immediately. No more one-and-done rule.
As long as the athlete was academically eligible and making degree progress at the new school, they could play. That means even if a player jumps from School A to School B and then B to C, they don’t have to sit out.
“With these rule changes, NCAA members continue to prioritize long-term academic success for college athletes who transfer while supporting their opportunity to compete immediately,” said Lynda Tealer, chair of the Division I Council and Florida’s deputy athletic director.
Now the catch was there is no switching teams midseason and suiting up instantly. The two designated transfer windows are still very much in place.
But apart from that, it’s open season. Of course, there were many concerns with this.
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Still, the NCAA hopes these changes encourage athletes to think smart before making moves. “We hope this practical approach… will encourage student-athletes to make well-informed decisions,” the NCAA noted, especially when it comes to credits and graduation timelines.
So, can college basketball players transfer more than once and still play? The answer is a big yes. But they better keep their transcripts tight.
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