Former Baylor Bears guard Rob Wright stunned college basketball fans by entering the transfer portal, which has now raised questions over the validity of the move and the portal itself. Wright, who announced his transfer to BYU, will reportedly be earning over $3 million in NIL deals.
Rob Wright Reportedly Transferring to BYU in Shock Move
The NCAA transfer portal has caused much discussion over recent years. Now that NIL money is floating around, its validity is being questioned.
Baylor Bears’ Rob Wright unexpectedly announced he would be transferring from the school, and many speculations were confirmed when he announced he would play for the BYU Cougars next year.
Wright played 35 times as a freshman for the Bears, averaging 11.5 points, 4.2 assists, 2.1 rebounds, and one steal on really good shooting splits of .414/.352/.796.
The guard impressed everyone all season long and was expected to be a staple of Baylor’s program over the coming years. Now, his move has people questioning whether the transfer portal even exists.
The Locked on Big 12 show discussed the move, with Drake Toll saying, “The transfer portal doesn’t exist.” They questioned if it was legal for Wright to un-enroll and then re-enroll at another school, and that it would be a way of bypassing the portal, which has them believing “the portal is fake.”
Questions are now being asked if this was a breach of contract by Wright and has many up in arms over the transfer portal and NIL money in general.
This move has, of course, left a sour taste in the mouths of many Baylor fans and came as a surprise to their coaching staff. Everyone around the basketball program was under the impression that Wright would be returning. Now, their plans will change, and maybe they will look to the transfer portal for his replacement.
The NIL contract is not an employment contract, so Wright’s genius move is effectively him saying to Baylor, “You don’t have to pay me,” and then going elsewhere where they would pay him more. Speculation now has Wright already agreeing to sign with BYU for a reported $3.5 million NIL offer.
In the future, the NCAA may convert these contracts so the players become employees of their schools, but for now, the move is completely legal, and Wright is not bound by Baylor.
Moving forward, this move may prompt other athletes to look elsewhere from the school they are committed to if they are offered more money elsewhere. It also may see some players use that as leverage to get more money from the school they are committed to.
MORE: Rob Wright Reportedly Heading to BYU in Stunning $3.5M NIL Deal
From a basketball standpoint, it would be an extremely exciting move. The Cougars have the 2025 No. 1 ranked player, AJ Dybantsa, already committing for the 2025-26 season. Wright will come in and play alongside Dybantsa, taking over the role left by Egor Demin, who has declared for the NBA Draft.
BYU fought its way to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, being blown away by the Alabama Crimson Tide. They also reached the Big 12 semifinals, and if Wright does sign to play alongside Dybantsa, they really will be a team to watch. A lot of noise will be made about the NIL money, and it won’t be the last we hear of these stories.
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