4/12/2021 basketball Edit

Pikiell on transfer portal: 'One of those things that’s a part of life now'

Chris Nalwasky • TheKnightReport

Beat Writer

As of Thursday morning, Montez Mathis, Myles Johnson, Mamadou Doucoure and walk-on Dan Lobach are in the transfer portal from Rutgers men’s basketball. Jacob Young is both in the portal and in NBA Draft consideration. Ron Harper Jr. and Geo Baker have entered their names in the draft as well.

The transfer portal continues to grow. According to Verbal Commits, there are close to 1,300 names in the portal.

“The transfer portal is one of those things that’s a part of life now,” Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell said on the Inside Rutgers Athletics Podcast with play-by-play announcer Jerry Recco. “It’s every day. Can’t possibly keep up to date on all of them. But I like the guys in our program. So I focus most on those guys. It's just like recruiting a high school kid. If we can add somebody from the portal that brings value and is a great kid and wants to come here to Rutgers, we are certainly going to be open to those conversations. But most thankful for the guys that have played here and if they are moving on, we are thankful for their time. We feel really good about where we are headed.”

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Montez Mathis (Richard Schnyderite -- TheKnightReport.Net)

While those in the portal can come back, it is likely they won’t. Each player has their own reason for transferring.

“I think players always have a chance to go back, depending on their situation and what they really want to do,” Pikiell said. “I love all my guys. I told them that before. There is always a place here for you. But when kids explore their options, they usually want to go and explore their options, and I understand that. I think it depends on program from program. We want to be able to give them what they want, too. Maybe we don’t have a major that they want. Maybe they want to play in a different style. There’s a lot of things that go into it. There is nothing set in stone. College kids now have a lot of options and they’re going to utilize all those options moving forward. I think one thing you shouldn’t do is to judge. Just to get through this year was unbelievable and I think that’s why the NCAA gave them the year back, which is a great thing. The other thing is I really respect that kids have options and if they want to explore them, I think it's a good thing. I think those things are really positive and the NCAA is allowing them to transfer and be eligible right away. I think that's a positive and if someone wants to explore that right, they have every right to do that.

“I respect the decisions that are being made. Am I always going to agree with them all? That’s not possible, and they’re not going to agree with my take on things either. Those are the cards that are going on right now and you learn to do a good job with them, be thankful for the guys that you have and be thankful for the years you have players, because I think a four-year player is not going to be the norm, and that’s okay.”

Baker and Harper Jr. can also return because they did not hire an agent. They have until July 19 to pull their name out of consideration for the draft. Young as well, though it’s almost certain that he is moving on.

“Players have a lot of options now, Pikiell said. “If they want to do that, they can explore those options. I am very supportive of that. “It is great they get the knowledge, and with it make really good decisions.”

This season, Rutgers made the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 30 years and won a game in the Dance for the first time in 38 seasons. The Scarlet Knights just missed out on making the Sweet 16, falling to Houston, which made the Final Four, in the closing minutes.

There are a lot of unknowns with the roster heading into the 2021-22 campaign, but the program has turned the corner.

“Hopefully, our program took a step,” he said. “Hopefully, when we’re back in that place, we can take the next step. The journey gets you to where you want to be and you have to go through some of these steps on the journey. We checked the big one off the list. We got (to the NCAA Tournament), we know what it takes to get there, we know what it takes to win a game there, we know what it takes to compete to get to a Sweet 16. Hopefully, those experiences will help us moving forward as a program.

“... I know Rutgers in such a good place. We are going to be selling games out next year, we are going to have the RAC jumping again hopefully after this Covid thing goes down. We play in the best league in the country and I am selling something a little different than I was four years ago. It’s proven now we can play in postseason and win games in postseason play in the best league in the country. So I am excited about having the next group of guys jump on board and continue that journey.”