2025 Transfer Portal

[DarkPhoenix]

Totally true it is no different than any other player. Watching the next couple weeks cause not trying to be a whiner, but if this staff thinks they can compete in the SEC without a strong inside game are in for a rude awakening. There were like ten post players in the portal that I would consider helpful and looks like six of those are gone. So just watching to see how it ends and then easy to determine where we might be next season.

Let’s say they get a post player, but none of the ones u mentioned, will that still be good enough for a Championship?

 

[volsagain]

You can build with freshman but they aren’t guaranteed to stay, look at all the freshman transferring around the country.

That's because most of them aren't as good as they think they are. Just about all of them have to be developed and transitioned to the next level. The portal is essential in maintaining a complete team . You can't just rely on freshman coming in to meet all of your needs. If you look at the men's NCAA tournament no mid major team did very well this year because they were raided of their star players. Portal is very important and useful.

 

[Volfan2012]

DP didn’t say that exactly . He indicated this staff is always going to prioritize fit over stats, which is probably a good idea in a specialty system. Also, he indicated this staff will prioritize development of high school recruits over importing established stars.

This is a bold strategy and swims against the current tide of just stacking the best players available, (of course always w an eye toward cultural fit). Kim and Co are certainly entitled to that approach. We’ll see how it works out.

It is a scary gamble, esp when we see other teams we were already behind just loading the f up. And I don’t see a thing wrong with discussing it as it unfolds. The hermetic protective bubble some want to wrap CKC in makes me wonder if they’re really as confident in her as they like to seem. I personally think she’s much stronger and more confident than that, and I’m sure couldn’t give two effs about inconsequential fan chatter.

The plan he layed out though is not a win now strategy. It is one that you hope to be there in season three or four and that also involves all the players staying here and you keep recruiting classes ranked in the top five. I don't like the strategy in this day and time. I think the strategy is to load up with all the top players you can get even if some don't get to play. They can leave the next season and you can go out and load up again. This is the strategy I believe is going to be successful in this new era. Building with freshmen could only turn out that you are building for someone else. So I don't know if were getting beat out for players or we just don't want them. Whatever were not going to win now to the point needed unless were loaded like the others.

 

[ShortyMac10]

Another one

 

[KnoxLikeUs]

They are going to add post players. Truth is, a lot of this discussion will shift at some point. It’s really why people sharing wisdom always say you can never get “too high” or “too low”
The majority on this forum way of thinking stays at the bottom and they truly prevent themselves from being satisfied to watch a sport. Just to know that this discussion has become so toxic discussing a sport speaks volumes all in itself.
A team that beat the eventual National Champions and advanced to the S16 this season has already being labeled as worse or middle of the pack for the upcoming season in the conference in April.
GBO!

There were like ten post players in the portal that I would consider helpful and looks like six of those are gone. So just watching to see how it ends and then easy to determine where we might be next season.

 

[HypeVol2020]

Any news on visitors for the orange and white game weekend?

 

[Volfan2012]

Let’s say they get a post player, but none of the ones u mentioned, will that still be good enough for a Championship?

I don't think so not in year one. If they get someone with two three years left they may develop then into someone that could be a big help. I think there were like ten that could help immediately and looks like they are all going to already loaded teams.

The strange thing about all this is some of those coaches proclaimed how they hated the portal. Now they are going out there and trying to get every top player in it. I don't blame them, but why hate something your a big part of particiapting in.

 

[Volfan2012]

They are going to add post players. Truth is, a lot of this discussion will shift at some point. It’s really why people sharing wisdom always say you can never get “too high” or “too low”
The majority on this forum way of thinking stays at the bottom and they truly prevent themselves from being satisfied to watch a sport. Just to know that this discussion has become so toxic discussing a sport speaks volumes all in itself.
A team that beat the eventual National Champions and advanced to the S16 this season has already being labeled as worse or middle of the pack for the upcoming season in the conference in April.
GBO!

I hope so just don't see who they could possbibly be right now. I keep the faith.

 

[glv98]

Let’s say they get a post player, but none of the ones u mentioned, will that still be good enough for a Championship?

All of this is playing the odds bc the level of any player’s future performance is unknown.

So odds are way better for a player we’ve seen reach those performance standards at this level before. Which is why having the best available proven players wins by a country mile with most programs over developing your own.

But CKC is nothing if not a march to your own drummer type so we’ll see. Also, it will land in the middle. They’ll take some portal players,just for whatever reason (couldn’t get em vs didn’t want em) not the top of the crop.

 

[Ladyvols4ever!]

Another one

Okot. Looks like UConn will land the Wisconsin player.

 

[Volfan2012]

Another one

14 All american divided by 200 minutes is 14 minutes a player. I got news for Sc players some of you are not going to play.

 

[volsagain]

I have a question.
You pointed out that an incoming freshman won’t be a Holdsclaw or Parker to diminish their potential I guess.
Yet said that a player that has come from a losing or mediocre program with great statistics in turn could be a piece that helps the team tremendously.. so is the portal player yet to endure much winning on the collegiate stage the Holdsclaw or Parker walking in?

I'm not diminishing any players , that's Your Big problem you don't get it. These incoming freshmen haven't provided a thing at the college level. They all may be really good players but you have to wait and see. The portal players that most are going after are experienced and proven. That's why the top coaches are trying to sign them. If we don't get experienced help like everyone else we're still going be middle of the pack in the SEC . And where does that leave you on the national stage. GLV coaches and good luck on getting the help you need.

 

[VolBall09]

Did a great job beating them out for freshmen, but not faring well in the portal. I think someone said we were looking to build with freshmen and I'm ok with that if we can get another strong class. Next year won't be any better than this last one however cause two or three SEC teams are getting a lot stronger in the portal.

She said at the last press that we wanted some players out of the portal. The ones we needed are quickly disappearing so evidently not able to get them for what ever reason.

I think we spent a lot of money on the 2025 class which was smart. We truly don’t need any stars this offseason. It would, of course, be awesome if we did have a splash or two from the portal but we will be fine.

We do really need one serviceable center and they’re coming off the board fast. Hope we are in touch with Weimar. I thought Blanca Thomas was going to transfer but not sure if she did or not.

 

[glv98]

You can build with freshman but they aren’t guaranteed to stay, look at all the freshman transferring around the country.

This is a great point and probably another big argument for the get the best while you can strategy. What if you turn down a Latson type player to develop your hs recruits then they hit the portal?

 

[Volfan2012]

Any news on visitors for the orange and white game weekend?

I haven't seen anything about Tennessee not one anything.

 

[Volfan2012]

This is a great point and probably another big argument for the get the best while you can strategy. What if you turn down a Latson type player to develop your hs recruits then they hit the portal?

No longer the way. The new way is load up regardless of whether you have playing time or not. You keep who you can the next season and try to load up again.

 

[glv98]

I'm not diminishing any players , that's Your Big problem you don't get it. These incoming freshmen haven't provided a thing at the college level. They all may be really good players but you have to wait and see. The portal players that most are going after are experienced and proven. That's why the top coaches are trying to sign them. If we don't get experienced help like everyone else we're still going be middle of the pack in the SEC . And where does that leave you on the national stage. GLV coaches and good luck on getting the help you need.

Also I don’t think it’s fair or wise to ask freshmen to carry such a big load. They’d probably appreciate vet help

 

[volsagain]

Any news on visitors for the orange and white game weekend?

I'll be there

 

[spojo13]

It’s kinda wild that we’re hearing all this portal info and movement on other programs and not much about ours. It’s strange how quiet it has been for us. You’d think something somewhere would leak about who we were targeting. We had plenty of news last year about visits and players interested even if they didn’t sign till later. So far, I think we have heard of one confirmed visit. Even in the men’s basketball forum, you’re hearing about players interested in UT, who they are focusing on, who is coming in for visits. I know they needed to be a lot more aggressive in the portal than the women did though.

 

[Lucy]

Outstanding post. All I know is for years the majority of this board was vehemently pushing the notion that we must (they demanded it vigorously) recruit elite and highly ranked HS players.
Coach Caldwell, Coach Lazo, and Coach Tubner accomplished this task in less than a year. In doing so, the previous portal class with a year of experience coming off a 24 win season and S16 berth becomes the core of the team heading into 2025-2026. As you stated, she has her core of returnees and influx of incoming young talent.
I know a lot of people see names and stats but majority of these players Coach Caldwell has seen in person. She knew by the end of the 1st qtr if any of those players could fit in her system and make the team BETTER.
I am confident 1.) they will add quality talent, 2.) depth, and 3.)leadership.
You have posters with mindsets so hostile that now it’s agreed upon here that calling 5 McDAAs in addition to 6 Top 70 recruits a team of role players. A team that went to the S16 with a head coach in her 1st w/ the program and beat teams featuring players that folks are highly upset we aren’t recruiting via the portal that are headed to teams we beat in year 1 as well lol. Can’t make it up.

So CKC has seen the majority of these players in person? I understand your use of hyperbole but please. Glenville was not fishing in the same ponds.
I agree that it is not an unmitigated disaster if we don’t pick up a top five/ten transfer and I know the coaching staff has specific things they are looking for. But anyone on here who thinks we wouldn’t take one of those top, top transfers (unless they are a culture killer) and figure it out later, is kidding themselves.
Finally, I am hearing folks who absolutely destroyed Kellie about recruits start using the same but, but, but language that three years ago Kelli’s supporters were using regarding her recruiting. Very interesting.

 

[glv98]

No longer the way. The new way is load up regardless of whether you have playing time or not. You keep who you can the next season and try to load up again.

According to Deer Park, our reliable reporter from the Real World, this is not now nor ever will be CKC approach. Total opposite of how Rick Barnes has evolved and succeeded. But more power to her!

 

[th2421]

they say you get what you pay for just wonder if coach yo is done with the portal now

I think they still need a point guard. I think they only have one on the roster, a freshman (ranked in the 80s by Hoopgurlz).

 

[spojo13]

Also I don’t think it’s fair or wise to ask freshmen to carry such a big load. They’d probably appreciate vet help

I’m old enough to remember the Baby Vols who even with the GOAT as a coach still struggled. Granted we have a lot more seniors next year for them to rely on than they did.

 

[th2421]

You can build with freshman but they aren’t guaranteed to stay, look at all the freshman transferring around the country.

I agree to some extent. I think it's unrealistic to expect a large freshman class like ours will end up staying put and together for their entire 4 years these days. At the same time, a lot of these freshmen transferring seem to be searching for playing time (e.g., the entire UCLA class). So sure, if you recruit over them and don't allow them time on court to develop, then yeah, you're going to lose some/a lot.

 

[glv98]

I think they still need a point guard. I think they only have one on the roster, a freshman (ranked in the 80s by Hoopgurlz).

Oh good gooblydy gook you done it now! Mia’s Dad about to have a blowout on here! Seriously, a vet pg to mentor Mia would be great, esp if she’s a consistent 3 pt shooter