UConn's Dan Hurley Not A Fan Of Transfer Portal Window, While Athletes 'Change Schools Like Underwear'

UConn is currently preparing for a Sweet-Sixteen matchup with San Diego State on Thursday, while teams not in the tournament are focusing on how to add players to their roster from the transfer portal. 

The ongoing conversation related to the timing of the portal opening up around college basketball has been a hot-button topic for teams that are still competing for a title. With over 1,000 players hitting the portal in the opening weeks, this doesn't leave a lot of room for recruiting if you're still playing. 

While other teams around the country are bringing players in on visits and communicating with them for countless hours, teams like UConn and San Diego State are breaking down film and doing what they can to prepare for a showdown in Boston. This has caused multiple coaches to speak-up regarding the timing of when the portal opened, which was the day after selection Sunday in college basketball. 

For UConn head coach Dan Hurley, his thought process centers around holding off on opening the transfer portal window until the conclusion of the season, for everyone. 

"I think we could wait until we get to maybe the conclusion of the season. That would be nice," Hurley said on Wednesday in Boston. "It almost feels like in a way right now teams that are really, really successful and having great seasons, it's almost becoming pro sports, where it feels like we're going to have the last pick in the draft. A lot of the players will have made decisions because we're not recruiting.

"We may be listed by some players on some lists of having shown interest, but I know that I don't have interest right now because I'm just -- all you can focus on, I think with the way that we function as a program, is on our team and coaching the season, and then we'll make personnel moves once we're done coaching this group."

For this reason alone, there should've been more thought put into the process of when it would be fair for all teams involved to start recruiting the portal. Sure, UConn has a few staffers that are paying attention to which players enter their name into the system, but the coaching staff does not have the time to be talking or hosting these potential transfers for a visit. 

Unlimited Transfers Is Not Healthy For The Athletes According To Hurley

The NCAA made it clear that they are allowing players to transfer as many times as they want in the current system. If a player decides they don't like their transfer destination, then that player can leave during the next cycle, or chase the dollars at another school. 

From a football standpoint, Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin talked about this same subject on Tuesday, outlining what's wrong with the system, but at the same time saying they will take advantage of it because other teams are doing the same. 

"It’s really a shitty system. It is. Now, we’re going to utilize it, just like the players do," Kiffin noted. "I’m not mad at the players. They utilize the system, and we’re going to utilize it and make the best roster that we can."

UConn coach Dan Hurley discusses a call with an official in the national championship game last season at NRG Stadium in Houston. (Getty Images.)

And almost as if he had caught wind of Kiffin's comments on Tuesday, UConn's Dan Hurley seemingly said the same thing on Wednesday, but looking at it from a basketball perspective. 

"You can't open up that window until the season is over. I don't think you should play in five schools in four years or four schools in four years," Dan Hurley said. "I don't think that's healthy for the individual for the long-term 50, 60-year life after their playing career is over because there's no connection with our university, a coaching staff, a network of alumni that can help create opportunities once basketball is over.

"I just think whether it's a one-time -- I don't know. I don't like the window being open right now. I just don't think it's healthy for somebody to be able to change schools like underwear."

A lot of coaches around college athletics feel the same way, and one day it might get fixed. But in the meantime, these athletes will continue looking for their next pair of underwear with no rule change on the horizon.