From transfer portal chaos to Bruce Pearl’s outrageous Auburn pitch, Vernon Maxwell breaks down what’s broken in college hoops and what it’ll take to fix it with Matt Barnes on a recent episode of All The Smoke Unplugged.
To say the NCAA transfer portal is in disarray would be an understatement; thousands of student-athletes are in the transfer portal, with only a couple of hundred schools with open spots. To add insult to injury, the portal has opened for college basketball in the thick of March Madness. Mad Max expressed that this “portal sh—t is crazy,” but he empathizes with the athletes in it. He added that we have wanted athletes to get paid for a long time. However, the transfer portal has gotten out of control. Maxwell even pointed to Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl, who he could not believe was trying to recruit a 26-year-old player to return to school for another year. Mad Max believes that there should be an age limit for how long you can play. He is all about kids getting the bag, but having a 27-year-old basketball player go up against a 19-year-old is unfair.
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To put it all into perspective, Mad Max shared with Barnes that he stayed all four years when he played for the University of Florida in the mid-to-late 1980s. Not many college basketball players would leave school after one year during his era. Moreover, he entered the NBA when he was 22. With the reality of college basketball players playing into their mid-20s, Maxwell humorously expressed that today’s players don’t have a chance. Barnes agrees with Maxwell on an age limit and he proposes that the age limit be either 23 or 24. That way, if you enter college at 18, you can have an extra two years, but anything beyond 24 is pushing it. He is not against players staying to get an education as long as it does not interfere with the sports side of things.
At the end of the day, Barnes does not blame the players or the coaches because he understands how vital these older prospects are for teams’ success. Barnes said we know the difference between an 18-year-old and a 22- and 24-year-old body. At 26 and 27 years old, he explained, you are getting into the prime of your physical stature as a man. For Barnes, it does not make much sense for a 27-year-old man to play college basketball against an 18-year-old. Barnes stressed there needs to be some regulation. He even pointed to the old days where if you transferred, you had to sit out a year. Something has to give because the current state of the transfer portal is unhinged.
Watch or listen to the full episode below and keep an eye on DraftKings Network for new episodes of All The Smoke Unplugged every Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET!
SHOW BREAKDOWN
Vernon Maxwell IS BACK! High School Kobe, Trash Talking Magic Johnson & the Transfer Portal MESS
MAD MAX IS BACK. After sending shockwaves through the basketball world & beyond with his viral interview, Vernon Maxwell is officially welcomed into the ALL THE SMOKE family. Matt shares the internet’s best reactions to Max’s episode, including high praise from Jamie Foxx and call-outs from cougars in the comment section.
Max then unleashes more can’t-miss stories from his playing career. He shares what it was like when a high school-aged Kobe Bryant rolled up to the 76ers practice & sets the record straight on what really happened after he trash-talked Magic Johnson.
The guys pivot to today’s hottest headlines: exploring the Houston Rockets & OKC Thunder’s playoff potential, reacting to the Boston Celtics’ shocking $6.1B sale, and breaking down Brandon Jennings challenge to the 2009 NBA Draft class.
Plus, the guys reflect on Week One of the NCAA Tournament & discuss how college basketball could be saved from transfer portal chaos.
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