'Everybody is reloading' with over 60 MAC men's basketball players in NCAA transfer portal

Every Mid-American Conference men's basketball team will look a lot different next season.

Players graduating or completing their eligibility is just part of the reason.

Another big factor is the NCAA transfer portal. More than 60 MAC men's basketball players entered the portal, which more than 1,000 Division I men's basketball players overall have entered since the regular season ended.

"It almost feels like all 12 teams are starting from scratch," Akron coach John Groce said. "... Everybody is reloading."

Said Kent State coach Rob Senderoff: "You have to adapt and you have to change how you recruit. The way you used to develop players over two, three, four or five years, that still is going to happen, but it is not going to happen with everyone, and you have to accept that."

Akron's Mikal Dawson becomes lone Zips player in NCAA transfer portal

Akron has one player in the transfer portal — Mikal Dawson, who will be a graduate transfer with one year left of eligibility. Dawson helped Akron win a MAC regular-season championship in 2020 and MAC Tournament titles in 2022 and 2024.

"Mikal and I talked about it and thought it was mutually the best thing to do, but I wish we would have honored him on Senior Night," Groce said. "He is graduating here and he has a chance to be a grad transfer wherever he goes next for his last year.

"Mikal means a lot to us and always will. He has been a part of three championships in five years. He has contributed heavily and added a ton of value. We are excited for him and his next step and will do everything we can to help him."

Groce said Dawson, Greg Tribble Jr., Ali Ali, Sammy Hunter and Kaleb Thornton are set to earn their bachelor's degrees in May. MAC Player of the Year Enrique Freeman already has his bachelor's degree and will finish his Master of Business Administration in May.

Kent State's Jalen Sullinger, Reggie Bass, Tyem Freeman, Lance "LA" Hayes, Julius Rollins all are in the transfer portal

Kent State has five players in the transfer portal — Jalen Sullinger, Reggie Bass, Tyem Freeman, Lance "LA" Hayes and Julius Rollins. VonCameron Davis entered his name in the transfer portal, but decided to return to the Flashes.

"Sometimes, there are opportunities or situations that lead to kids wanting a new start," Senderoff said. "Sometimes, kids don't work out in your program. ... It has always been an inexact science. It will continue to be an inexact science. You try to do the best you can do with your players. You try to make your program and situation the best that it can be for your kids to have success and for your program to have success."

Two other Kent State players — Giovanni Santiago and Chris Payton — are set to graduate.

Transfer portal features 11 All-MAC players

As of Thursday, Davis and Ohio's AJ Clayton were the only two All-MAC players from the 2023-24 season set to return with the same team. More 2024 All-MAC players are transferring (11) than graduating (seven).

"There are a number of factors in play, so nothing surprises me now," Senderoff said.

All-MAC first-team players Ali and Freeman are graduating, and Bowling Green's Marcus Hill, Central Michigan's Anthony Pritchard and Toledo's Ra’Heim Moss are in the transfer portal ahead of their senior years.

All-MAC second-team selection Jaylin Hunter from Ohio is graduating, and Ball State's Basheer Jihad, Bowling Green's Rashaun Agee and Toledo teammates Dante Maddox Jr. and Tyler Cochran are in the transfer portal.

All-MAC third-teamer Clayton is set to return at Ohio, Central Michigan's Brian Taylor is graduating and Sullinger, Eastern Michigan's Tyson Acuff and David Coit of Northern Illinois are in the transfer portal.

All-MAC honorable mention selection Davis is staying at Kent State, Tribble, Miami teammates Anderson Mirambeaux and Darweshi Hunter are graduating and Western Michigan's B. Artis White is in the transfer portal.

"It does surprise me a little bit," Groce said. "There are more than what I would have anticipated and some names in there that I would not have anticipated. I think it continues to speak of how the environment's changed. It really has."

Akron Zips won 2024 MAC Tournament title with what's becoming a 'really rare' roster

In the current landscape of college basketball, Groce knows the Zips had a unique situation last season with a veteran team of players who'd played together a long time.

"That is why I kept saying this last year, and I kept wearing people out with it," Groce said, "but I hope they understood what I was saying: 'You better come out and watch these guys play because what you are watching may never happen again under the current environment.

"Meaning, you have Ali Ali playing four years in a five-year window [at Akron]. You have got Mike Dawson playing five years. You have got Enrique Freeman playing five years. You have got Greg Tribble playing five years.

"... That is really unique that you would have an older team like that. I don't know if you will see teams where you have got five guys like that that have been basically start to finish in a five-year window. I think it is really rare now. A lot of that is attributed to the portal and a lot of it is attributed to NIL. I think you are looking at situations where guys are going to be coaching teams on almost like one-year to two-year max windows. It just is what it is. The rules that have been passed have dictated such. So, in some ways, was I surprised by some [names in the portal]? Yes. In other ways, I am, like, 'Well, in the environment we are in, this is where it is headed.'"

Groce said he and and his staff valued the growth and leadership last season's seniors showed.

"I enjoyed those guys because you saw the evolution of guys mentally, emotionally, academically and athletically over a five-year window," Groce said. "You saw Freeman, who weighed 180 pounds as a freshman and now he weighs 220-plus pounds. You saw Freeman never shoot 3s and then he goes 3 for 8 from 3 in the Creighton game [in the NCAA Tournament].

"You saw Greg Tribble go from a guy they didn't guard to a guy that led the MAC in 3-point field goal percentage. You saw Greg Tribble go from a guy I would sub out at the end of games his first two years because I didn't want him to go to the foul line to becoming one of our best free-throw shooters and making two to win the MAC championship.

"That part is fulfilling. That is the part everybody sees on the outside, let alone the part where they are developing on the inside as people. They are getting better mentally, emotionally and academically on the inside, and that is what I get to see. That evolution and that maturation over five years, and how they grow up and the growth — and not that a guy can't grow in 10 months, or one year or two years, he can — but it just won't be as drastic."

Groce said he and other coaches are adapting to the changes and using the Marines mantra of "improvise, adapt and overcome." Final Four participants Connecticut, Purdue, Alabama and North Carolina State each had tranfers in their starting lineups. NC State's top seven scorers were tranfers.

Groce said he is also concerned that, with so many players transferring, some student-athletes are losing credit hours as they move to other schools and might be jeopardizing their chance to graduate.

"We love March Madness, we love the NCAA Tournament, we want kids to have freedom and we want them to have the ability to have some earning potential relative to name, image and likeness," Groce said. "We are good with all of that, but isn't one of our original missions to educate and graduate kids? If we are failing there, we might want to take a look at this. That is when I think the next wave of change could potentially happen."

Michael Beaven can be reached at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal and is on Twitter at @MBeavenABJ.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: NCAA transfer portal affects Akron, Kent State, MAC men's basketball