2026 Transfer Portal

[#UnleashThePortal]

Your "either-or" scenario is laughable.

Sure. So instead of Shaka being dumb, or Marquette struggling in NIL..
 What is it?

Did Shaka truly believe that Gold started hitting 3s? Or that Hamilton was truly starting material in the big east? The same Shaka who year after year put out very competitive Marquette teams, suddenly stops being able to evaluate what's missing on his bench?

What happened? You give me a scenario on why the past two years have had bad depth.

[The Sultan]

I think you're confused by what I'm saying.

The portal and nil has only existed in its current form for a year and a half.

So anything before that DOES NOT MATTER. PERIOD.

In that time Shaka has chosen to grab a transfer exactly zero times. This was someone who used the transfer portal to large success in his first few years at Marquette.

So either Shaka is dumb, and went away from what made him successful at Marquette, OR Marquette has had difficulty lining up funds for NIl.

Im leaning on the side of Shaka NOT being dumb.

Where are you getting this? It was reported many places that Shaka made the decision not to persue transfers and used NIL money to retain. In fact, it was said that donors were lined up to help with the transfer portal last year, but Shaka wanted to use the money for retention. There simply is little evidence to suggest that Marquette is a "poverty program" when it comes to the portal.

Where's the 15m (per year) coming from? Wisconsin is trying to get it from public funding. That's not possible for Marquette. So where is it coming from? And how will they pony up 15m per year?

It's amazing no one has answered that yet.

Everything I have heard is that it is a mix of institutional and donor funds. But multiple people have heard the $15M figure.

[The Sultan]

So they spent money on Nigel. We neither know how much, or how much is remaining.

No we don't. But you're the one who's leaping to conclusions anyway.

[The Sultan]

Sure. So instead of Shaka being dumb, or Marquette struggling in NIL..
 What is it?

Did Shaka truly believe that Gold started hitting 3s? Or that Hamilton was truly starting material in the big east? The same Shaka who year after year put out very competitive Marquette teams, suddenly stops being able to evaluate what's missing on his bench?

What happened? You give me a scenario on why the past two years have had bad depth.

The simple answer is that he believed in growth and developement. HE SAID SO HIMSELF!!!

Why is this so hard for you?

[#UnleashThePortal]

Marquette has always had wealthy donors like Dick Strong, Todd Adams. Guys who personally buy out Wojo or offer to put up as much money as it would take for Tyler Kolek to come back (he opted to go to the NBA). For all his faults, Lord knows I'm no fan of his, Broeker has done a great job of landing 6-figure donations that have amounted to a very healthy NIL pot.

The biggest thing everyone brings up is buying out wojos contract. The reported buyout was over 10 million, and was not paid all at once, but over the course of 4 years.

That makes us know a couple of things. Marquette did NOT have the funds to do this themselves and that multiple donors were willing to pay a one time buy out fee of around 10 million.

Keyword being a one time payment.

But but but.... if there truly was a 15m per year honeypot hanging around... Then Shaka ignored it for two years. Which is dumb.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Sure. So instead of Shaka being dumb, or Marquette struggling in NIL..
 What is it?

Did Shaka truly believe that Gold started hitting 3s? Or that Hamilton was truly starting material in the big east? The same Shaka who year after year put out very competitive Marquette teams, suddenly stops being able to evaluate what's missing on his bench?

What happened? You give me a scenario on why the past two years have had bad depth.

As already stated, he used resources to retain and wanted to focus on development.  He's stated multiple times what his philosophy was. 

Depth wasn't good enough because the talent wasn't good enough. 

Sometimes you have to get slapped in the face and hit the bottom to realize your approach isn't sustainable anymore.  That's what happened and Shaka is pivoting. 

I don't have any direct inside knowledge or connections but from what I've heard resources are not a constraint. 

Shaka is not dumb.  If anything, he was probably too prideful and got a little high on his own supply after back-to-back 2 seeds. 

[#UnleashThePortal]

As already stated, he used resources to retain and wanted to focus on development.  He's stated multiple times what his philosophy was. 

Depth wasn't good enough because the talent wasn't good enough. 

Sometimes you have to get slapped in the face and hit the bottom to realize your approach isn't sustainable anymore.  That's what happened and Shaka is pivoting. 

I don't have any direct inside knowledge or connections but from what I've heard resources are not a constraint. 

Shaka is not dumb.  If anything, he was probably too prideful and got a little high on his own supply after back-to-back 2 seeds.

His back to back 2 seeds were largely done via transfers or inherited players.

I go back to my thing of, Shaka isn't dumb. Therefore theres a reason he went full into RGV.

[onepost]

The biggest thing everyone brings up is buying out wojos contract. The reported buyout was over 10 million, and was not paid all at once, but over the course of 4 years.

That makes us know a couple of things. Marquette did NOT have the funds to do this themselves and that multiple donors were willing to pay a one time buy out fee of around 10 million.

Keyword being a one time payment.

But but but.... if there truly was a 15m per year honeypot hanging around... Then Shaka ignored it for two years. Which is dumb.

Is this a Ners, Chicos, Mike Deane burner account?
Why does this kind of ranting sound so familiar?

[Vander Blue Man Group]

His back to back 2 seeds were largely done via transfers or inherited players.

I go back to my thing of, Shaka isn't dumb. Therefore theres a reason he went full into RGV.

[MU82]

People really need to relax........if this going to be the reaction every time a guy we show interest in goes to a comparable school?

We have less money than some and more than others.............shocking........

UW couldn't keep Blackwell ......or Hepburn......AJ Stoor left for the bag.....Kansas didn't feel satisfied in the bargain and they ended up with a better player for far less money...........Creighton lost Nemhardt to Gonzaga but signed Ashworth.

I'm worried about some Scoopers. This early in the process, and so many are on the ledge. I appreciate your rational comments and those of a few others.

[The Sultan]

Is this a Ners, Chicos, Mike Deane burner account?
Why does this kind of ranting sound so familiar?

No this is typical #Unleash. He comes to ridiculous conclusions based on limited information all the time. His brain can't seem to logically process information. 

[#UnleashThePortal]

Is this a Ners, Chicos, Mike Deane burner account?
Why does this kind of ranting sound so familiar?

Lol. Why dont you answer the question instead of deflecting?

I'll make it simple for you, a two parter.

Where is this 15m a year honeypot, and why has Shaka refused to use it?

Unless your thinking we paid all 15m out for a 12-20 team. In which case, Shaka be dumb?

[#UnleashThePortal]

No this is typical #Unleash. He comes to ridiculous conclusions based on limited information all the time. His brain can't seem to logically process information. 

Oh Sultan, you know nothing of ball. Go clutch your pearls about Gen Z drinking habits in the dorm.

[The Sultan]

Oh Sultan, you know nothing of ball. Go clutch your pearls about Gen Z drinking habits in the dorm.

Ah yes. Another thing you drew a wildly wrong conclusion about! I forgot about that one.

So, onepost, his illogical thoughts are about more than simply basketball.

[The Sultan]

Where is this 15m a year honeypot, and why has Shaka refused to use it?

Unless your thinking we paid all 15m out for a 12-20 team. In which case, Shaka be dumb?

Who claimed $15 million was available last year?

[onepost]

Lol. Why dont you answer the question instead of deflecting?

I'll make it simple for you, a two parter.

Where is this 15m a year honeypot, and why has Shaka refused to use it?

Unless your thinking we paid all 15m out for a 12-20 team. In which case, Shaka be dumb?

I've already said I have no idea what NIL pools we've had in the past. Someone like BrewCity would be the one to ask.

My best guess is Shaka felt like he could routinely trot out great teams based on development of high school recruits and after missing on 2 straight classes it was clear that wasn't the case.

My well-documented frustrations in November/December stemmed from what I perceived as his pride in zagging and stubbornness in admitting his way wasn't working. Clearly he's admitted his way wasn't working so here we are utilizing the portal.

[#UnleashThePortal]

The simple answer is that he believed in growth and developement. HE SAID SO HIMSELF!!!

Why is this so hard for you?

So....

Shaka walked into the gym in June of 2025, looked around and said "We're going to win the big east with this team"? No chance.

For a board who fully believes in lots of dumb rumors, letters, head coaches not flushing the toilet, etc. Is it truly that WILD that Shaka deemed there wasn't enough NIL money to compete in the transfer portal, and instead went full RGV? He really decided he'd love to pay Ben Cant buy a bucket Gold 3 million because hes loyal? That Hamilton would truly become a starter in the big east?

Ok.

[#UnleashThePortal]

Who claimed $15 million was available last year?

So it wasn't available last year? But now it is?

Wouldn't that help my argument of RGV was caused by a lack of funds?

[Uncle Rico]

These pretzels are making me thirsty

[TallTitan34]

Lol. Why dont you answer the question instead of deflecting?

Multiple people have answered your questions.

[#UnleashThePortal]

Multiple people have answered your questions.

Fantastic. Onepost hasnt.

[TallTitan34]

Fantastic. Onepost hasnt.

What questions are you left needing answers to?

[JakeBarnes]

So are we getting Cameron Boozer or no?

[brewcity77]

So it wasn't available last year? But now it is?

Wouldn't that help my argument of RGV was caused by a lack of funds?

It wasn't available last year, but there was more money available last year than what was spent.

RGV last year was a choice to not go into the portal with the money on hand and instead bank on what he had. They clearly believed Caedin was a Big East starter. I suspect that's because he was great in practice, but great in practice against Josh & reclass freshman Sheek probably isn't worth as much as the staff thought it was.

[BCHoopster]

Bottom line, Shaka over estimated the talent he had last year.  Now we will see what kind of salesman he is in selling his culture.  I just saw a preseason poll that MU was 9th seeded in the conference.  That pundit was not impressed with the talent he has coming back.