Ten years ago, nearly 400 men's college basketball players transferred following the 2011-12 season. With an average of one player per team deciding to transfer, critics within the game began to call the exodus of talent an "epidemic."
This year, that number is over 1,700 -- an average of nearly five players per Division I men's basketball team. The numbers have certainly been influenced by name, image and likeness (NIL) rules and immediate eligibility for every first-time transfer.
Although many coaches have cited the transfer wave as a significant challenge for the game, at least a few can relate to the experiences of these players, because they once made the same decisions.