The NCAA revealed Wednesday that significant adjustments are coming to the Division I men’s and women’s basketball transfer portal windows—changes that many believe are long overdue and widely beneficial.
The Division I Men’s and Women’s Basketball Oversight Committees have put forward a proposal that would push the portal window to open after the season officially ends. According to the language of the proposal, “the notification-of-transfer windows [will] open for 15 days starting after the conclusion of the 2026 Men’s and Women’s Final Fours.”
Right now, the transfer portal opens before the entire postseason is complete, creating chaos for teams still competing. This newly recommended structure can’t become official until the Division I Cabinet signs off on it. That approval could arrive as early as this season, with the Cabinet set to meet in January.
Under the current rules, transfer windows open following the second round of the NCAA Tournament and remain open for 30 days. For 2025–2026, that would place the men’s window from March 23–April 21 and the women’s from March 24–April 22.
If approved, the revamped system would cut that time in half. Instead of a full month, the portal would be open for just 15 days. It would also move to April 6–20 for women’s basketball and April 7–21 for the men.
The most immediate advantage is clear: teams still competing in the NCAA Tournament—or even in smaller postseason events like the NIT and CBI—won’t be forced to juggle roster uncertainty while trying to advance. It should also curb the growing trend of bench players jumping into the portal before their teams finish postseason play.
The Oversight Committees also suggested another important update. In cases where a school experiences a coaching change, athletes and newly hired staff would be granted a five-day meeting period before a 15-day transfer window begins. If a school goes 30 days without hiring a coach, players would automatically receive a 15-day window to explore transferring. However, this policy would not apply to late-season coaching changes occurring after January 1. In those situations, players would still need to wait until the proposed April portal period to formally signal their intent to transfer.
