It’s not unheard of for a player to enter the transfer portal only to remain at the same institution when all is said and done.
For now, that’s still in play for freshman guard Keyon Menifield Jr. After finishing his first season at Washington the team leader in assists per game (3.1) and second in points (10.0) Menifield Jr. indicated he would return to UW for the 2023-24 season.
The Pac-12 All-Freshman received only two Power Five scholarship offers out of high school; Boston College and UW.
It was lauded as an under the radar coup for head coach Mike Hopkins to get Menifield from Flint, Michigan all the way out to Seattle.
However, despite a solid first season from Menifield Jr., the Huskies finished Hopkins’ sixth season with a .500 record (16-16) with a first-round exit in the Pac-12 Tournament to Colorado, who UW swept in the regular season.
After indicating he would return to UW next season Menifield Jr. announced he was entering the transfer portal on March 28.
Now, unlike the first time around, Hopkins has much steeper competition for the talented guard.
On Sunday, Menifield released a top six list of schools he’s considering; Alabama, Arkansas, Louisville, Ohio State, Tennessee… and Washington.
Due to NCAA regulations a player cannot engage in discussions relating to Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL), with other universities unless they first enter the portal.
Not to suggest that Menifield Jr. will base his decision solely on that factor, or at all, but it is a key piece in this new age of college athletics.
The Crimson Tide reached the Sweet 16 round of the 2023 NCAA men’s basketball tournament before losing to San Diego State.
Nate Oats is in his fourth season as head coach at Alabama and has made two NCAA tournament appearances. In that same stretch UW hasn’t played any postseason basketball.
Arkansas, another school on Menifield Jr.’s list, has made three consecutive March Madness appearances including a trip to the Sweet 16 in this years tournament – same as Alabama.
The same can also be said for Tennessee, who lost in the Sweet 16 to Florida Atlantic.
Louisville and Ohio State are the only other schools besides UW on his list that did not play in any postseason tournament this season.
Menifield Jr. has until May 11 to make his decision when the NCAA transfer portal 60-day window closes.
EWU Transfer Drawing Interest
Washington is reportedly one of 19 schools that has expressed interest in Eastern Washington redshirt sophomore guard Steele Ventures, a Second Team All-Big Sky honoree for the 2021-22 season.
The 6-foot-7 sharp-shooter from Ellensberg, Washington started 33 games in his three seasons in Cheney, scoring 15.3 points per game this season for the Eagles.
Several other Pac-12 schools including Oregon, USC and Washington State have shown interest in Ventures.
UW is looking to improve its offense with Hopkins set to return for a seventh season at the helm of the men’s basketball program. Since the season concluded six players have entered the transfer portal; Langston Wilson, forward; Jackson Grant, center; P.J. Fuller, guard; Cole Bajema, forward; Tyler Linhardt, forward; and Keyon Menifield Jr., guard.
Leading scorer Keion Brooks Jr. has yet to announce whether or not he will return for his final year of eligibility or declare for the NBA Draft.
