Big Fish or Little Pond? National Evidence on the Relationship Between Transferring and Athletic Performance Within Division I Men's College Basketball

Authors

• Kendall Cole, Stanford UniversityFollow
• Francis A. Pearman II, Stanford UniversityFollow
• Saurabh Khanna, Amsterdam School of Communication Research, University of AmsterdamFollow

DOI

https://doi.org/10.51221/sc.jiia.2026.19.1.14

Abstract

Beginning with the introduction of the transfer portal in 2018, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has made several policy changes that have made transferring both easier and more desirable among student athletes, particularly in Division I (DI) revenue-generating sports. Yet, little is known about the relationship between transferring and student athletes’ athletic performance. Using individual- and team-level data on all DI men’s college basketball student athletes from the 2018-19 season through the 2023-24 season, we examine the relationship between transferring and athletic performance, specifically one’s points per game, minutes per game, and number of games started per season. Results indicate that transferring is associated with improved athletic performance for athletes who underperform relative to their teammates prior to transferring but decreased athletic performance for athletes who overperform relative to their teammates. These findings are consistent for athletes transferring from schools in both high major as well as non-high major conferences.

Recommended Citation

Cole, Kendall; Pearman, Francis A. II; and Khanna, Saurabh (2026) "Big Fish or Little Pond? National Evidence on the Relationship Between Transferring and Athletic Performance Within Division I Men's College Basketball," Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics: Vol. 19: Iss. 1, Article 15.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.51221/sc.jiia.2026.19.1.14
Available at: https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/jiia/vol19/iss1/15