Zek enters the portal

[BU freak]

Zek enters the portal

[Big Mike]

Wow....that really hurts....

[Canton BU fan]

Didn't see that coming

[Da Coach]

One more starter to replace. This is getting bad. The portal is killing mid-majors.

The TV broadcasters on the NCAA Tournament made some comments that the portal is helping mid-majors, and that's why there were more of them having success this year. But it's the exact opposite. The mid-majors that did well, Princeton, Florida Atlantic, Fairleigh Dickinson, all had a number of 4th year and even 5th year seniors, and there were few if any transfer portal players on those teams.

[Big Mike]

Gotta ask.....Zeke would be a star here next season , why leave other than $$$$$

[Da Coach]

I think it just for the money. Bradley NIL money just cannot compete with the NIL money at any Power 6 conference school.
Zek is somewhat far from home (Louisville), so it's possible he wants to transfer somewhere closer to home. I guess we'll see.
Maybe Bradley needs to focus less on recruiting kids who are so far from home. I wonder if having kids who are from Illinois might be favorable to keeping them at Bradley so their families can see them play.
It would have been so nice to have Rienk for another year, and Zek for 2 more. I believe Rienk could have been POY next year, and Zek possibly a 1st team, or 2nd team All-MVC. Now it's more rebuilding.

For what it's worth, Zek was the only other BU player I was worried about. Although nothing is ever guaranteed, I am not hearing that anyone else is considering the portal.

[Southside]

Ouch, from borderline top 25 to this…

G Hickman
G Deen
C Ahmet
F Hannah
F Leons

Don’t know how I feel about that starting 5

[Da Coach]

Ouch…

G Hickman
G Deen
C Ahmet
F Hannah
F Leons

Don’t know how I feel about that starting 5

It's a step back if that is who BU has starting next year. But I believe there will be other names added over the next few weeks that could make a difference.

[egib52]

Well this is the 2nd worst portal hit yet. I think TR was worse because with him this year, we were likely in the Tournament.

[houstonbrave]

There are 4 open scholarships. The roster will have additions before long.

[tomahawk chop]

I think it just for the money. Bradley NIL money just cannot compete with the NIL money at any Power 6 conference school.
Zek is somewhat far from home (Louisville), so it's possible he wants to transfer somewhere closer to home. I guess we'll see.
Maybe Bradley needs to focus less on recruiting kids who are so far from home. I wonder if having kids who are from Illinois might be favorable to keeping them at Bradley so their families can see them play.
It would have been so nice to have Rienk for another year, and Zek for 2 more. I believe Rienk could have been POY next year, and Zek possibly a 1st team, or 2nd team All-MVC. Now it's more rebuilding.

For what it's worth, Zek was the only other BU player I was worried about. Although nothing is ever guaranteed, I am not hearing that anyone else is considering the portal.

No doubt it is a money issue. Zek was one of the players that had the most potential and was only getting better.

[JMG95]

I’m done following it anymore. This is ridiculous!!

[Stryker]

Wow this is a big blow, really getting my expectations for next season lowered unless Wardle can find a real impact transfer to come in and play right away...I just hope the flood gates aren't opening for the rest of the roster.

[Tommy]

If an average player with potential like Zek is leaving for the portal than I am very discouraged by what the future holds. I don't really feel like rooting for an entirely new team every year, so if losing a couple starters to the portal every year becomes a regular occurrence I'm not sure I will continue to follow BU or college basketball at all for that matter.

This is sucking the life out of my only hobby and I don't like it one bit.

[bradleyfan124]

If an average player with potential like Zek is leaving for the portal than I am very discouraged by what the future holds. I don't really feel like rooting for an entirely new team every year, so if losing a couple starters to the portal every year becomes a regular occurrence I'm not sure I will continue to follow BU or college basketball at all for that matter.

This is sucking the life out of my only hobby and I don't like it one bit.

Tommy You are not the only one saying this. I know of one big time Bradley booster that is done with all this. He is giving up his tickets, saying he is tired of the big schools preying on smaller schools for talent. I am still trying to talk him out of quitting on them