March Madness is meant to be about buzzer-beaters, Cinderella stories and total absolute chaos in the bracket. But this year, the real madness isn’t on the court. It’s in the transfer portal. With Sweet 16 teams gearing up for their next games, over 1,000 players have entered the transfer portal in a day. The timing? Right in the middle of the tournament. The reaction? Dick Vitale, never one to mince words, went nuclear.

On ESPN, the 85-year-old legend didn’t hold back: “I think it’s a joke. I think it’s absurd to have the transfer portal during the heart of March Madness. I think that’s crazy; it’s ludicrous…A thousand! It is totally wacky what’s going on.” He didn’t stop there, calling it, “It’s a better free agency than the pros have because, in this case, you’re free. At least in the pros, you have a contract. I think they need to consider a contract; I believe they recognize that the kids deserve money. I have no problem with that, but the bottom line is this chaotic movement leads to no stability.”

The NCAA’s decision to open the portal mid-tournament has coaches scrambling, players second-guessing, and fans wondering: Why now? For Vitale, it’s another example of a system spiraling out of control. And with elite programs poaching mid-major stars and rosters turning over overnight, the damage might already be done.

The transfer portal’s overlap with March Madness isn’t new—it’s been opening in mid-March since its inception in 2018—but the scale and timing in 2025 have hit a tipping point. In 2024, roughly 800 players entered by the end of the tournament, with most activity occurring post-Final Four. This year, the NCAA’s decision to maintain the March 24 opening date, despite pleas from coaches to push it back, collided with an already chaotic season fueled by roster turnover and NIL deals.

Vitale’s not just ranting—he’s ringing an alarm. Coaches are now forced to prep for their biggest games of the year while also dealing with the reality that their rosters might be falling apart. Mid-major stars are being snatched up by powerhouse programs before the tournament’s even over. And with so much movement, fans are left wondering who’s actually on their favorite teams.

Coaches and players have also joined Dick Vitale’s call against the transfer portal

Interestingly, it’s not just Vitale who is speaking out. The outrage is spreading quickly. Michigan State’s Tom Izzo wasn’t mincing his words either. “Why the hell are we talking about next year’s roster when we’re still fighting for a championship?” Izzo said recently at his Sweet 16 press conference. He then called the portal the “urinal” of college basketball. Which pretty much sums it up.

Arkansas coach John Calipari is dealing with the same headache—trying to hold exit meetings with players while also game-planning. He admitted it’s “getting harder to be that way” when coaches are pulled in so many directions at once.

The NCAA, meanwhile, has stayed mum. NCAA President Charlie Baker, who pushed for more player autonomy in 2024, has yet to address the 2025 portal explosion publicly

And it’s not just the college insiders who are weighing in. Former NFL star J.J. Watt has joined the chorus of critics, blasting the NCAA for “cannibalizin­g” the sport by allowing the portal to open during March Madness. He likened it to the NFL starting free agency during the playoffs. “You’re underminin­g your own product,” he said. Hard to argue with that.

Now throw in NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals, and things get even messier. According to a 2024 study, 60% of transfer student-athletes transferred to a lower competition level. Some were promised a six-figure NIL deal but never received it. So not only are teams losing talent mid-tournament, but they’re also losing them over broken promises.

Regardless, the transfer portal was started for a good reason — to give players control and freedom. And yes, that part is important. But the timing? That’s the issue. Having it open during March Madness has turned into chaos.

Where does that leave men’s college basketball? In a bind. Everyone from coaches, players and fans are trying to figure out and adjust to a system that’s spinning out of control. Vitale’s rant may have gone viral, but underneath it all was a basketball lifer who loves the game and is concerned about its direction. And frankly? He’s not the only one.