The portal is portaling.
The end-of-season player movement that is the new norm in women’s college basketball still doesn’t feel normal. But it’s time to adjust expectations. Players are rightfully empowered to more actively influence the course of their college careers.
And, an adjustment of expectations shouldn’t come with any imposing of expectations. As Lauren Betts’ recent essay on her mental health struggles reminds, we outside observations aren’t privy to personal reasons that motivate players’
decisions.
There is health, mental and physical. There’s playing time, style of play and player development. There’s a coach coming or a coach going. There’s a desire to play closer to home or further from home. There’s educational options. And yes, there’s money, exposure and other expanded opportunities.
And, there are lots of rumors, even though the portal does not officially open until Monday, April 6. The last date for players to enter their names is April 20.
Here, we’re sticking with credibly-reported news of women’s college basketball highest-profile potential transfers, while also offering some analysis of portaling players’ skillsets. However, feel free to share your favorite portal possibilities in the comments.
Crooks and nine other Cyclones are spinning into the portal
After she declined to confirm if she planned to complete her college career at Iowa State, Audi Crooks’ college basketball future was going to remain a point of interest.
One of the most prolific and productive scorers in the history of the sport, Crooks announced on social media that she will spend her senior season outside of Ames, posting on Instagram:
Thank you all for embracing me and showing up to Hilton every single game day.
I’ve met so many of you out in the community, and I will cherish all of the genuine connections that I’ve built during my time at Iowa State.
I still believe the grass is greener where you water it, and I’ve done that here. It’s why I want you to hear from me directly that I have decided to enter the portal and explore what it means to take root again in new ground.
Named to the AP All American Second Team, Crooks is now the 10th Cyclone who will enter her name in the portal when it officially opens.
Those nine other Cyclones include Jada Williams, the rising senior point guard who played one season at Iowa State after beginning her college career at Arizona, and Addy Brown, a rising senior forward whose absence from the lineup due to a midseason back injury coincided with when the Cyclones collected consecutive losses that saw them tumble out of the top 25 after beginning the 2025-26 season at an undefeated 15-0.
Where Crooks decides to “take root again in new ground” will be interesting. She’s a player with extreme strengths and weakness. Will she look to build on the brand of efficient offensive centrality she established at Iowa State? Will she try to adapt her talents to a different kind of system, aiming to demonstrate a versatility that could enhance her WNBA Draft stock?
Power Four programs with ambitions of competing for a conference championship might be more inclined to pursue Brown, who not only would be an easier fit in almost any system, but whose impact also has exceeded her statistics. As noted above, Iowa State fell apart when she was out of the lineup. At 6-foot-2, she’s a physically strong, versatile defender who is enough of a shooting threat on offense. A native of Kentucky, Brown will enter the portal with a “do not contact” tag, which could, but doesn’t necessarily, mean she has a new destination in mind. Before committing to Iowa State, Brown considered Oklahoma State, Texas, Kansas and TCU.
Seven Lady Vols are leaving Rocky Top
After a tumultuous season at Tennessee, seven Lady Vols, at least for now, have expressed their intention to transfer. The deluge of departures leaves Jaida Civil, a rising sophomore wing, as the only returning Lady Vol still on the roster.
Headlining the group of transfers is Talaysia Cooper. The Lady Vols’ leading scorer, Cooper has a year of eligibility remaining; however, as she will be 22 years old before the end of 2026, she could enter the 2026 WNBA Draft. In her announcement, Cooper only signaled an intention to enter the portal.
A star-level scorer who has improved as a ball-in-her-hands offensive initiator, while also providing defensive playmaking, Cooper could be the most talented two-way player in the portal. She should have no shortage of suitors.
The 5-foot-6 Pauldo twins, Mia and Mya, are also on their way out of Tennessee. Mia was a top 10 recruit in the class of 2025, while Mya was a top 60 recruit. It’s thus far unclear if the twins again will be a package deal or if they plan to pursue separate college basketball futures.
Deniya Prawl, the No. 17-ranked recruit in the class of 2025 from Toronto, also will be exiting Rocky Top. A 6-foot-2 wing, Prawl demonstrated a willingness to do the thankless work on the court. Her athleticism and work rate should make her a coveted portal target.
Notably, assistant coach Gabe Lazo left Tennessee and subsequently accepted an assistant coaching job at LSU, replacing new Rutgers head coach Gary Redus on head coach Kim Mulkey’s staff. Lazo was credited for Tennessee’s high-wattage recruiting successes in the Kim Caldwell era, including luring Prawl to Knoxville. LSU, thus, has emerged as a spot to watch for Prawl.
Rising redshirt junior guard Kaniya Boyd and rising sophomore forward Lauren Hurst also will enter the portal; neither player saw significant time for the Lady Vols last season. Forward Alyssa Latham is a graduate transfer who already announced that she will play her final college season at Virginia Tech.
Lanie Grant intends to bid Carolina goodbye
Lanie Grant, the sophomore guard who had a standout NCAA Tournament for North Carolina, has decided she will no longer hoop in Carolina Blue.
Grant was an early enrollee at UNC, with the Virginia native, who committed to Carolina at age 14, skipping her senior season of high school basketball and arriving in Chapel Hill at 17 years old. A good 3-point shooter with the ability to take her defender off the bounce, Grant would be a great get for any team looking to bolster their backcourt scoring.
Taliyah Henderson, a forward who just completed her freshman season at UNC, also announced that she will enter the portal. A top 30 recruit, Henderson received limited playing time for the Tar Heels.
Zam Jones is packing up at NC State
A top 25 recruit in the class of 2024, guard Zam Jones will leave NC State after two seasons. The 5-foot-7 guard is a native of North Carolina who occupied a starting scoring guard role for the Wolfpack as a sophomore. Although her size limits her scoring efficiency, she can still bring Power Four scoring credibly to her next hoops home.
Divine Bourrage is no longer callin’ Baton Rouge
A five-star recruit in the class of 2025, Divine Bourrage will be departing LSU after one season. The 5-foot-11 guard saw limited time on a talented Tigers team.
A native of Iowa, the other schools she considered before committing to LSU were Arizona, Baylor, Illinois, South Carolina and Virginia Tech.
